For this blog assignment, I read the following readings listed below.
I walked into Panera Bread to get lunch after my 11:05 a.m. class. I brought my laptop in so that I could work on my assignments. I ordered my mac and cheese and brought it to the high stool seating area where others were sitting. I began to eat and opened my laptop to work on my paper for english class. The screen stared back at me. I just couldn’t get it started. There were 2 women and a male sitting besides me and I introduced myself to them. They introduced themselves as Maria Popova, Don Murray, and Anne Lamott: 3 professional writers. I had explained to them how terrible I am at writing papers. They all responded one thing, “Did you follow the steps of the Writing Process?” I sat there confused. “Well, how do you get your papers started? I can never think of an idea and I tend to keep pushing back my writing until it’s a day before it is due and I have to rush.” Maria responds, “Just sitting down and really trying is enough to get it started.” {1} Anne agreed with Maria and said, “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something--anything-- down on paper.” {2} Maria and Anne starting having a side conversation as Don chimed in, “You don’t learn a process by talking about it, but by doing it.” {3} “I guess that's the hardest part; just making myself sit down and start to write. When is it a good time to write?” I asked. Maria replied, “When I am working on a book or a story, I write every morning as soon after first light possible. There is no one to disturb you…” {4} “I have class in the morning so I think I would be most productive doing it right after class rather than waiting until night to start,” I added. “Could you guys explain to me a little more about your writing process?” Anne replied, “ First, I try to breathe, because I am either sitting there panting like a lapdog or I’m unintentionally making slow asthmatic death rattles. I just sit there for a minute, breathing slowly, quietly.” {5} Maria laughed as if she related to Anne and said, “I need an hour alone before dinner, with a drink, to go over what I have done that day. So I spend this hour taking things out and putting other things in.” {6} Anne added again, “The first draft is a child’s draft, where you let it pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is ever going to see it and you can shape it later.” {7} She rambled on for a couple more minutes and then, something caught my ears. She said, “Some of the best advice I have ever heard is that you don’t have to see where you’re going… you just have to see two or three feet ahead of you.” {8} I sat there and took in their personal experiences with writing, along with thanking them, and responded, “I am always afraid of what my teacher might think of my writing. Whether it is good enough or not.” Don replied, “Well, I am a teacher and I have learned many ways to understand the student’s paper.” He paused and said, “We have to respect the student, not for the paper we call literature by giving it a grade, but for the search for truth in which he is engaged.” {9} I have always said, “Instead of teaching finished writing, we should teach unfinished writing and glory in its unfinishedness.” {10} Maria jumped in, “Don, I love that! But, we have to get going now. I hope all of our advice has helped and I wish you all the best with you english paper!” I shook all of their hands and couldn’t stop thanking them repeatedly. They walked out the doors of Panera and I opened my laptop, as the cursor blinked, ready for me to type. {1} Quote by William Gibson excerpted from The Daily Writing Routines of Great Writers (Maria Popova) {2} Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (Anne Lamott) {3} Teach Writing as a Process not a Product (Don Murray) {4} Quote by Ernest Hemingway excerpted from The Daily Writing Routines of Great Writers (Maria Popova) {5} Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (Anne Lamott) {6} Quote by Joan Didion excerpted from The Daily Writing Routines of Great Writers (Maria Popova) {7} Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (Anne Lamott) {8} Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (Anne Lamott) {9} Teach Writing as a Process not a Product (Don Murray) {10} Teach Writing as a Process not a Product (Don Murray)
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Taylor DannakerI will use this blog to write about moments in my life where I hope you can understand me a little more. Archives
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