Starting Is Demeaning: A Short Story

In the Anne Lamott “Shitty First Drafts” article that I read, there were a few things that stood out to me while I was reading. Whether it was how almost no writer can sit down and write a perfect draft the first time, or if it was how sometimes we

Whether while writing an essay or a birthday card, we have all struggled to find the proper words to illustrate our thoughts or feelings from time to time. Upholding the occupation of a writer would multiply that struggle tenfold. An occupation that depends on interesting, fluid pieces of writing every submission requires an adequate number of attempts and patience. Lamott expresses that writers “all often feel like we are pulling teeth” (Lamott), which proves the difficulty of writing is still there no matter the level of writer behind the work. Lamott also emphasizes that a writer “has to start somewhere” and shares her friend’s ideas in her writing to simply “get something - anything - down on paper” (Lamott). Lamott, and the other writers mentioned in this piece, carry incredible track records, while still admitting that perfection did not come initially, or even easily. Thus, proving that the Shitty First Draft has a place in any writer’s notebook or Word document. Lamott’s admission to struggling to properly begin a piece of writing surprised me, given of her success. I could not imagine a woman of her accomplishments stressing out over a food review, yet I felt relieved that someone of Lamott’s title relates to an amateur writer like myself. I often put off my writing as well when I cannot articulate a proper introduction. I do every other possible homework, or shy away from homework in general because the

For many writing comes naturally, for myself it is sometimes a struggle. Back in high school I could sum up my view of writing with two words, a battle. I avoided writing like it was the plague, this continued through my first few years of college right after high school. I have since evolved from being apprehensive from my irrational fears that kept me from writing, and now am able to pick up a pad and pencil and enjoy my time writing.

The story of my history as a writer is a very long one. My writing has come full circle. I have changed very much throughout the years, both as I grew older and as I discovered more aspects of my own personality. The growth that

Words expressed only through the agonizing notes of distress and sadness. Only then was the “art and suffering,” comingled in only a way that life’s experiences could bring.

Someone will always die and they will have a funeral, but can you imagine losing someone close to you? How about you brother? In the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” there are many situations when death is among Doodle and his body. James Hurt wrote the story the “Scarlet Ibis”

(1-4) The reflection of each poet's childhood is displayed within these lines helping to build a tone for the memories of each narrator.

The words “struggling” and “dark” are specifically used to describe the show that the path to losing your memory is a dark road to be on. Furthermore, in the poem it states “Well on your way to oblivion where you will join those who have even forgotten how to swim and how to ride a bicycle.” Collins uses the word oblivion to further enhance his theme of a passage of time leading to memory loss and how appalling it is. Therefore, the authors use complex diction in their writing to help develop their theme.

Russell Baker, a popular journalist, admitted that at one point in his life he had trouble writing. In his article, “ Discovering the Power of My Words” he explains how he found his writing process. In his junior year of high school, his English teacher assigned an essay asking the student what they had done over their summer vacation. Baker was confused and did not know what to write but then had the idea to write about his first experience eating spaghetti with his family. “Suddenly I wanted to write about that, about the warmth and good feeling of it, but I wanted to put it down simply for my own joy, not for Mr. Fleagle. It was a moment I wanted to recapture and hold for myself. I wanted to relive the pleasure of an evening at New Street. To write it as I wanted, however, would violate all the rules of formal composition I’d learned in school, and Mr. Fleagle would surely give it a failing grade. Never mind. I would write something else for Mr. Fleagle after I had written this thing for myself.” (Baker 51) Baker encourages his audience by stating that one should write about experiences that they have had or anything that they have knowledge on. This will make you feel more comfortable. The writing will also be natural and more enjoyable to read. When he uses this method of writing, not only does he get a good grade on his paper, but he saw the enjoyment that it brought his classmates when his paper was read out loud.

Memories are a powerful force within people’s lives. They encourage, explain and expose the inner depths of an individual and the reason for who they are. Whether remembrances from past occurrences as children or teens or life altering decisions made regarding career and family, memories continue to have an influence on everyday life. They drive a person forward in current judgments and effects relationships with those surrounding. However, as time progresses memories alter. Either details are forgotten or translated differently than their original happening; memories are subjected to distortion. Consequently, the revision in which people remember recollections of their life’s history can influence the interpretation and their retellings. The correspondence between time and memories is often overlooked as parallel, but the interlocking connection contributes sustainably to everyday life, choices, behaviors and personal relationships. In her photographic series, Mutters Schuhe, Nina Röder explores how “subjectivity and perspective affect the retelling of memories” (Garrett, 2014) through the suggestion that emotions and time can trigger a rebirth of perspectives concerning memories.

Memories can in a way define who we are and how we progress through life. Memories can be a pathway to either follow the straight and narrow or to have us decide which fork of the road to take. Past memories can help to identify a person and can effect the future that follows. Through the journy of self discovery, Marshall’s Praisesong for the Widow and Danticat’s Breath, Eyes, Memory suggest one must relive past and present memories to find their true identity in the future.

What’s the first thing you do before getting started on writing a text? Is it turn on music, get yourself alone in a room, turn on the TV? Whatever it is, everyone has their own writing process. Elizabeth Wardle and Doug Downs state, “…it would seem that if you want to become a more versatile, capable, powerful writer, you need to be pretty aware of which activities, behaviors, habits, and approaches lead to your strongest writing-and which don’t”(170). The writing process has a major effect on the effectiveness of the paper it’s got to do with what it takes you to get the best on paper. My writing process consists of all paperwork, which is related to the writing and music that’ll help me focus.

When I think about writing, I feel intellectually ravenous toward the subject I am given. When I am tasked with a writing assignment I figure out how I feel about the subject and what ideas I could incorporate into my writing that pertains to the subject. I find it easier

Juxtaposition is used throughout poems in The Arcadia Project. One of the main forms of this is shown through the comparison of form and content. In Nathan Hauke’s poem, A Surface. A Shore or Semi-transparency of Glass, the form and the content directly contribute to each other. The uneasy worrying

I love to write, but sometimes I really struggle with starting. I know that once I sit and write, I will get into it and I won't have to worry about getting distracted. It's always the initial shock of switching from life to paper. From focusing on everything around