Literacy Week 3: Writing Woes and Wonders

Let’s employ some of Lamott’s teachings.  I am going to “throw” my thoughts onto this page as they arise.  I have never viewed writing the way that she is describing.  However, I am forced to admit that if I had been taught the tips and tribulations that she expresses about writing, I would probably have enjoyed the process significantly more.

The way I was taught to write was a very systematic process.  We were told to use the four-square method for developing stories, brainstorm webs to generate ideas, and include X number of sources in our reports.  We were graded on the entire process, our rough drafts always under critique.  I felt compelled to follow the rubrics precisely.  As a result, I failed to create reflective, thought-provoking pieces of writing.  I could not journal; since it did not involve a complex order of operations from start to finish.  I could not write the way my favorite authors wrote.  I wanted so desperately to burst out of this conformist shell and say the things I wanted to say.

Writer’s Workshop has many elements of Lamott’s writing philosophies incorporated into it; of course, they are presented in drastically different ways.  For example, in the unit on writing fiction, the Writer’s Workshop method dedicates the opening lessons to guided reflection on one’s own life and the little moments that we have experienced.  The emphasis is on how fiction is derived from our own experiences, and is not an entirely conjured-up story that we’ve pulled from thin air.  In this way, writers learn to use inspiration from all around them and make their characters, settings, dialogues, etc. as realistic, believable, and relatable as possible. 

I think this is a superb method, and aligns well with Lamott’s concept of looking through the 1-inch frame.  Writers should focus on the things right in front of them and paint (with words) the images that they see.  Then, they can compile all of these vivid snippets into a sequence and elaborate their story from there.  I enjoy Lamott’s analogy of the development of a story to the development of a Polaroid.  As authors, we unfold our stories from a single thought.  Gradually, we reveal more to the reader, taking them along on this journey of discovery with us.  There is no need to write everything into the introduction, as many students are wont to do.  We should develop our story piece by piece, with the anticipation and excitement of wanting to know what happens next.

A struggle that I am having with the Writer’s Workshop curriculum is the theory that no one except the author has the right to write on their own paper.  On one hand, this method develops a sense of ownership; making changes is at the author’s discretion, they do not have to abide by other people’s suggestions/edits/revisions.  However, a huge part of the writing process is being able to obtain critique from readers and put yourself in your reader’s shoes.  Given, you should never have to make a change to your writing that you vehemently do not believe in; however, you should value and take time to consider what others have to say.  The fact that Writer’s Workshop conducts peer reviews using wads of Post-it Notes turns valuable insight into discardable (recyclable?), haphazard comments.