(3) We came to a conclusion that both Facebook and texting are forms of writing, which are usually for an expressly communicative purpose. And further, that most kinds of writing are for some purpose of communication.
(4/5/6) We think that it's becoming more common for an individual's voice to be a patchwork of quotations and borrowed ideas. Taking into account technology's effect on voice (making it much easier to borrow ideas from other people), we think it's more difficult for a person to develop their own voice.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Questioning Our Literacy
Facebook and texting is more conversational writing. Writing is a large umbrella with many little topics underneath it, such as conversational writing, scholarly writing, and free writing, just to name a few. People are able, hopefully, to tell when each one is appropriate to use when composing something.
I think, to find one’s own voice, you have to write how you feel comfortable with and in a way that gets the point across. We believe the writer might take bits and pieces of anothers' opinion but not all of it. Once they read some topic, that idea is in the mind of the other person and the writer works from there to construct their idea. Everyone’s voice is kind of a patchwork of others but by doing that, we are able to create our own.
By copying a voice or someone else's voice, writers might not exactly have their own genuinely authentic voice of their own. I think many people would like to keep to the norm, so there is little room for variations in writing. In school, it might be hard to grow a new, unique voice because teachers (at least in high schools and middle schools) try to make their students write in a certain way because some ways of writing might be too “out there.” Not trying to bash the school system or how teachers teach, but sometimes they try to push their thoughts, habits, and ways of writing onto their students.
“It depends on what you open yourself up to…what you experience and even how you’re raised.”
“I think it goes back to what we said earlier… you adopt certain ideas from other readings and use a combination of them to make your own voice. … it really depends on each person because it varies”
The media plays a big role because it exposes societies to certain things that could influence certain behaviours, way of speaking, and even people’s way of life.
I think, to find one’s own voice, you have to write how you feel comfortable with and in a way that gets the point across. We believe the writer might take bits and pieces of anothers' opinion but not all of it. Once they read some topic, that idea is in the mind of the other person and the writer works from there to construct their idea. Everyone’s voice is kind of a patchwork of others but by doing that, we are able to create our own.
By copying a voice or someone else's voice, writers might not exactly have their own genuinely authentic voice of their own. I think many people would like to keep to the norm, so there is little room for variations in writing. In school, it might be hard to grow a new, unique voice because teachers (at least in high schools and middle schools) try to make their students write in a certain way because some ways of writing might be too “out there.” Not trying to bash the school system or how teachers teach, but sometimes they try to push their thoughts, habits, and ways of writing onto their students.
“It depends on what you open yourself up to…what you experience and even how you’re raised.”
“I think it goes back to what we said earlier… you adopt certain ideas from other readings and use a combination of them to make your own voice. … it really depends on each person because it varies”
The media plays a big role because it exposes societies to certain things that could influence certain behaviours, way of speaking, and even people’s way of life.
Literacy and Voice Questions
3. We both agree that texting and online communication, like Facebook, are writing because they communicate, but not writing in the sense that we talk about in school, like novels or academic papers.
4. It seems that the idea of voice and identity as is seen in writing can also be seen in music. One artist may have a similar sound to another, but they still have their own voice. We, as writers, may not have completely original ideas but we can take the ideas and information from others and shape it with our own voice and experiences.
5. A writer's voice can seem more authentic to us, but may not seem so to someone else because that authenticity can be subjective. An example of this could be seen in political writers, who some people respect while others see as biased.
6. Imitation is important in constructing our own sense of self because we can find ourselves in the voices of others, then build off of that. Music, once again, can serve as an example of this because we can relate to lyrics and take those feelings or ideas as our own.
4. It seems that the idea of voice and identity as is seen in writing can also be seen in music. One artist may have a similar sound to another, but they still have their own voice. We, as writers, may not have completely original ideas but we can take the ideas and information from others and shape it with our own voice and experiences.
5. A writer's voice can seem more authentic to us, but may not seem so to someone else because that authenticity can be subjective. An example of this could be seen in political writers, who some people respect while others see as biased.
6. Imitation is important in constructing our own sense of self because we can find ourselves in the voices of others, then build off of that. Music, once again, can serve as an example of this because we can relate to lyrics and take those feelings or ideas as our own.
Literacy and Voice Questions - In Class
1. Well, of course in order to be literate you need to be able to understand what you read and write. However, being "technologically and digitally" literate involves a lot more. If someone doesn't know how to use a computer, they might be considered to be stupid by some people, but they might be brilliant in other areas.
In order to be able to text, you need to be able to to understand "text speak" like "idk", "idc", "ttyl", "omg", and all of the other crazy things people come up with to save time and energy.
Not only should you have a basic grasp on that, but to be technologically literate you should be able to operate and maneuver around a computer. So much of our lives are connected with the Internet that you almost have to be able to understand how it works.
4. So many people use other people's words and ideas on Facebook instead of coming up with our own way of saying how we feel. People post videos, lyrics, movie quotes, or quotes from other people (scholars) who actually can put together their own ideas.
It is difficult to create an original voice just for yourself.
We do think it is possible to use your own voice, but it isn't easy, and it isn't common.
5. People definitely view other people's voices as more authentic than others - and sometimes more authentic than our own. By using someone else's words, we are deeming their thoughts more credible than our own, so we use them in order to appear theway we want to Facebook or on other sites.
6. It is really hard to get around using something from someone. Pretty much everything we say has come from something else. No idea is completely original - chances are, someone has thought about the same thing before. Not to mention, it is must more convenient to copy and paste a chorus that explains how you feel instead of making your own "status."
In Class Questions 2/16/11
1) To be "literate" in our world today a person must be up to date with technology, such as face book, twitter, texting, having a smart phone. Being fluent with all medias.
4) It is hard to find your own voice when you feel like everyone else has already said everything that could be said or done. Just like Mr. Cash said you can take some things that other people do, but you have to do it in your own way. People need to put their own twist on what they do to make it theirs or create some individuality. It is very possible, the challenge is making something seem as though it is your own.
5) Yes, some people project themselves in their own ways better than others. For example comedian's must have their own individuality in order to draw people to them. Also, a persons ethos has allot to do with how a person projects themselves. If you walk the walk, you gotta talk the talk.
6) In order to base who you are you have to look up to someone or have an idol. This sets the foundation for who you would like to be, but you are able to be yourself at the same time. For example, if you want to be a musician, you cannot just come up with your own genre, you have to have something to base your style on.
4) It is hard to find your own voice when you feel like everyone else has already said everything that could be said or done. Just like Mr. Cash said you can take some things that other people do, but you have to do it in your own way. People need to put their own twist on what they do to make it theirs or create some individuality. It is very possible, the challenge is making something seem as though it is your own.
5) Yes, some people project themselves in their own ways better than others. For example comedian's must have their own individuality in order to draw people to them. Also, a persons ethos has allot to do with how a person projects themselves. If you walk the walk, you gotta talk the talk.
6) In order to base who you are you have to look up to someone or have an idol. This sets the foundation for who you would like to be, but you are able to be yourself at the same time. For example, if you want to be a musician, you cannot just come up with your own genre, you have to have something to base your style on.
Questions 2-16
1. Being literate today means being able to navigate around and actually do what is required with modern technology. Juts being able to do the basics would probably make you literate in that area, especially in looking at older generations.
4. Its more ambiguous to find your voice amongst the crowd, especially when you are active in so many mediums. There are a more influences now than ever that affect your "voice" and they are more easy to access than ever before. Its harder to make a unique voice but having a personal voice is still possible.
5. Obviously voices that dont follow the rules or are on the outside of normal are more authentic than others. People who dont just ramble off all the same word garbage as everyone else seem to be more authentic. Only the people who go directly with the flow seem to have become caught up and less authentic with the devloment of technology.
6.It seems like people use imitation of other to shape what people think about them. They are doing this to shape their outward sense of self in order make others think things about them. The idea being that others will like what they have said and they will be more relateable. Mimicry also show what we identify with and shapes our self to things similar to that.
4. Its more ambiguous to find your voice amongst the crowd, especially when you are active in so many mediums. There are a more influences now than ever that affect your "voice" and they are more easy to access than ever before. Its harder to make a unique voice but having a personal voice is still possible.
5. Obviously voices that dont follow the rules or are on the outside of normal are more authentic than others. People who dont just ramble off all the same word garbage as everyone else seem to be more authentic. Only the people who go directly with the flow seem to have become caught up and less authentic with the devloment of technology.
6.It seems like people use imitation of other to shape what people think about them. They are doing this to shape their outward sense of self in order make others think things about them. The idea being that others will like what they have said and they will be more relateable. Mimicry also show what we identify with and shapes our self to things similar to that.
literacy and voice- in class
4. finding one's voice: Finding something you are passionate and knowledgeable about and be willing to express those thoughts and views with others. Anyone can obviously forge their voice if they are heavily influenced by something or someone else. What makes it originally is by taking the information and opinions of others you've gathered and interpreting it into what you think it means. Its how you put that information out there that makes it your voice.
5. With today's technology, we are exposed to so much knowledge, opinions and voices. We think its impossible to have an 'authentic' voice because anything and everything can influence your ideas. Anything you write was influenced by something else. Especially as college students, when we are assigned a paper, we may take into consideration the views and opinions of the person grading the paper. In my gender and communications class, my teacher is an extreme feminist so when I'm assigned a paper about my opinions about topics that come out of feminist movements, I'm more likely to be influenced by my teacher's voice rather than my own.
6. In today's society, imitation plays a huge role in our lives. I can't tell you how many papers or discussions i've been involved with about 'who is your role model'. As a society, so many of us want to mimic someone we may see on tv, in movies or even a stranger on the street. In the writing aspect, many papers require sources. We are required to include sources of other people's voices, knowledge or life experiences. No matter who you see or what you do, you are influenced by someone or something else.
5. With today's technology, we are exposed to so much knowledge, opinions and voices. We think its impossible to have an 'authentic' voice because anything and everything can influence your ideas. Anything you write was influenced by something else. Especially as college students, when we are assigned a paper, we may take into consideration the views and opinions of the person grading the paper. In my gender and communications class, my teacher is an extreme feminist so when I'm assigned a paper about my opinions about topics that come out of feminist movements, I'm more likely to be influenced by my teacher's voice rather than my own.
6. In today's society, imitation plays a huge role in our lives. I can't tell you how many papers or discussions i've been involved with about 'who is your role model'. As a society, so many of us want to mimic someone we may see on tv, in movies or even a stranger on the street. In the writing aspect, many papers require sources. We are required to include sources of other people's voices, knowledge or life experiences. No matter who you see or what you do, you are influenced by someone or something else.
Joan Didion- Why I Write
I knew I couldn't think. All I knew then was what I couldn't do. All I knew then was what I wasn't, and it took me some years to discover what I was.
As I read Joan Didion's "Why I Write" this line stood out to me.And even though it doesn't represent the reading I wanted to write about it anyway. It made me think about how many people seem to only be able to see themselves this way. Only knowing and focusing on the cant's of their life. I know that I have looked at my life this way and I can say from experience that this can be destructive to a persons self esteem. For example some one who focuses on things like not being able to do well in classes might drop out, when in reality they might be struggling in class but they are doing really well in sports. Instead of dropping out they focus on getting help with their work so they can participate in sports.
Another reason I think it stuck out to me is because it sort of talks about Identity. Because if your focused on the negative then you are going to view yourself in a negative way.Causing other people to also see you in that negative way. In the same way if you focuse on the positives ten so will everyone else.
As I read Joan Didion's "Why I Write" this line stood out to me.And even though it doesn't represent the reading I wanted to write about it anyway. It made me think about how many people seem to only be able to see themselves this way. Only knowing and focusing on the cant's of their life. I know that I have looked at my life this way and I can say from experience that this can be destructive to a persons self esteem. For example some one who focuses on things like not being able to do well in classes might drop out, when in reality they might be struggling in class but they are doing really well in sports. Instead of dropping out they focus on getting help with their work so they can participate in sports.
Another reason I think it stuck out to me is because it sort of talks about Identity. Because if your focused on the negative then you are going to view yourself in a negative way.Causing other people to also see you in that negative way. In the same way if you focuse on the positives ten so will everyone else.
Why I Write - Joan Didion
"...there's no getting around the fact that setting words on paper is the tactic of a secret bully, an invasion, an imposition of the writer's sensibility on the reader's most private space."
How cool is that? I think that is so awesome to think about. Anything I read is "an invasion" into my mind, and every time something I have written is read, I am invading the minds of others.
It sounds like science-fiction or something, but it's true. Every time we read something, we filter it with the knowledge and opinions we already have. Sometimes, though, those things we read can really impact our thoughts and help us to create new ones.
In the same way, each and every time we write something we let the page be the mediator and tool by which we dive into our readers' minds.
That should be why we write: in order to impact our readers' thoughts with our own. Writing is always so much better when it has a cut, clear purpose embedded throughout the words. So why would anyone want to write something that really has no goal or purpose? Such writing is a waste of time.
Writing is not a way of saying, "I have all the answers! Listen to me!" Many times people write to simply develop more ideas and thoughts. Joan talks about a novel she wrote, and how she had so many questions about her characters while writing her book. She kept writing and finished the story to answer her own questions that developed. She wrote in order to discover.
Joan Didion
“All I knew then was what I couldn‟t do. All I knew then was what I wasn‟t, and it took me some years to discover what I was. Which was a writer.”
I can relate to this so much. This whole piece I found myself thinking “wow she’s like me!” Her imagery, the way her mind works, her way of writing; how she starts her novels with no idea where the novel is going. I enjoyed this reading a lot. I think her point is that her reason to write is not controlled by her. I believe she is saying her mind that she doesn’t quite understand is the reason she writes. She writes to better understand the way she interrupts things. I too find myself doing this.
When she says, “In short I tried to think. I failed” This is what happens to me when I’m trying to write a research paper or something I have no interest in what so ever. I find myself getting caught up in the words thinking about how dull and bland they are. When I have to write for a class I do just this, I think. Thinking only leads me to failure and un-satisfaction. I find that when I let the words flow then revise what I have written when it is all out onto paper I am most satisfied. This to me is Didion’s point.
I can relate to this so much. This whole piece I found myself thinking “wow she’s like me!” Her imagery, the way her mind works, her way of writing; how she starts her novels with no idea where the novel is going. I enjoyed this reading a lot. I think her point is that her reason to write is not controlled by her. I believe she is saying her mind that she doesn’t quite understand is the reason she writes. She writes to better understand the way she interrupts things. I too find myself doing this.
When she says, “In short I tried to think. I failed” This is what happens to me when I’m trying to write a research paper or something I have no interest in what so ever. I find myself getting caught up in the words thinking about how dull and bland they are. When I have to write for a class I do just this, I think. Thinking only leads me to failure and un-satisfaction. I find that when I let the words flow then revise what I have written when it is all out onto paper I am most satisfied. This to me is Didion’s point.
Shared Motivation
I think I could understand Orwell and why he write better than I did with Joan Didion's reason. I got the impression that Orwell wrote so he could have an escape from his lonesome life. He used this as a way of challenging himself, too. The easier pieces of work gave him no satisfaction. "To begin with there was the made-to-order stuff which I produced quickly, easily and without much pleasure to myself." I agree with him whole heartily because I write to take myself somewhere else or to free my mind of nonsensical thoughts, but that is my free writing. I enjoy writing other papers and essays because it helps me think and it challenged me, yet entertains me. "When I was about sixteen I suddenly discovered the joy of mere words, i.e. the sounds and associations of words...and the spelling ‘hee’ for ‘he’ was an added pleasure." Skipping around in his reading, I found that Orwell wrote for himself. He wanted to write, not to please others, but to please himself. Once again, I agree with this statement. I want to write for myself and write in my own style, even though I will cave into what others want (such as teachers) once in a while.
I can understand Joan's troubles, though. She talks about being distracted, and that I can relate to. When the time comes, I can and will sit down and focus, but before the final countdown begins, I will dillydally as long as I can with other, more eventful things. The one thing she said, though, is that writing is an act of saying "I." I don't agree with this whatsoever. In high school, I had to write a persuasive paper for something I did not believe in. I wrote that paper because I had to, but I did not say "See this topic MY way" or "Think the way I do." I did it because it was a chance to expose the reader to a different mindset, but it doesn't have to be my own.
I can understand Joan's troubles, though. She talks about being distracted, and that I can relate to. When the time comes, I can and will sit down and focus, but before the final countdown begins, I will dillydally as long as I can with other, more eventful things. The one thing she said, though, is that writing is an act of saying "I." I don't agree with this whatsoever. In high school, I had to write a persuasive paper for something I did not believe in. I wrote that paper because I had to, but I did not say "See this topic MY way" or "Think the way I do." I did it because it was a chance to expose the reader to a different mindset, but it doesn't have to be my own.
Why I Write
I think it's cool that Didion pieces together her novels rather than writing them completely from beginning to end. Instead, she fills in gaps. It doesn't matter how you write something as long as you have a finished product when all is said and done. She writes whatever comes to her first. She writes fiction, and not everyone has the brain for writing fiction. She's very keen to her surroundings, or at least her characters are, and I think that she captures those descriptive moments well. It's interesting that she makes up a scene, and then she creates the characters bios. Also it's a bit humorous that she's basically saying that the only thing she's good at is writing. That's why she writes. I think she has this impulse to write and to keep "pictures in her mind" and to turn those pictures into words and scenes.
I have to admit that if you don't follow along closely in the the Didion piece you can get lost easily. Or should I say, I, Allison, can. I found myself rereading Why I Write because, at first, I just skimmed it. One minute she's talking about things shimmering, and the next, she's talking about cannibalized Fairchild F-227s. Maybe she's too descriptive. Sometimes I just want her to get to the point. I don't always need to know that her character's sandals are sticking to the asphalt(we get it, it's hot outside), I just want to know what her thoughts and intentions are as she's walking on that asphalt.
I have to admit that if you don't follow along closely in the the Didion piece you can get lost easily. Or should I say, I, Allison, can. I found myself rereading Why I Write because, at first, I just skimmed it. One minute she's talking about things shimmering, and the next, she's talking about cannibalized Fairchild F-227s. Maybe she's too descriptive. Sometimes I just want her to get to the point. I don't always need to know that her character's sandals are sticking to the asphalt(we get it, it's hot outside), I just want to know what her thoughts and intentions are as she's walking on that asphalt.
Motives
Something that I find very true coming from both Didion and Orwell is their admitting of writing as an act of manipulating one’s mind. Whether a piece of writing is informative, aesthetic, or straightforwardly persuasive, all writing is meant to be read by someone. I liked Orwell’s story a lot more; although I have a bias from reading and thoroughly enjoying 1984.
Orwell stated that motives for writing usually fall under four different categories, and it is hard to tell which ones influence us the most sometimes. However, he admits that he knows which one ‘deserves to be followed’, which is writing with a political purpose. I personally welcome the idea of changing hearts and minds through writing or other means—it can be powerful, and its effects are at times immeasurable. I also think that egoism is always a motive in almost everything that people do, whether it is weak or strong. It doesn’t always have to be in expected ways, such as gains in approval, reputation, or recognition—it could be to make oneself wiser, to test ones limits, or to be a part of something bigger than ones self.
Just the thought of Orwell reminded me of a comic I bookmarked a while ago, which can really make you think if you haven’t thought about it too much before: http://www.recombinantrecords.net/images/2009-05-Amusing-Ourselves-to-Death.png
Orwell also mentioned his upbringing, and how his loneliness as a child attributed towards some of the reasons why he welcomed writing as a medium. I think that it is interesting, just reflecting on my life, how a lot of the negative instances in my life had more of a positive impact than all the good things that have happened. In fact, a lot of good things that happen to me have some negative consequences that go with them. I think that there is some kind of slippery slope effect that starts at ones childhood and can stick with them for the rest of their life. A lot of important development happens then, and it really can define us in that sort of way.
side note: I was suppose to post on Monday, but I went into this week thinking that Wednesday was the day for me to post (looked at 3/14 instead of 2/14.)
Orwell stated that motives for writing usually fall under four different categories, and it is hard to tell which ones influence us the most sometimes. However, he admits that he knows which one ‘deserves to be followed’, which is writing with a political purpose. I personally welcome the idea of changing hearts and minds through writing or other means—it can be powerful, and its effects are at times immeasurable. I also think that egoism is always a motive in almost everything that people do, whether it is weak or strong. It doesn’t always have to be in expected ways, such as gains in approval, reputation, or recognition—it could be to make oneself wiser, to test ones limits, or to be a part of something bigger than ones self.
Just the thought of Orwell reminded me of a comic I bookmarked a while ago, which can really make you think if you haven’t thought about it too much before: http://www.recombinantrecords.net/images/2009-05-Amusing-Ourselves-to-Death.png
Orwell also mentioned his upbringing, and how his loneliness as a child attributed towards some of the reasons why he welcomed writing as a medium. I think that it is interesting, just reflecting on my life, how a lot of the negative instances in my life had more of a positive impact than all the good things that have happened. In fact, a lot of good things that happen to me have some negative consequences that go with them. I think that there is some kind of slippery slope effect that starts at ones childhood and can stick with them for the rest of their life. A lot of important development happens then, and it really can define us in that sort of way.
side note: I was suppose to post on Monday, but I went into this week thinking that Wednesday was the day for me to post (looked at 3/14 instead of 2/14.)
"Why I Write" by Joan Didion
“Let me tell you one thing about why writers write: had I known the answer to any of these questions I would never have needed to write a novel.”
Didion is not the first writer I have seen say something like this. Like Didion did not know who the narrator would be for her novel, Jay Asher has said that he didn’t know who the speaker was going to be in his debut novel, Thirteen Reasons Why (an interview in the bonus material of the book). He had to see where the story took him and then revise. It turned out that the book goes between the speaker, Clay Jensen, and the audio of the tapes Hannah recorded for him and 12 others. Laurie Halse Anderson said about her popular book Speak (in an interview in the platinum edition) that she did not know in the beginning where the story was going. She said that the girl, Melinda, came to her in a nightmare and was trying to tell her something and she just had to write it down. Just as the reader doesn’t know until later in the book that Melinda had been raped, Anderson said she didn’t either.
I think it is really stirring, these author’s pull to write. They have images and voices in their heads that they can only get out through writing. This phenomena, of course, does not apply to all writers or all forms of writing, but is interesting.
I also thought it was interesting how Didion said that she couldn’t think. She said that she focused on concrete images or the “peripheral.” It’s strange to think that someone who is clearly intelligent, having written multiple novels, feels that she fails to think because she does so differently than others.
I also thought it was interesting how Didion said that she couldn’t think. She said that she focused on concrete images or the “peripheral.” It’s strange to think that someone who is clearly intelligent, having written multiple novels, feels that she fails to think because she does so differently than others.
Joan Didion Why I Write
I thought her article was alright, when most people write they do write to persuade. I do agree with her when she says writing is an act of saying I, I tend to do this a lot when I am writing a paper I sometimes use the words I and like a lot, and I get off subject and start to write the paper about myself and what I think of the subject or different things. Your basically getting the opinion of the writer and how they view the subject they are writing about.
I can also relate to her when she says that she has a hard time focusing on either what she is reading or writing i think that is very common. It is hard to sit and read an article or a whole book because sometimes you get distracted. Writing definitely can bring some of the biggest distractions, just a simple mark on the wall can take your focus and attention off what you are doing.
The rest of the article she talks about comparing writing to maybe imagery. I don't think I imagine pictures when i am writing i just try to stay on topic and focused. I don't see how seeing pictures and images is going to help.
I can also relate to her when she says that she has a hard time focusing on either what she is reading or writing i think that is very common. It is hard to sit and read an article or a whole book because sometimes you get distracted. Writing definitely can bring some of the biggest distractions, just a simple mark on the wall can take your focus and attention off what you are doing.
The rest of the article she talks about comparing writing to maybe imagery. I don't think I imagine pictures when i am writing i just try to stay on topic and focused. I don't see how seeing pictures and images is going to help.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
joan didion- why i write
I thought this article was very interesting. It made me think back to things I've written in the past and how my intent was always to get the reader to see my stance on a subject. I'm not sure that I agree with her when she says writing is always used to persuade but I certainly see where she is coming from. When we research a topic we are about to write about, we typically search things we already know about the subject. Or if we have a strong opinion about a topic we are more likely to spend more time research the side you agree with than the side you disagree with. While both sides could be represented in a paper, you write with your heart and with more knowledge on what you believe and you write purely on facts you've gathered about the other side. Even if it's not a research paper, even if its just a paper like the one we recently turned in, our personalities, views, and opinions are all throughout it whether you mean it to or not.
I also like the way she describes herself as a writer. "By which I mean not a “good” writer or a “bad” writer but simply a writer, a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper."
I also like the way she describes herself as a writer. "By which I mean not a “good” writer or a “bad” writer but simply a writer, a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper."
Joan Didion-Why I Write
I thought Joan Didion's excerpt was very interesting. I'm not sure I agreed with her opening statements where she says that writing is always used to persuade, but the more I think about it, the writer is trying to express their opinion in a logical manner, so that the reader can ultimately understand what they're trying to convey, so I guess that is fairly true. I guess I interpreted the main point of the article as the fact that you can try to study various writing methods and attempt to think about writing so abstractly, but unless what you're writing about isn't truly personal to you, it won't be effective. I can definitely agree that writing has to be personal and have meaning. I like how she describes the way some of her mental photographs "shimmered" and that that is ultimately what inspires her writing. I think everyone can relate to seeing something that probably has no real emotional meaning to anyone else, but for some reason the image strikes them or has some effect on that specific person. It is a very interesting insight into her writing process, and something that I'd like to try to use with my own writing.
Joan Didion
I like this article a lot. In short I tried to think. I failed. This is resonant with me. I like that she focuses on specifics, on real things, rather than on abstract intellectual ideas. It was insightful to read what she wrote about the significance that images have in her writing. I've been trying to articulate something similar to that, in talking or thinking about images I get from reading. I'm not sure why, but it seems more common for people to get intellectual when they talk about reactions to something read...the perception/interpretation of some supposedly greater and more universal meaning than the one that is simply there, that is the image in the reader's or writer's mind. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I think it's important and meaningful sometimes. But it also leads to a lot of bullshit intellectualism that doesn't really mean anything. So it's nice to read something simply recognizing that specifics are the most important thing.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Why I Write
In this weeks reading Joan describes her writing background in writing. In the first few paragraphs, she said that she use to have a hard time focusing on what she was reading and writing and focusing on the more tangible things. I can relate to this because when I am either reading or writing I get easily distracted by things such as facebook or television. It is easy for me to stop writing and go on facebook chat, I find it more interesting and more fun, but writing is what is important. She continues on to talk about how she graduated and what she had to go through to get there. I took this story as a way of perceiving and staying focused on what's important in life than finding the easy way out.
In-Class: Why Write?
We can learn almost anything from books, articles, and documents. We can provide others with our ideas and thoughts in various styles, as well. It is obvious that writing is an effective form of communication. More so, however, I think writing is a form of expression. Poetry, novels, speeches, letters; these things can give us much insight to a person’s beliefs or personality - as we discussed some last class with the Obama speech. Writing can be therapeutic, too. Keeping a journal, putting down on paper what you couldn’t possibly say out loud. With the growing popularity of social networking sites and online journals, however, communication and expression are coming together in a whole new way. Books, speeches and other types of writing have communicated ideas in an expressive way for a long time. However, we haven’t seen published diaries and private thoughts portrayed quite the way they can be now through blogs and status updates. We can connect with others with similar experiences and beliefs around the world. Today, this is why many people write: to connect with others.
Why Write?
Thinking broadly about writing, it is probably the most effective way to communicate information. I think the reasons why different people write are personal to the writer...there is a lot of variation in the details. I would guess that the most universal reason to write is the need to communicate something. Again, what exactly that something is can vary a lot, but I think that the need for communication is probably the most common underlying inspiration to the writer.
Why Write?
Writing is a form of expression. Some may hate it, some love it and some really not care either way. I personally love it. I write to relieve stress, for enjoyment, to express my feelings to someone, to just put an idea I have onto paper, but most of all I write for me. I am all for writing. Why? Writing is a way of life for me. I do it because of the joy I get out of it. I do it to express myself to people in a deeper way. I think writing is healthy, it helps me get things out of my head that maybe I can’t say to someone or just don’t want to. It helps me clear my mind. That is why I write.
Why Write?
I think that writing is good for the mind. It helps people to better understand things. Kind of like a learning tool. I don’t like to write but I feel that’s it’s a better way for me to express myself instead of talking. People tend to interpret your words their own way when reading your work. You can give a lot more detail about a subject then to try and verbally explain it.
Writing could also be looked upon as art some people take it very seriously. I think that it could be a skill, something that takes a long time to master. Not a lot of people are great at it but writing is good because it is another form of expression.
Writing could also be looked upon as art some people take it very seriously. I think that it could be a skill, something that takes a long time to master. Not a lot of people are great at it but writing is good because it is another form of expression.
Why Write?
When asked the question, "why write?", I think to myself that there a number of different reasons to write. People write to educate, to entertain, to enlighten, and to express one's self. All these are different reasons to write but I think all these authors have one common thing and that is that they are inspired to write. Even in a class such as this where we are recpuired to write, we are looking to pass this class and further our education. I believe all writers must have some inspiration as to why they write about what they write. Whether they write about biology, sports, or legal issues; all writers must have some kind of inspiration.
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