This article sums up my whole approach to writing. I always try so hard to make my papers sound good and look pretty but really they do not make sense at all. I always ramble and make a mess instead of write organized, planned out thoughts that correlate with the topic of the paper.
I like how she gave me hope to improve my “shitty” writing, however I am still confused on how to go about that. She said The best writers can have something good if they just get it down on paper. It doesn’t have to be in order and you don’t have to start with the opening paragraph. Basically, I need to start forming paragraphs based on when the ideas pop into my head. I do not do well without order and structure but then again my papers haven't been the greatest after working with a certain structure. I am going to give this new method a shot on my next big writing assignment.
This lady has quite a vast imagination, either that or sever A.D.D. She said she has to quiet the voices in her head, which wasn’t exactly a helpful or useful hint to me personally because I do not hear voices in my head when I sit down to write a paper or a draft. I find myself getting distracted by many other things like music or the sound the air conditioning, or the noise it makes when I type on my keyboard. Those are all things I cannot help, well except the music but I do not like it dead silent when I write either.
Maybe I could start writing my papers and essays at different times or spread it out. I could start doing a little bit one day and the last part the next day. Then after I finish the writing I could use what Lamott said about making corrections with different colored pens and markers. That would help me find a way to organize whatever I was trying to say in the first place. She has such a strange way of thinking about how she organizes her thoughts in her twisted mind. The part where she talked about picturing a mouse saying each thought and dropping it by its tail into a jar and trapping that thought to be used later in her writing, I found very odd. I do not understand how tat could work for me because I would just get confused as to what thought was in what jar.
Maybe, she is trying to say that everyone develops their own writing style. Her’s is very far fetched from the average persons writing process. Maybe she is trying to tell people they need to come up with their own quirky thing that will help them get their ideas at least down on the paper.
I learned quite a few pointers from this essay by Lamott. Even though I’m not going to organize my ideas in jars inside my brain, I can still just get the thoughts down on paper and worry about arranging them later.
When Anne Lamott mentioned the voices in her head, maybe she didn't mean she was some psycho writer that hears voices but maybe the surroundings she was in created a sound of "voices". Perhaps the things you hear as you type your paper such as music, typing of the keyboard and other things are what she refers to as "voices". I dont know for sure but it was just a thought.
ReplyDeleteYou're not the only one who couldn't relate to the multiple voices section. But I'm glad that some parts of the essay were helpful to you!
ReplyDeleteYou really should try her method, i've been doing it for so long, but i just thought i was weird because i didn't organize my thoughts first. after reading her article, she made me realize it was a good thing. You should just write down anything and everything. It does not have to be in order or make sense at all, it just helps make sure you get all of your ideas down. it also helps you remember everything you want to say instead of forgetting things while trying to organize. after you do that, go back through and read it, and then put them in a understandable order. i hope it helps you!
ReplyDelete