The focus of this blog is on the process of writing and how to compose a solid piece of work by following the process. I spoke with three very talented, experienced writers who use the process themselves, Don Murray, Mary Karr, and Anne Lamott. In this discussion there will be advice on how to start a piece of writing, or defeat writer’s block, and the importance of how using writing process skills will improve your writing over time.
It's very brisk outside tonight at the Blue Cross Riverrink. The air is so cold its turned my fingers a faint shade of purple. I decide to take a break from the cold and head inside the cabin lodge for a hot chocolate. I walk around the rest of the cabin when I approach three intelligent individuals deep into their conversation, also sipping hot chocolates. I politely introduce myself to the three individuals sitting down by a fire pit only to find out that I am in the presence of some famous authors Don Murray, Mary Karr, and Anne Lamott. Getting started with my writing and developing a process about it has always been an issue for me, so I decided to sit down by the fire as well and ask the authors some questions I had in hopes they may be able to give me some advice. The writers and I started with the first topic of our discussion on how writing is not easy, and getting started with writing is difficult for us all. Mary proceeded to ask me, “Martina do you think of yourself as a good writer?” and I then answered her by saying, “Actually Mary I do believe that I am a good writer, I just always think of myself as too critical and it's always hard for me to start my writing pieces”. Mary said she understood where I was coming from and that she experiences the same things I do. Mary replied with saying, “The idea is to get some scenes down. Let your mind roam down some alleys that may land in dead ends--that’s the nature of the process.”. I replied by saying, “Ah Mary I see what you’re saying. You have to just write whatever first comes to mind and just keep writing down your flowing thoughts as they come, even if they may not make sense at first?. Mary nods in positive recognition and says, “Yes that’s exactly right. In the beginning, when there are zero pages, you have to cheer yourself into cranking stuff out, even if it lands on the cutting room floor.”. Anne adds to the topic by saying, “I agree with Mary, she makes a really good point. For me and most of the other writers I know, writing is not rapturous. In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts. The first draft is the child’s draft, where you let it all pour out and then let it romp all over the place, knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later.”. I said to Anne, “So you just have to be childish at first with your writing knowing that only you are seeing it before it becomes edited, so you can just allow your thoughts to start flowing”. Anne replies to me, “Yes that’s correct. Just get it all down on paper because there may be something great in those six crazy pages that you would have never gotten to by more rational, grown-up means.”. We all look in Don’s direction, towards the opposite side of the fire, as he begins to give his input on what we’re talking about. Don says, “Mary mentioned before that letting your mind roam on paper is part of the writing process. I also believe that writing is a process. It is the process of discovery through language. It is the process of exploration of what we should know and what we feel about what we know through language. It is the process of using language to learn about our world, to evaluate what we learn about our world, to communicate what we learn about our world.”. I say to Don, “Wow that’s a really insightful point, so you’re saying that writing is a process of discovery through language? We can find out more about ourselves and our environments through the language we create in our writing?”. Don replies, “Yes very well said, Martina. That’s a very clear way of restating what I meant. I also agree with what Anne had said before about shitty first drafts. I believe drafting is a very important and effective process to develop solid pieces of writing. Instead of teaching finished writing, we should teach unfinished writing, and glory in its unfinishedness.”. The writers and I take the finals sips of our hot chocolate by the dwindling fire as closing time at the Riverrink is near. We finish up our discussion by talking about the final topic of the night, something all writers find tedious, the revision process. I go around the fire and ask each of the writers their finals thoughts on revision. I start with Don this time and he makes a great point about rewriting during the revision process. Don says, “Rewriting is reconsideration of subject, form, and audience. It is researching, rethinking, redesigning, rewriting--and finally, line-by-line editing, the demanding, satisfying process of making each word right.”. I move on to Mary and she makes a valid statement about editing during the revision process. Mary explains, “For me, the last 20 percent of a book’s improvement takes 95 percent of the effort--all in the editing. I can honestly say not one page I’ve ever published appears anywhere close to how it came out in first draft. A poem might take sixty versions. I am not much of a writer, but I am a stubborn little bulldog of a reviser.”. Don and Mary both give good advice about revision, but I move on to Anne, who has one last point to make about revision as well. Anne mentions that although drafts are their own component of the writing process, they also are a significant part of revising your work too. Anne explains why revising your work through three different drafts is a substantial key to reaching a finished piece. Anne states, “A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft--you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft--you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it’s loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy.”. I express to the three, “ To conclude, I take it that revision is the most important part of the writing process in all three of your opinions because it helps you reconstruct and fine tune your work each and every time you do it so that it appeals to both you and your audience to keep everyone reading on.”. All three writers nod their heads at my statement and say in an excited unison, “Exactly!”. A message comes on the loudspeaker from across the lodge and announces that the Riverrink is now closed and to please make your way to the nearest exit. I thank Mary, Don, and Anne for their time tonight, express my appreciation for them giving their advice to help make me a better writer, and shake each of their hands in a sincere manner. I then head out the exit towards my car realizing that this was one of the best experiences during my career as an aspiring writer.
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