To understand my writing process, you have to understand me. To start, I tend to over think things. It is a product of my math mind. In mathematics, an answer is right or wrong; it doesn’t matter who you are or who is judging, personal opinion cannot change 1+1=2. I tend to look at life in that way: there are right answers and wrong answers. I want the right answers. It is very hard to write when you are looking for THE perfect answer.
As a non-English major, (and in actuality, I’m about as far from that thinking as a person can be) my writing process is quite “unique” shall we say. As the title of my blog implies, the ideas that formulate my writings don’t come from well developed plans, nor can I truly say that I create them; they just sort of happen. I cannot try to plan out what my paper is going to say, other than to try and get the first line out. Usually it happens to be a very generic, unassuming line that just “starts the conversation.” From there I must just keep writing the thoughts that come to mind, and try not to stop. If I do, that train of thought is often lost to me forever, and to continue, my writing takes on a different feel or direction.
Because of that, I can’t think of a time when I wrote my paper in segments or over time, it all happens in one sitting, and there has only on one occasion been a revision to do more than just grammar or punctuation (the LOC’s). That one time, by the end of it I might as well have just thrown away my first draft and started a new paper! Where revising is supposed to hone in your paper on its purpose and subject, for me revision is like trying to stick two matching ends of a magnet together: you try to get closer and then your course changes and you entirely miss your target. So I just write, and somehow this has always sufficed.
P.S. As I have not gotten my paper back yet, and I don’t usually revise, I have no idea what I am going to revise and have no plans yet.
Im a natural over thinker, actually I was mentioning the same thing to my Friend who is an English major, i was telling her that English is not an exact science, It always depends on the readers Ideas and assumptions. Its very interesting that you don`t usually plan you paper before putting it in paper, I guess we are all different. Thanks for sharing Thou i like the way you write
ReplyDeleteRigo
Wow, well Nathan, by reading this post I would not have even have guessed that you are more of a right and wrong sort-of thinker. Your post was so well written and interested me a lot. I enjoyed your writing so much that I even went back to read a few of your other posts as well. I really enjoy how your writing is simple yet, it flows so well. I feel as though you are writing it specifically for me, like talking to me individually. I really liked that.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Our writing styles are very similar. I never really have a plan on what I'm going to write (aside from an instructors guidelines). It just happens, and tends to start off a bit clumsily. I find that the first sentence is the hardest to write, and I can never seem to stay within any guidelines of length. One of my last papers in a different class was supposed to be 500 words in length, and i ended up writing 6 pages. For me it seems once the creative faucet is turned on, I end up flooding the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteGood job on this blog. You made some good points here that I relate to. I also favor right or wrong answers as well as tend to knock papers out in one sitting. Good luck on the final draft.
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