The Writing Life Chapter 6 and 7

I really liked the beginning of chapter 6. I always find more relevance in Dillard's short anecdotes and stories than in her metaphors. They seem much more relatable and understandable. The story of Ferrar rowing almost uselessly against the tide is definitely something I can identify with, but the detail that Dillard put in about the reversal of the current was encouraging! People should definitely endeavor to the end; there are times when writing will feel slow, and other times where some invisible current, some magical inspiration, will pull the writer through.

Also, I liked the idea of "skying." I'm not sure if i liked it for the point that Dillard was trying to bring up, or the fact that I like nouning and verbing. For instance, I too, enjoy computering, and internetting, and junk-fooding. But the last paragraph of chapter 6 was good, it brought up a critical point. All of the different actions brought to my mind the idea that being a writer really doesn't involve just writing. It involves living, first and foremost, I think, because a person who has no experiences can't write and incorporate themselves into their writing. Our writing, whether we intend to or not, draws so much from our own lives, and though I'm aware Dillard brought this sort of idea up earlier, I think this paragraph has made it the most clear.

Chapter seven was my favorite. The whole things a story, and it definitely brought a huge sense of inspiration--about art in general, and doing art for the sake of art, writing for the sake of writing, for pushing oneself to do something difficult because it has the power to inspire. In a strange, unexpected way, art is addicting--people take on the difficulties and challenges of art merely for the sake of expressing themselves.

The Writing Life: Chapter 5

I really didn't get what chapter 4 was about with the exploding-typewriter-earthquake, so.....i'm skipping commenting on that.. ._.

I enjoyed the first part of chapter five. I agree that people shouldn't aim to write about something that they think everyone loves. Writing is so much more lovable, I think, when the reader can see the author in the writing, when the author writes about something he or she loves, something utterly them. Which is why it made me really happy to read the workshop stories--everyone demonstrated such uniqueness in their subject matter and writing styles to a degree where it was fascinating. People read to learn about and experience new viewpoints, not to review something that they already know or enjoy. I think reading should always be accompanied by a sense of surprise, and writing should always be accompanied by a sense of individual truth.

However, I didn't agree with Dillard's idea that it makes more sense to write one big book than to write several stories or essays. perhaps writing multiple introductions over and over again can be tedious--but i think the entire point of a collection of stories is the "piecy-ness." The idea of having multiple stories combine, like a puzzle, is unique and is, in itself, a style. Collections of short stories make me think of a series of postcards, little peeks at life or whatever the topic is that the author is discussing.

Procrastination. And some thoughts.

This is just going to be a blogpost full of random thoughts while I put off college apps.

Read more »

Assigned Blog Post #7: Oh dear. WRITING.

I am not particularly good at maintaining focus on the purpose of things. For instance, I realized today after reading Professor Cross' email that a lot of my blog posts don't have anything to do with writing. THIS IS A PROBLEM. fuhhhhhhh. Also, I need to read The Writing Life. I read a little bit of it....but I need to admit, I kind of disagreed with a lot. Maybe this is why I haven't been reading it....

Read more »

Assigned Blog Post #6: You should keep on blogging :)

I've really gotten to love this blogging thing....at first, it was hard to start writing, but the internet really does make it easier for people to express themselves, although, they actually SHOULD be expressing themselves all the more in real life :)

Sometimes, I write, and I just know I'm not getting anywhere. I forget what I'm even writing about, and the post bugs me because I just know there wasn't any heart or real care in it. It becomes internet junk, it's just there to take up space and waste words. Other times, I get frustrated because I write so much slower than I think, and I might post two, three, FOUR posts a day....so I'm really jealous of the super consistent writers I've seen while blog surfing. And so many people seem to have only good blog posts. Each post is so carefully measured out and pristine, they capture something special, each post becomes precious, so I really enjoy reading every single one of their posts.

In particular, I've really liked this blog, it's practically my favorite. I think I especially liked it because not only is the writing unique, but I also think I see a new side of the author I didn't expect!! My favorite part of the blogs is when I read a blog and I'm surprised to see who the author is, and they become all the more awesome and interesting to get to know :).
The blog I linked has a lot of interesting details, a lot of the writing assignments, as well as pictures and opinions posted for fun. Super cool.

So yeah! I'm glad that these blogs were assigned, and I really (unrealistically) wish everyone kept blogging after this class was over. It's amazing to see all these snippets of people you thought you knew--to find that they're actually so much more.

Assigned Blog Post #5: Child

Prompt: Copy the style of Jamaica Kinkaid’s “Girl” and title your piece similarly (e.g. Boy, Kid, Gal, etc.) What kind of directions can you give? What are the do’s and don’t's of being a “girl” (kid, boy, man, boss, etc.)? If you’d like, write this in the voice of your Carrillon Point character. Due by next Monday, October 11th.

Child

Brush your teeth in the morning after you wake up; brush your teeth in the night before you go to bed; brush them up-and-down, left-to-right, criss-cross; don’t slurp your soup so loudly; say “please” when you want something and “thank you” when you get it; don’t doodle on all you’re your things—keep them clean; tread lightly when you walk, because your stomping disturbs the neighbors and the home below us; wash your hands for a minute before you eat; did you really push little Emily during recess?; put your feet on the ground when you sit, not resting on another chair, like a lazy bum sleeping out on the streets; wipe your mouth on a napkin after you’re done eating; don’t push Emily again; smile and try to pay attention when your teacher is talking to you—don’t be drawing on your papers; don’t tip your chair back like that, or someday you’ll fall and split your head open; but Emily pushed me first, for no good reason; don’t talk back; don’t cry; don’t snivel; don’t protest in that manner; do as you’re told—I know better; this is how to get up after you’ve fallen; this is how to rub in iodine solution to clean scrapes; this is how to put a bandage on your shameful knees so that it won’t peel off when you’re out running like a hooligan again; this is how to sit down and study; this is how to keep track of time while you test, so you finish and don’t fail and get rejected from college, like the ne’er-do-well you would be by now if it weren’t for me; this is how you erase those ridiculous drawings in the back of your book in case your teacher sees; this is how you keep your things smart and neat—plain and professional, because your doodles make you look uneducated and bored; this is how you make a reputation for yourself; this is how you do well in school; this is how you keep your 4.0; this is how you network; this is how you laugh when things get awkward; this is how you laugh when you’re happy; this is how you laugh when you really want to cry; this is how to look educated; this is how to look professional; this is how to feel professional; this is how to hide how you feel when you think you’ve been betrayed; this is how to get over it; this is how to work your internship at the laboratory so that they don’t see the lazy, doodling idiot you are inside; be sure you don’t draw on any of your important papers—and if you do be sure to start everything over; quit wasting your time on drawing these useless things—you’re not very good, honestly; quit applying for art scholarships—you’re not studying art; don’t start studying art, because it’s too late and you’re too far behind the real art students; this is how to apply to merit scholarships; this is how to write appealing essays; this is how to present yourself; this is how to present your goals; this is how to rewrite them if they don’t look quite right; this is how to deal with it if you still don’t like what your goals are; this is how to apply to college so you’ll get in for sure; this is how you apply to medical school; this is how you apply to law school if you change your mind, though medical school is better; this is how to work a regular life to pay for medical school; this is how to call out sick if you can’t work it; this is how to study your heart out once you get into medical school; but what if I don’t get into medical school?; so after all this time and work, are you really still bent on becoming one of those emotional, doodling bums sitting on the streets?

Assigned Blog Post #4

...so now I need to make suggestions for our town....This really notches up my freak-out factor. It creeps me out a lot more now that I'm contributing ideas to a class thing....which means what I write might be *gasp* exposedddddddddddddd. oh dear.

hm....I think it's already implied, but it would be interesting to intensify the semi-rivalry between the two halves of the town. It kind of creates a source of conflict, which also implies that there should be a resolution later, right?

...maybe the rivalry can be intensified by something like class differences (although i guess that would be sort-of controversial? I don't know) or maybe the town is decisively divided by something ridiculous like VEGETARIANS vs. MEAT EATERRRS (roar) or just an issue that tends to divide people into two major categories. Greenpeacies vs. BP Oil drillers (jk, just emphasizing the idea of duality)

The most dangerous part of town is in the south side, where the two halves connect a little bit. Under a dumpy, gray highway all of the violent fights and confrontations of the town take place. Although Carillon Point has a reputation as a wonderful, quaint vacationing spot because of its wonderful weather, the shadow of highway bridge 78 goes unmentioned to outsiders. It's the town's dirty little secret. And town members simply hope that no unfortunate tourist goes wandering there...

In Class Character Sketch--Assigned Blog Post #3

So.....here is my in class character sketch. The character's name was Mariana "Mari" Ni. She's a stock broker and fears loneliness.
Uh...this is all notes and incomplete sentences....because I was in a rush :)

She's short. 5 foot 3 inches. 5'5" if she wants to impress someone and wears her fancy pumps. She's small, but she accessorizes to the point of almost, just almost excessive. It's not excessive. Just almost. She knows where the limits are.

She likes red a lot. Her long nails are red, and she's got fading red highlights in her hair, red boxy glasses, and her favorite 2-inch pumps are red. She thinks the color reflects who she is, because the deep carmine that she wears often is a color that shouldn't be messed with; it means business and getting things done. Despite her jumble of accessories, even her face sets off a quick, efficient, snappy, neat sort of mood. Brisk. Her watches and rings are simple. The small, cold silver ring in her cartilage pierce matches her sharp, bright eyes, and her short hair is quick to brush, but fashionable at the same time. In all aspects, she's a stockbroker, eyes flickering back and forth, balancing risks, measuring out costs and gains. She's admirably fearless and certain. Though physically she's tiny, her presence is huge. It's like she fills any room she enters. It makes it hard for people to notice that really, she's alone.

Meeting:
She meets her neighbor, Cecilia Thornwhistle after she's moved into a smaller neighborhood closer to the city where she works. It's a sort of crowded, dingy neighborhood, and it makes her feel uncomfortable. Claustrophobic, with a dead garden that isn't fit to feed a cow for even a day. She things her neighbor is sort of a nut, breaking glass at 2 in the morning and waking her up, but to some extent, she's okay. It makes her neighborhood seem slightly more alive. She met Cecilia first when Cecilia came over with a tray of baked welcome-to-the-neighborhood brownies. Mari thinks Cecilia looks tired and slow. Consciously, she pities Cecilia because of Cecilia's sense of emptiness and the unattractive, purple bags sitting under her eyes all the time. But unconsciously, she warmed up to Cecilia immediately. Cuz really, she's just as tired. The business world and being a stockbroker is stressful stuff. There's no trust, or sympathy, no rest, no caring. Being tough all the time is exhausting work. Although Mari sees herself and Cecilia as completely different people, they really are quite similar, both backed into the wall by a society that pushes them forward, backward, left, right, in and out of a maze without end.

Assigned Blog Post #2

PROMPT: After reading multiple stories from the same writer, do you start to recognize certain styles or patterns they have in their writing? Are there certain aspects of their subjects that they consistently pay special attention to? Do they have a specific or notable sentence structure? Do they tend to go to the same family of similes or metaphors every time? What common threads do you see? What makes the stories “belong” to the writer?

Now think about your own writing. Do you have a specific style? Is there a certain way you write that is different from anyone else? What is your “signature”? Do you have one?

I think certain styles or patterns are certainly recognizable for particular writers. This is not only for writing style and word choice, but also subject matter and consequently broader trends in tone and mood. Diaz, for example, has stories that speak with a very casual, literal, slang style. His similes and metaphors are often creative, meant to be humorous, and very exaggerated. In addition, Diaz writes stories that is in the context of his particular cultural upbringing. His stories are generally about his family or the people he himself probably new as a child. His heritage and the sort of language he must have used as a child with his family is clear in the overall language of all of his stories. The stories all usually give a bright, lively feeling, and the way in which the stories are told causes the reader to imagine the story as if it were being told in the moment. All of these aspects, then, in combination, create Diaz's unique voice.

As to my own stories, I'm not quite sure what sort of style I have. I think that more experienced writers are able to have they're own "signature" styles and voices in writing because they've written enough to know what type of writing they are most comfortable with. I'm not sure if I've found that yet. It's difficult for me to write, and sometimes I end up reading and rereading my works over and over again because I don't feel like it's quite right. Just now, too, I debated using "because," "'cause" and "cuz" in my last sentence!! Should I write formally? Just as I speak? A little bit of both!?!?!? I dunno. I supposed I do inevitably put in elements of my speech in here. But then there're<--(conjugations always make my stylistically conflicted) soooo many different things that i can do when I tell a story to evoke a certain attitude or mood, I just confuse myself.

One particular stylistic thing that trips me up is the usage of capitals. This drives me nuts. When I talk about death or truth, I often like to personify them. I write Death and Truth, not death and truth. But then I turn it in and get it evaluated, and my paper comes back with red x's over the caps, which gets on my nerves a lot. It really tells me that the person who just edited my paper doesn't think I know how to use capital letters....but I do!!! It was just a style attempt....

So....I don't think I quite have a signature style yet. Or maybe I do, but I don't know it yet. Maybe signatures aren't something to create. Maybe they're just developed naturally, unconsciously, inevitably. How else would they seem so real and fluid?

Now that I've read over what I've just written, I realized something. I like leaving out the "and" when I have lists in my writing. AH-HAH!! So it's a natural unconscious thing. :)

But I guess people can choose to "grow into" styles that they'd like to have....like an over time sort of thing... By shaping and pruning their style, I guess they can make it fit their purposes for writing. But beneath all the changes they make in their style intentionally, I think, they're natural voice will still show hints here and there.

Did this make sense? I hope so. I think I have a confusing style of writing.

Assigned Blog Post #1

PROMPT: What do you think about truth in fiction? How much truth surfaces in your writing? How much of yourself? Does something that comes from a true story resonate more with a reader? (Think about stories or essays you have read.) What role does truth have in our creative work?

The amazing part about writing is that it's so indestructible. It's incredibly powerful. I used to think that preserving things through writing was....not so amazing. Things get lost, burned, smudged, old....whatever. But really, writing comes to its greatest potential and strength when it's read. Because then, it's spreading, and already, it's engraved in someone's mind. A part of the writer is sitting in someone's thoughts. And even when the reader isn't actively thinking about whatever they've read, it's somewhere deep in the crevices of the brain, quietly affecting emotions, memories, beliefs, thoughts, actions...the things that make a human a human, even if it's only affecting the reader a little, minuscule--sometimes unnoticeable--bit.

And the key to the power of the written word is it's truth. Fiction can still hold immense power over people's hearts because under the story and magic and plot and characters, there's reality. While nonfiction lays the truth bare, fiction (in my opinion) is more appealing in that it packages the truth. I don't think one in general is more effective than the other. The degree of truth a work has depends upon the reader. The truth in fiction is wrapped beautifully, and by spreading his/her fiction, a writer is handing off the package to the reader. By spreading the story, the writer is saying, "Here is a little piece of myself. I've decorated it, I've wrapped it, and right now it looks like a book, but if you open up this package, it's really a seed, and then it'll see the light and grow for you."

How can people write without weaving themselves into the letters? I don't mean any kind of writing, like scientific lab reports, or set equations. I mean expressive writing--journals, fiction, nonfiction, poems, songs, and school essays analyzing someone else's work of literature ('cuz those do indicate opinion). Even if someone wrote a bunch of lies about him/herself, there's still that inevitable grain of truth latched on and hanging haphazardly off the end. In such a case, the truth isn't in the content. It's in the intent. It's in one's attempt to hide oneself, to cover oneself, one's fear of being discovered. And if a reader is able to understand those lies, it's true for the reader, too, or at least I think it would be, because all people have tried to hide things about themselves before, right? (i'm not the only one, right?)

I'm going off on a lot of tangents. I need to set some things straight before I go on. There's two types of truths in all writing, including in fiction. The writer's truth and the reader's truth. Of course, the writer's truth is the strongest. The writer is the one who knows the story inside and out, the thoughts behind writing the story, the reason for the story. The writer is the one who went through the pains of making the story, loving the story enough not to abandon it, molding it, shaping it, remaking it, hating it, but coming back to it every time.

The reader's truth is the understanding the reader reaches while reading (alliteration!). The reader's interpretation of the story reflects the reader's own personality, experiences, and beliefs. Two people look at two different sides of a statue. One person sees white and the other sees black. But both are right because it depends on where you're standing in respect to the work. The sculptor knows both sides, and therefore has a general idea of the two different views the viewers possess. But even the sculptor doesn't know precisely how the two sides are being seen. What is it like to look at the white side at a 45 degree angle, and what is it like to look at the black side while being upside down like that ridiculous chap over there?

So the understandings and truths overlap for everyone (or it wouldn't be the same book!), but no truth is exactly the same between two people. I reallllllllly hope this made sense, if it didn't, either you're the ridiculous chap hanging upside down, or I'm the idiot sculptor making my works whilst hanging from the ceiling.

Now to answer the personal parts of the prompt. eh.

Truth in my writing is a problem I deal with constantly. I can't even put all of my secrets into my own journal (that NO ONE GETS TO SEE EVARRRRR EVAR EVAR) because seeing them smack-dab on a sheet of paper gives me heart palpitations. I'm afraid to write semi-personal stories because I'm paranoid and I keep imagining some guy twirling his mustache and asking "Which character are YOU liekkk? This actually happened, DIDN'T IT."

OHGEEZPTAS;DFOIJA;SDLKJFLDFJASLDJ;K.

BUT guess what, I'm workin' on it. sorta. when i feel like it and have time :)
Despite my desperate, and admittedly dumb, attempts to hide myself in my writing, I know that my personal self is always somewhere in there. How much of myself? A lot, actually. It's just that I never show my writing to other people, so I'm the only one who knows about it :p

I journal to put myself on paper. I said that gave me heart palpitations, right? But still. Though I flip out while doing the writing, I grow when I do the reading. I decided to start keeping a journal at about the end of 8th grade to the beginning of 9th grade after I cleaned out my room. There's a connection. BECAUSE i cleaned out my room, I found my little stories and my "장혜지 ONLEY. DONT REDD THIS." diary from when I was...4/5? Probably when I was four, considering i had a 50% spelling rate. But reading that little book with the Winnie-the-Pooh cover was amazing. By reading it, I understood exactly who Diane Jang, age 4, was. Then there were the letters.

Birthday cards, cheesy valentines, passed notes from class, everything...in a Ziplock sandwich baggie. The idea of corresponding through letters and the personalities those records revealed was overwhelming. So I started writing letters again, too. Locker-buddy letters, BFF letters, Pen-Pal-in-Texas letters, sometimes letters to myself in my journal, letters I never ended up giving, letters where I messed up and had to start all over again....And I made copies of everything I wrote, for the record.

Considering how much I now understand of myself by reading from the past, I'd say I put myself completely into my writing. I dig a pit for myself and I can't get out, but I trick myself into thinking I'm covered by popping myself deeper into the soil of what I write. But when the reader digs deeper, I'm still there. Nowhere to run. All of me, splattered on the pages like a Rorschach test. So I eliminated the reader from the equation. I've never shared anything I've really, truly, purely written.


But English class doesn't give me a choice, right?

....scary, but I guess that's cool too.
:)