My winter break was full of writing lots and lots and lots of college applications. It was a tiring process but a surprising one also. I have never learned as much about my writing process more than I did in the past two weeks. While writing, I it's often difficult to find certain words. The hardest thing about writing "good" essays for me is that essays aren't written in one attempt. They go through a serious revision process. In that revision process, I end up more confused than I was when I began. I can't find the perfect words to say what I mean in a concise manner. Basically, the biggest issue for me is I've got too much to write about and need to focus. And I knew this. For my entire writing life, focus is the area I struggle with most in writing essays. College applications tested me greatly because there were word limits. And I couldn't meet them in a first draft, never. So, how was I going to improve?
Over break, I read a book titled Discovering the Writer Within: 40 Days to More Imaginative Writing. This was a first for me. I had never read a "writing manual" before in my life. But the book gave me some interesting thoughts to chew on.
The book is a 40 day "workout program" of imagination-stretching exercises that helps writers open up, release creativity and spark ideas. And in regards to my issue, there were specific chapters that helped me tremendously.
In chapter 13, I learned an interesting tip to deal with "writer's block." Often, people say to "write about what you know." However, the book suggested the exact opposite- to write about what you don't know. Write about what you haven't figured out yet. This makes you curious. Write about what confuses you. You're able to seek out confusion, draw it close, and write your way to understanding. If you retell old stories that no longer raise questions for you, it's dull. And that surely doesn't help with "writer's block."
In chapters 18 and 19, I learned the importance of writing a quick draft- a super quick draft. It's unwise to draw out the process for more than one or two days. This surprised me because I spend an enormous amount of time on my first draft, and sometimes that first draft is closely identical to my final version because I've gone through a long, drawn-out process of slowing thinking about it as I wrote. However, it's better to force yourself to complete a draft quickly, even if that means leaving unsatisfactory holes or loose ends. The longer you toil over writing the first draft, the more likely you are to fall into its grip. Even with all its flaws, a fast draft has a spontaneity and freshness to it that's missing from a carefully constructed one. Because of this, it's easier to revise.
The book offered a unique method to help in this process. Print out a first draft, get a pair of scissors, and cut up the draft by paragraphs. This lets you attack your work physically. I found this method extremely helpful because I often get hung up on the sanctity of my typed page. But once it's disassembled, I'm able to forget how attached I was to the first draft. It was easier to focus on the most important parts of my essay.
Overall, Bruce Ballenger and Barry Lane did a fantastic job with this book. It helps you find the writer inside and gives you a place to begin. The book is best for people who aren't ready to call themselves writers yet. It's for people who are unsure of what they're doing/don't know how to get started. One of the many positives is the book is written in a extremely personal voice. You're able to notice the two authors' distinct voices but they complement each other nicely. Sometimes one or the other will even discuss his reactions to one of the other author's exercises.
I'm glad I came across this book while hunting for one in the library! Since the book is quite old, I don't think I would have naturally found this book if I hadn't been actively seeking one out on this certain topic.
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