I know what it’s like to be the bronco. I was four years old. The child of Hungarian
immigrants. Poor. My parents were
separated. I was unable to speak or understand English. Lonely. Unbelonging. Helpless.
Defended.
The
kindergarten nun—I didn’t have a way of remembering an English name—had handed
out flash cards for us to identify pictures with a word. Of course, I didn’t, at the time, follow what
this game was. I had just come from
being wrestled out of the protection of my coat. I was hungry.
Why was I being subjected to this?
All
the other children were happily calling out words. When it came my turn, I crossed my arms over
my chest. Pouted. And shoved the flashcard away with the back
of my hand. I burst into tears.
What
happened next, I don’t know. But I
learned to speak, write, and read in English.
I have been teaching English, now, for over 40 years. My Hungarian
father often bragged that a Hungarian girl was teaching the English English. But
I feel helplessness and frustration in some students when I introduce new
writing strategies in workshops. The
first round is always the toughest: “It’s my
writing!” a student will often say, implying that I am violating her
privacy. “That’s the way I like it,”
another will say (implying “hands-off!”).
Or, “You just want me to write the way you want me to write.” The worst part of that is the implication
that I’m being just as arbitrary as teachers who insist on the five-paragraph
essay, or simply regurgitations of teacher’s opinions.
In
other blog posts, among them, “Reasons for Writing” and “Damning with Praise,” I
offer ways in which to understand workshop dynamics. But the most difficult experience
is the defensiveness and ego-attachment we are considering here. And it often comes from experiences that have
little to do with writing, per se, and everything to do with the
vulnerabilities that come from the kinds of childhood trauma I described
above. If you are peripheralized in any
way, especially because of things that you cannot help—nationality, gender, race,
age, sexual-orientation, family, ability, or class—any suggestion that you can
grow as a writer might feel like just another personal rejection—“Don’t be you.
Be like me.” If, in addition, you have
only had single opportunities to hand in papers for a grade—which would make
anyone feel anxious and helpless—then any recommendation for redrafting will
raise a feeling of despair.
I
regularly meet now with my own colleagues to workshop my own writing—this post,
too, has been vetted by my husband, for example. I’ve made many changes from my
first draft, calling on the voices of my fellow writers in my head. My editors
offer me suggestions, which almost always
help me to make significant breakthroughs in my work. But in the past, in the
hands of workshop leaders that were writers but not teachers, I have walked
away in tears. Especially corrosive are
those men who use workshops to court women.
(But that’s for another post.)
Then there are workshops where the leader assumes and maintains power by
how she metes out attention and praise. Cliques
form. And we’re right back to feeling like the child who doesn’t belong.
So, if you feel, as I
did, like pushing away from the desk and sulking, ask yourself these
questions. Is my teacher a writer? Is my
teacher a teacher (as opposed to a writer who needs a job)? Does this teacher have experience and writers’
skills to offer me? Do I want to learn them? Do I feel like I can grow as a
writer? Do I want to reach more
readers? Or is this about my feeling bad
about myself, for other reasons?
If I didn’t watch others
around me walk, I might have crawled all my life. If I didn’t have those tall people holding my
hands as I stood for the first time, I wouldn’t have walked. If I didn’t have other dancers show me the
steps and model for me how to make the moves—I wouldn’t be the dancer I
am. So, too, with writing.
And if you can’t learn
from what is said directly about your work, learn from what is said about others’
writing. Learn from the insights that arise in you and that you share. Trust the
process.
Your ego and fears and anger
will be like that bronco bucking, kicking, struggling. But stay with it. In time, you will tame your fears and recover
from the real insults to your integrity that come from xenophobia (fear of
strangers) and prejudice. And then, oh
the places your writing will ride you!
How’s your
bronco-bustin’ going?
Works cited:
Cover art: http://www.distinctlymontana.com/rodeo-women
I know exactly what its like to be a bronco. When I was younger I was put into special education classes for my ADHD and everyone always looked at me differently. I was treated like a different student and I was always spoon fed information. I wasn’t a dumb child, but I just learned things slower than others. I needed a little more time to digest information and I was always made fun of because of it. This impacted me as a student and made me want to prove everyone around me who doubted me wrong. I started to excel and become an Honors and AP student. I rose above my “level of expectation” and be able to be a better me. Going through this experience I was able to learn about myself and people around me. I can’t judge or look at someone differently for their point of view, but learn why they think that way and maybe incorporate it into my own way of thinking. I would never judge or look at others differently for their point of view. I actually love learning new ways to approach something, especially when it comes to my education. Being able to learn Dr. Rich’s approaches to literature and writing truly opened my eyes to what’s out there. I never liked poetry and for me to read it really took an English, but taking Shakespeare Survey I am able to take poetry into a new light. I learned to look at the first word of a character’s part in a play, I learned to land my helicopter and cut out the fluff, I learned to praise and not compliment others, and so many more things. I don’t look at Dr. Rich differently for trying to expand our knowledge on things we have learned, but to help us grow as students and get off our bronco.
ReplyDeleteBrandon Smith
ReplyDeleteI feel that I can take criticism pretty well considering that I was often told how to write by past English teachers all the time. This may be because I found the words of fellow peers just as helpful as the criticism I received from teachers. The reason for my ability to take criticism well may also stem from the fact that the criticism I received was helpful rather than harmful to my work. Therefore, I have a positive view on criticism during workshop even if some of it may be a little nit-picky. As such, I feel that my bronco busting is going well, if at all necessary to begin with. I do not believe I have much of an ego when it comes to writing since I am quite eager to receive feedback from my peers and professors if I can. I also cannot say I have any fears or anger regarding being criticized for using something that is cliché or for a sentence or paragraph that doesn’t work because, in the long run, I get a stronger piece overall. However, I do find it interesting that there are people who take criticism the wrong way due to past experiences. It shows me that not everyone is able to accept criticism possibly due to some childhood trauma where certain people were personally attacked as a result of their race, nationality, gender, religion, etc. Hopefully, workshop will be the perfect opportunity to help tame the “bucking bronco” that some people might have.
At the beginning of my college career I took on any and all changes that people made to my writing. My confidence in my writing was very low, so any suggestions that people made to my work had to be better than whatever I had written down. I am honestly not sure where this lack in confidence came from. Throughout my grade school career I was a B student, and no matter how hard I pushed I felt like I could never get up to that A range. I envied the A students, pictured them going home, breezing through their work because they were naturally just that smart. It was not something that I could ever achieve.
ReplyDeleteAfter high school I went to college for two semesters, but I found myself exhausted and constantly falling asleep in class. I ended up moving to NC with my boyfriend and taking a long break from school. When I finally went back eight years later I felt so out-of-place. My writing felt like I was stuck in fifth grade. There was no originality, I didn’t know how to use commas or semicolons correctly, and my vocabulary was limited.
Now that I am older I am a more confident writer. I consider the editing of others and I know that, because it is my writing, I can accept or reject their suggestions. And I honestly do. I carefully consider the suggestions of both my professors and my classmates. Admittedly if a suggestion is from a professor then I weigh that suggestion a little more carefully. However, I always keep in mind that they are just that… suggestions.
~ Sara Faulkner
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger I also had a hard time getting accustomed to writing. I was born in the United States but my parents mainly spoke Portuguese to me since their English was not very good at that time. I began to learn English when I started going to preschool. As I went into elementary school and then middle school, my language and writing progressively got better. I started to like writing because my teachers worked with me to make sure I was thinking creatively. However, as I went into my later years of middle school and high school teachers started teaching that writing was almost like a formula. 5 paragraphs. Beginning, middle, and end. Transitions. Body paragraphs. I was confused because we learned to be creative however there were boundaries.
In high school, I learned to take risks within those boundaries. I didn’t like writing boring papers that the teacher expected to receive. I wanted to go deeper. Some teachers didn’t understand it. I remember writing a few papers that I felt like were some of my best. I thought of things we hadn’t mentioned in class discussions, I wrote in different layouts, and I tried to write compelling ideas. In some instances, I got lower grades on those papers rather than papers that I followed exactly how the teacher wanted. I was frustrated because I put so much time and thought into those papers to only receive a grade I felt didn’t match my effort.
Now as a college student, I have had some professors that I push me out of that comfort zone. They encourage me to think of new ideas, be creative with my writing, and get past all of those formulas (I was never good at math anyways.) I appreciate those professors because I realize that I wasn’t crazy in high school when I was trying to break out of that linear way of thinking. I can now write in a way that makes me feel creative while also getting my assignments done with support from my professors.
In high school, I never used to get feedback, or criticism on the assignment’s that I had to complete. I would simply just receive a numbered grade, which makes me upset, knowing that I wasn’t receiving the proper help in high school. I considered myself a Bronco then, and now. When I stepped into college, hearing the number of pages that I had to write for an assignment scared me. I lack confidence in my writing, and that is something that I am trying very hard to improve on. However, in college, professors actually give me that constructive criticism that I never received in my past education. That was scary to me and still is at times. For some odd reason, I took criticism very harshly. I became very self-conscious of my writing. I thought that my writing was “trash.”
ReplyDeleteWhen I came to Kean, I was originally a psychology content major, because I would always say that I couldn’t write. The reason I would say that is because of that criticism. I needed to get into my head that criticism is only there to help me, not haunt me. Once I took my first English writing course, I discovered that. I even changed my content area to English, because I took an interest in it, and wanted to learn to be the best writer that I could be. My colleagues would tear apart my work and it would discourage me, but my grades would improve. At times, I find myself still getting discouraged by some of the feedback that I do receive, but I know that I can manage to work with it, or if I truly know that it is not going to help my paper, then I simply ignore it. I love all the feedback that I can get. I am also learning to love my writing, and gain confidence within it, that I have never had before. It is becoming a great feeling!
Seanette Martin
ReplyDeleteApril 6, 2019
Dr. Rich
Writer Wrodeo: Workshop Whoas and Wonders
Writing has always been something I loved to do and I realized that with my first journal. As time progressed writing became my life, in seventh grade I had the best teacher ever Ms. Duncan. She was a dream come true, not just a teacher who was there for a check but she took time to read every line written and comment where necessary. Having her as an English teacher helped my writing improve so much and helped me become confident in my writing. My last year at Union County College my English professor was so amazed by my writing that he made it clear that if there was ever a time I needed a recommendation letter don’t hesitate to reach out to him. That also stroked my ego when it came to my writing because like Ms. Duncan he also took time out to read each line and comment where necessary.
When I started Kean University my writing was still amazing me. When I would sit in on workshops the students weren’t focused on the content but more focused on the punctuation of a rough draft. When I had enough of the numerous commas being added I would ask them to focus more on the content and from there they would read and give me feedback. I never had an issue listening and even fixing a few things based on the comments which were given because nobody is perfect. The issue is when a writer decides that they can simply speak to me about my paper in a nasty way. That’s what bothers me because everyone deserves respect and sometimes it’s not intentional but the way that it is presented can cut deeper than a knife. All writers need help but why hurt someone in the process of trying to help them especially when they are trying so hard.
Peta.org commented that horses buck because the, "strap or rope is tightly cinched around the animals abdomen..they buck to rid themselves of the torment."
ReplyDeleteLike the torment that horses feel, criticism can feel like torment.
I still suffer the effects of former teachers and how they presented criticism. Bleeding papers,question marks,and degrading comments..(k-8 teachers can't use red pen anymore when grading student papers..Yay!!) I appreciate our workshop environment where a critique is presented with thoughtfulness and care for the writer's work. this is helping me to develop a level of trust in the process. Im becoming more relaxed, less anxious.
I am protective over my writing. I bucked at the "Landing the helicopter" writing process. (In some ways I still am..) The book and stories that I have read and enjoyed, opened with the writer "circling" before landing. However,as I begin to think about the reader in my writing process, I can see the importance of adapting or tweaking my writing to appeal to the reader, too. In allowing myself to learn a different writing approach, Im "broncho busting?" But, I'm not going to lose my other writing styles, they're valuable too.
Unfortunately, our zen like approach to criticism is probably far different from what is on the outside. I'm guessing criticism outside of our classroom looks like the criticism I received from former teachers...harsh, destructive..not constructive. Nonetheless, I will enjoy our little workshop. I often leave feeling less anxious and encouraged.
Thank you
Every teacher I’ve had, has asked me to write in a different way. One semester I am dissecting a piece of literature until there is absolutely no room for interpretation, another semester I am writing full papers on “why I used this quote”, and this semester I am finally learning to write papers with my own words. Dr.Rich, you don’t look for a summary, or a “why did I use this quote”, you look for real, raw outlooks on the literature that we read in class. When we handed in our first paper of the play review, I received a B+, and I thought that was an acceptable enough grade for me. I took into consideration our workshop that we had during our class, and used it into my paper for theme. But when I handed in my first draft of the Midsummer Night’s Dream theme and received a B+, I knew I could achieve higher. I knew this because you, Dr.Rich, taught us to love our writing, and I just did not love that B+. So I went home, opened up my computer, and got to work revising. I read over citations you put on my paper, and checked them off as I went, and when I re-read my newly revised paper, I felt great. The Monday I handed it in, I felt a sense of relief. I knew that it was the very best it could be. This past Monday, I received my revised work and got the grade I knew I deserved, an A. I really appreciate your outlook on writing, and I enjoy writing papers the way that you have taught it. It is very unusual compared to my other professors, but it makes me enjoy writing, rather than writing what my professor wants.
ReplyDeleteJessica Ryan
Writing seminars and workshops freaked me out as a kid because I was always afraid my paper was going to be torn to shreds by the teacher and my fellow classmates. However, I was also afraid of doing too well on my paper because then I would be judged for being the smart one and getting told, “Oh, she doesn’t need this workshop. Her paper is fine.” I wanted someone to help me fix my papers wherever it was needed, but I didn’t want to do it in front of a large group of people. I would rather do it one on one with my teacher because then it would be constructive criticism, not a ripping apart session by other students. However, if it wasn’t for my grammar school and high school English teachers: Mrs. Parnese, Mrs. Castagna, Mrs. Trapasso, and Mr. DeGregorio, I don’t know if I would be the writer I am today. I have learned to write papers with confidence and to not be afraid of what other people might say about it. I always have someone proofread my papers to have a second pair of eyes look over it and make sure there are no grammar mistakes. I am a HUGE Grammar nerd to the point that if someone missuses a word or a punctuation mark, I start to twitch. I also have people read over my paper so that if there are things that don’t make sense or if I ramble off onto something that isn’t relevant, they can tell me so I can fix it before I hand in the final draft. I have learned to let go of the fear of the unknown and the fear of strangers’ judgments and take confidence in my own work. I’ve learned it is okay to be wrong sometimes! Practice makes perfect as they always say!
ReplyDelete-Victoria Matthies
The nuances of writing I believe has to be something you want to do well.I want to be able to be a good writer it speaks volumes when you can.So,I read a lot and look at patterns or things that seem new or seem out of place and question their usage until I figure it out.I am not as confident as I should be in my writing but I am encouraged everyday to journal more or write poetry and I see many improvements.I often visit the writing center and watch someone look over my writing and often they are minor mistakes.I am thankful for that ,but my experience with writing and my love for writing started when I had summer vacations and I could not wait to write my composition on 'how did you spend your summer vacation; so I started writing it over the summer.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting part of this writing process is to listen to the other studehts tell their story it was fascinating to me especially the essays where someone travelled to a foreign country and had first hand information.That was awesome,we would all be sitting wide -mouth to catch every word that comes out.Wow!words have power and putting those words down on paper is even more powerful.
Dr.Rich thank you for your inspiration I will be writing more.
I can hear my mom saying now “Jasmin just listen, stop listening to speak and start listening to understand!” I lost count of the amount of times I’d hear that line. Growing up I have always had my guard up and I was always ready to defend myself despite what it was. My English courses were very challenging for me in high school. It was only by the grace of God that I was blessed with really kind and patient teachers that were willing to sit down with me and actually go through my writing without marking it up with that ugly red pen. I was always very soft spoken, but I’d always speak up about my writing. Most teachers now would just fail me because of my attitude which is still a work in progress. The reason for my ability to be patient and listen to my professors is because they have gained that trust with me. I have learned over the years that teachers have so many years of experience and are only there to bring the best out of my work.
ReplyDeleteYears later, I’ve noticed that all along I was very insecure about my writing which has caused me to always be defensive when anyone had something to say about it. I felt behind in my writing. I felt like everyone’s ideas were flourishing, but I was stuck with the same old ideas.
Now, that I am older I have become very patient with myself and I’ve been using the advice from my mother and those qualified teachers that are in the position to help. I may not always agree, but I’m learning to listen and take out what is needed, but to always keep an open mind about the feedback that I receive.
-Jasmin H
Throughout out all of my years in school. I hated writing with a passion, particularly just writing essays for classes is what I would dread the most. My high school would grade our rubric on a scale of 1-6 and I would constantly be getting nothing higher than a 3 which really brought me down mentally and emotionally. Eventually all I wanted to do was anything besides write because I was so self conscious about it, I didn’t even want to show anyone my work, I was always so embarrassed. At a point in my life, I decided I wanted to start journaling and so I did. I would jot things down about my day everyday. I would write about anything that would come to mind and just try to make a story out of it. That was always my goal when I was younger. As time went on, I realized that I actually enjoyed journaling and using writing in my journal as an escape at night. It helped me grow as a person and also as a writer as well. All I do now is constantly write, no matter what it is I am always jotting something down and it is the best feeling to just escape from the world sometimes to simply write your heart out. I am so happy, that I know look at writing as an escape instead of something that I was “forced” to do and “had” to do. Brings out the better in me, for myself.
ReplyDeleteTina Gordon
ReplyDeleteWriters’ Wrodes: Workshop Whoas
I loving writing when I was in elementary school because everything seems fun and easy to write about. My writing skills as a child was excellent for my grade level and I was also told about how well I can write. I had a lot of confidence in my writing that I always wanted to write whenever I am not even told to write something.
When I attended my two-year college, then I realized that something was wrong with my writing, I was not producing good writing and I was a bit worried about the situation. This was because college writing is different to elementary and high school writing. Anyways, I started to get with the program and try to grasp the understanding of the new concept of writing which didn’t took me that long to get a clear understanding. I was doing really good at college with my writing for the two years.
When I started Kean University, even though I was confident with my writing, I was shame about what I can do. It ended up with what the professor wants of me to do and not of my free will. It was about a grade which puts me at low with my confidence. It was always the three paragraphs to include in my paper which I got used to. After being in Dr. Rich’s class, I realized that those three paragraphs are useless in my writing skills. I don't need to have those to make my writing flow.
English is not my first language so I have struggled and I am still struggling with grammar. When I was in middle and high school, we used to do peer reviews and I hated doing them. I was still not comfortable with the language and i would get 'suggestions' that were not very helpful for my papers. They would point out punctuation, spelling, and grammar. They would not mention anything about the content which was the soul of the papers. My teachers would even use red Bic pens to mark my paper. My teachers did not concentrate on the content as well. The content came last.
ReplyDeleteIn eleventh grade, I had an English teacher, Mr. Tintle, who changed my view of writing. He cared about grammar, spelling, and punctuation, but he cared more about the content. He cared about the kind of feelings the reader was getting from the papers and I became really grateful for that. I began working on my content which helped me work on the mechanics of the paper.
When I came to college, I started doing workshops again and I don't think I have ever had the workshop experience I had in Dr.Rich's class. We had rules we had to follow for the workshop and they worked really well for me. I actually listened to what the readers had to say about what the felt reading my manuscript. I appreciated their comments and suggestions. It did not matter if I was going to be using them or not all i know is that they came from a genuine place.
Priscilla Boa-A
I have always accepted constructive criticism whether it be at home, school, or work. I always deemed the criticism necessary to be better and to do better. I always found that if no one was criticizing my work than I was surrounded by people who were liars who tried to save me the embarrassment OR I was surrounded by people who were not on my educational/work/personal level. As much as I love getting my graded paper back and seeing a good grade on it, I always search for the teacher's comments. The only thing I despise is when one simple basic word is crossed out because it is not needed. I prefer a sentence or two with what's missing or what I could have added or researched to make it a stronger paper.
ReplyDeleteI don't do diaries or journals because I had a nosey family growing up. There was no such thing as privacy and what young girl wants their thoughts and feelings being read and teased?! Now that I am an adult I still hold those trust issues and refuse to keep a diary. So the only time I can truly be judged for my writing is at school. However, because I am a left brain and do what is asked of me, in terms of requirements, I feel like there is not much room for me to make a significant amount of error to grow as a creative writer. I always had the thought of writing a short little story for kids that I could share with only my child. It will never happen because I don't think I have the skill or someone around me enough who has the skill and criticism to help me push through.
Taking this Emily Dickinson course and doing the groups where we interpreted a poem and shared our ideas is as publicly creative and vulnerable as I am going to get. Her poems allowed me to delve inside myself and search for what I believed to be a meaning. When I came to my conclusion of what I thought it could mean, I would wonder, how would I write this same sentiment? My version would have been simple and nowhere near mind blowing like Emily's. I have accepted the fact, a long time ago, that writing is not my forte and I'm fine with that. We all have our specialty.
Dear Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post really hits home for me because I also struggled to follow along in school at an early age. I have a learning disability and it made following direction hard for me sometimes. I also had a rebellious streak that my teachers did not tolerate. For as long as I can remember I always thought of myself as a little adult and that got me in trouble because if I thought a teacher was being disrespectful to me, I would respond in kind. There was one incident where I was cold in music class, so I refused to uncross my arms and put them at my sides which was our required stance. When I refused I was severely punished. Even though I have experienced rejection in school and in my writing, I have never given up and I feel like my writing style is still evolving. In fact, the best understanding I have of my own style of writing is by writing for Dr. Rich. I have found that I gravitate to comparing and contrasting two or more things in all of my writing. Personally, I believe that your way of writing about literature makes the most sense, but we have been taught differently in school. I can see why some students who have their own established writing style would not want to give it up even if it is in favor of a better method. But I fully believe they we are still in school to grow and learn which includes updating of learning style. I do appreciate when you give us a chance to edit our papers because it teaches us there is always room for improvement.
By: Kathleen Conaty
Wow, ok. This post is heavy, but in a good way. Until I read this post, I just accepted that I simply didn’t like to write. I don’t walk around with journals like my daughter does. Some of my classmates who truly love writing can find stuff to write about in their everyday lives and carry around a journal just to jot stuff down. It seemed an innate interest and talent that I just don’t have. As far as the papers I’ve had to write, I hadn’t been particularly attached to them until just recently. I would just fix whatever a professor said was wrong with the paper and not take it personally. Grammar mistakes are easy to accept and fix, because they’re universal rules and not a personal criticism. Even suggestions about the content in my papers or questions leading to more research and exploration were taken in stride and attended to. I appreciated the feedback because it was valuable to me. Therefore, my reaction to this post was less about how it’s hard for me to accept criticism and improve my writing and more about how I could improve my willingness to be a writer.
ReplyDeleteI do not like to write and although I’ve been told that I write relatively well, I still struggle and shy away from it. It is truly one of my least favorite things to do. What’s interesting is that after reading this post, I began to reflect on my own early experiences with writing and with the English language. I too remember not knowing how to speak English and what that felt like. The struggle to find the right words. The struggle to express myself accurately and fully. The struggle not to cry when I was laughed at by my peers (we all know kids can be mean). And that’s just the basics. My dad is a song-writer. He’s won awards. He’s a poet and a dreamer. My mom never really appreciated that and instead of meeting his joy, she resented the circle of artists he worked with. When I wanted to try my hand at theater and creative writing as a young girl, my mom scoffed. There was no financial security in either of those. I remember an angry face and voice commanding me not to waste my time. No wonder I’m so detached from my writing! I’ve been conditioned to be detached for decades.
So, my own personal writer’s workshop is not about my fear of being inadequate. It is about my fear of being vulnerable. Hunh! Who knew?!
Before this class, I was always a reserved person in terms of my work. Even now, I don’t like to share what I write to the public for fear of being judged. When I write poems about serious topics, it opens a part of me that becomes much more vulnerable. This is something that I do not like personally because I have been vulnerable too many times in the past. Every time I “let my guard down” (to use a cliche), I have been hurt before. Even with total strangers, whom I have no expectation bar set, they seem to have crossed the line. So when I write my poems and receive helpful criticisms, I view it as an attack on me because that’s all I’ve ever known in the past. As a woman of Asian descent, I have experienced many unfortunate events and actions such as being fetishized, cat calling, and sexual harassment. I have been made uncomfortable in my own skin. Maybe, unconsciously, that’s all I have ever known: the feeling of unease, not belonging to any particular group, and in general, a large mix of negative energy and emotions.
ReplyDeleteWhat and who am I without my pain?
But, knowing this, and having gone through workshops in my journalism and screenwriting classes (as well as the Writing Poetry class), I have come to know that the criticisms and feedback that I receive is not a personal attack on me as a person/individual/author of the work, but more so on the work itself. I like to think that when others read the pieces that I have written and they give their thoughts and feedback, it is because they want to see me grow and be better. No one will ever have a perfect first draft and that is something that I have to get out of my own head. Instagram and social media makes it seem that what we post was done effortlessly with no work at all. I simply have to remind myself that this is not true, given that there’s so much commentary on the process of posting on Instagram (taking five hundred photos and deleting 498, Lilly Singh’s Youtube video in her “How to Take Hot Instagram Pictures.”)
P.S: We need to see that post where men use criticisms and workshops to court women!! Interest peaked!
In class, I mentioned how I have a lot of notebooks and journals. I have a little for collecting them. When it comes to jotting down thoughts, I do find it difficult. My mind races so fast and often that I mostly cannot remember my first thought. Then I get so frustrated that it deters me from wanting to try again. I know it seems like an excuse but it’s a feeling I’ve had for years. Prior to this poetry class, I forgot how much I enjoyed writing, poetry the feeling, the music behind the words and the smile it surprises me with. When we have to workshop our poems, I can honestly say, I’m not nervous or worried about my peers or professors' feedback. I’m just glad I have something to present and that they can help me connect to my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteNow we have a seven day challenge approaching. The mission is to write everyday, regardless. A poem doesn’t have to be long nor rhyme. Just put thoughts, ideas, musical words down. I know I’m a writer. This is something I have to continue reminding myself and taking time to appreciate. No one writes the same. Things may be similar but not identical.
In 2011, I published my first book and I wish I could rewrite it. My mind back then of course was different but I am more confident and I know the story could be better. In reality, every student I’ve had enjoys the story so it’s cool.
I look forward to listening to my classmates poems. I appreciate how well they’re in tuned with their words and how far along they are in the poetry classes with Dr. Rich. I may be a graduate student but I think it’s important to gain some ideas and lessons from my fellow undergrad classmates. They see and hear things differently than me. Therefore bring on the workshop and the themes for our attire.
Meagan AWP 5000