Hello again, and welcome back. Today blog is about the writing process. I had to creating a scene, 3 quotes of my own and 3 quotes from each Author of the following text and annotate. It was regular day on the # 2 train from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Everyone was in their own world. I found a seat in the corner to my surprise. I pull out my book, ear plugs, paper and pen. I stared reading and taking notes. I try my best to stay focus but at every stop the door will open and people got in and out of the train. I look up and three individuals enter and sat in the seat across from me. I went back to reading and taking notes, when someone out of the blue said, is the ear plugs really working? I looked up to see who the person was, that was trying to interrupt me as I was busy taking notes. She said, "Hi, my name is Mary Karr, and theses are my friends Don Murray and Ann Lamont." I said "hi" back and introduced myself and returned to my work. When Don Murray asked me what I was reading. I told him I was reading a book and doing research for a paper I have to write for my English class. I said to him I am not really good at writing, but "I needed to do my best." When Don Murray said, “The writing process itself can be divided into 3 stages: pre-writing, writing, and rewriting”. I said, "Thank you Don. I never thought of writing in that way, I just thought of it as too much work". Don replied, “Writing is the act of creating a first draft." Anne Lamont said “Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something— anything—down on paper”. I was amazed and couldn’t believe in million years I will bumped into three writers on the train Then again, its New York. You never know who you will run into. I took my ear plugs out and listen to what they had to say, took notes of the things they were sharing with me. I felt like a sponge, soaking all the information about the writing process. Mary said, “ 1) Writing is painful—it’s “fun” only for novices, the very young, and hacks; (2) other than a few instances of luck, good work only comes through revision; (3) the best revisers often have reading habits that stretch back before the current age, which lends them a sense of history and raises their standards for quality”. I said thank you to Mary. I was so nervous and felt like a fish out of water . I thought to my self If writing is going to be painful why would I want to write. I guess Don saw the hesitant in me. He said, " Don’t look back. Yes, the draft needs fixing. But first it needs writing.” “Be patient, listen quietly, the writing will come”. I replied thank you Don, " I will take all you advice and applied to my writing". My stop was soon approaching I started gathering my things and thank Mary ,Don and Anne for all advice on writing. I said it was pleasure meeting them. Anne replied, " likewise and said let me give you a little more advice. "Writing has so much to give, so much to teach, so many surprises. That thing you had to force yourself to do—the actual act of writing—turns out to be the best part". I smile as i got of the train and said thank you again.
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Sanatra Cahrles-BrowneI will use this blog to help track my growth and become a better writer. Archives
May 2020
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