One of the things that gets at me most as a teacher and as a writer, is when a student feels that they can’t write. It’s just too hard. They see writing as a struggle to complete a word count or spit out whatever the teacher wants to see. I know that feeling. I was in school. I’m sure we all remember what that’s like.
Now that I have committed my life to writing I find that no matter which way you slice it, forced writing is part of writing. It’s like working out in the sense that it feels better once it’s done. And it’s also like magic creating something out of the smallest wisp of a thought. Yes, I love to sit down and write. But I was most validated when one of my idols, Susan Sontag, said in a conversation with John Berger that writing was never easy for her (while he went on about how easy it was and how he didn’t get where she was coming from. I appreciate his work but compared to her he was insufferable to listen to). Her comment validated me for years to come.
Alright, so how do we teach writing when it is both difficult, and, in my humble opinion, perhaps the most profound practice after maybe practicing mindfulness.
There are two ways I approach writing with my students:
****These are for beginning stages. You should not worry about editing, or length, or making it perfect. With a complete draft in front of you it’s always easier to make edits (more on this to come). Editing is it’s own hurtle.
- Time is on your side: If you can write effectively for five minutes, great. Do that, and then take three minutes fully off. Do this for up to an hour. You can do this in any variation of numbers. If you’re having difficulty focusing, don’t try for more than 15 minutes (with an eleven minute break)
There’s a method among the creative/writing community known as the Pomodoro Technique. And I’m backing it. Listen, I crave structure.
- BE BOLD: If you are working with an essay or more formal piece of writing, break it up. Build your essay like they teach you in elementary school: like a burger, Intro and conclusions are bread, inside is your interesting fixings. Make them spicy if you want to! Most importantly GO THERE. If you’re not going to reach in an essay there is no use doing it. Essayer in French is a verb that means “to try”. If you make an informed and lengthy stretch like comparing jam to the maenads or dolphins and soda, you’re not really going there. And *if you’re teacher is not alright with this, then you can refer them to me. (*in the teacher’s defense, you must also answer the question if that’s what you’re working from).
- Write like no one’s watching: freely. Write the craziest coo coo nonsense. If you’re going to do this, I recommend finding your quotes or references first, then riffing like heck off of them.
- Complete your piece. It may not be perfect, but don’t stop in the middle. Find a place to land.
Tips: Conclusions are highly underrated. I will go into this further in future pieces, but, what I like to imagine when I write a conclusion is like a hand reaching out with this little seed of wisdom. The conclusion is where you give your lesson to the world, like a seed plucking from the aged flower of your piece and flying through the air.
Sometimes writing for a class can feel like you are writing for a teacher. It’s not true. Every time you sit down to write you are writing for you. These are your words, your sentences, and your thoughts. So take the essay, about the novel you feel disconnected to maybe. Take those big philosophical themes that feel over your head, and make the piece your own. You are intelligent and your thoughts are more than worthwhile.
Go, young one. Be brave and write your story, for you are the only one to do it.
Bending Tree Education 