Week four...

I've been thoroughly enjoying reading Writing Down the Bones - not only for the great advice on writing, but because it truly reflects what we're learning in class. What resonated with me was the section on writing seen as a McD's hamburger - or, rather, what writing shouldn't be. This is something I've struggled with as a writer-in-training. Almost every time I sit down to write anything, it has to have a purpose, a goal, an ending in sight. This makes my writing less meaningful because it's strategic from the jump. I like how Goldberg refers to writing how it should be - "Let go of everything when you write, and try at a simple beginning with simple words to express what you have inside. It won't begin smoothly. Allow yourself to be awkward. You are stripping yourself. You are exposing your life, not how your ego would like to see you represented, but how you are as a human being. And it is because of this that I think writing is religious." (pp. 39-40)
What's upsetting about learning this so late in my life is - how much better could I have been if I were taught to write like this at a young age? So many people see writing as a chore instead of as a means to release. I don't know how many times people have paid me to write papers for them, because the task is so daunting they would literally rather break the bank in order to keep from having to write a paper. I can't help but wonder - if we were taught to look at writing as something that helps us better understand ourselves and our ways of thinking, could we enjoy it more and, ultimately, be better writers? This also ties in with the section about writers living twice. We learn to appreciate small things more than the average bear because we look at the world through a writer's eyes. Just like painters view the world as artists. We all have our human-monkey brain, which helps us think quickly, solve problems, and deal with sensory overloads. Having said that, I think writers have access to a more critical brain which helps us appreciate the power of questioning, wondering, theorizing. This is what I adore about truly great writers - their ability to take something insignificant and turn it into a story, into something worthwhile. Inanimate objects are a lot more interesting when someone attaches meaning to it through writing.

The other assigned readings for this week were so dense, I couldn't concentrate long enough to have anything meaningful to say about them. I do look forward to reading all of your responses. Have a good night everyone :)