"Let me live, love, and say it well in good sentences."
--Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
Now, this is a story all about how I got my life got flipped-turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute. Just sit right there, I'll tell you how I created my own scene for a writers’ discussion about the writing process. The quotes were taken from these readings below. In west Philadelphia bored and laze on the playground was where I spent most of my days chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool and all stressin' outside of the school
When a couple of people out in a distance who were in too deep in conversation. ... "So try learning how to cut out the dull parts! " exclaimed one of the females. For some odd reason the female who just shouted looked familiar. A quick google search later, found out that she was the American Poet Mary Karr. Went back to my own business trying to think about what to write. ...... "To be a teacher of a process such as this takes qualities too few of us have, but which most of us can develop. We have to be quiet, to listen, to respond. We are not the initiator or the motivator; we are the reader, the recipient! " Shouted by a man in thick glasses and a sweater. Those words rang in my ears for a minute. Another searched with that line in mind and it turns out to be none other than Don Murray. I moved closer to the group. While moving I over heard the other lady say: "I know some very great writers, writers you love who write beautifully and have made a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. " Those line stuck with me. As I was moving I searched the line that was just said and the search results turns out to be the American Novelist, Anne Lamott. They started making trouble in my neighborhood. I got caught listening in. I got scared. They are looking at me with blank expressions. I had to break the silent barrier between us. "Hey, I was listening in on you guys because I was stressing about the writing process and I was trying to get inspri-" gets cut off by Don. "The writing process itself can be divided into three stages: prewriting, writing, and rewriting. " I feel like I had a confused look on my face and I slowly nod as if I know what he is talking about. A glare strikes Don's glasses. He proceeds to adjust his glasses and calmly spoke. "When you give him an assignment you tell him what to say and how to say it, and thereby cheat your student of the opportunity to learn the process of discovery we call writing." Nodding with agreement Anne added: "Now, practically even better news than that of short assignments is the idea of shitty first drafts. All good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts." As I took out my notepad to take some notes down. Mary was nodding her head approvingly and added: "For me, the last 20 percent of a book’s improvement takes 95 percent of the effort—all in the editing." "I see. I see. I feel like that's a good advice!" I said with a glimmer of hope in my eyes. "Thank you so much! I now have an idea on what I should be writing about." I said in a joyful tone. As I backed away from the group Mary added "Remind yourself that revising proves your care for the reader and the nature of your ambition. " I smiled nodded my head. As I started to walk off Anne added "Very few writers really know what they are doing until they’ve done it." Feeling good I put my Dre beats on and said, 'I might as well kick it' Brainstorming on the way home I pulled up to the house about seven or eigth I looked at my kingdom I was finally there
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Kent ChowOut here trying to make meaning. Archives
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