Beginning Wednesday, my College Writing students will draft their first official paper-- a narrative essay. I told my students on Friday that we would do a writing activity on Wednesday that would possibly lead into their first paper. One of the students asked "Should we bring our laptops?" Not an unreasonable inquiry....but then it occurred to me....can people write without electronic devices? I explained that there would be no research and that we would be conducting activities that would allow us to write in spurts, that we are not writing in a linear manner. The student simply said "Ok." and went on her way. But that got me thinking....how will others react?
Maybe it's because I went to high school in the 80's, but I still like to keep a notebook or tablet and jot things down before I write. I did this when I wrote my dissertation in 2011. In Stephen Reid's The Writer's Purposes he mentions 6 stages to the writing process: Understanding the Task, Gathering Data, Invention, Drafting, Revision and Editing. I tend to discuss "invention" in great detail with my students. Typically, I have found that students like to stare at laptops until and idea comes to them. I use Reid's example of invention of a means to start with. He suggests that this is a very messy process and that it's just getting the ideas out. Some of the invention tasks include:
- freewriting
- directed freewriting
- listing
- clustering
- webbing
- outlining
I think there is great value in this stage, and that one doesn't need a computer to do this. Sure, it's more common to "write" on a laptop, desktop or tablet....but what if you just sat down....pen and paper....and invented using one of these strategies? I know for me, it just gets the ideas out. And I'm a visual person...so it helps to get ideas on paper and actually SEE them before I write about them. The biggest challenge I get from students is that they don't need to do this stage. They do it in their head...then they write the most amazing papers.
I challenge you to invent the next time you have to write. Whether you are a student, a teacher, a parent, a boss. I mean, many of us make lists....right? Grocery, chore, tasks, ect. So when you have to do some more formal writing...try to invent. The next time you have to send that angry e-mail to a colleague or friend....practice this....you may find that once you get the thoughts out, you don't necessarily have to send them....as they are out.
I love writing, and teaching writing, across all subjects. But I know sometimes I panic and put it off, just like everyone else. But if I take the time to invent....well the writing process just becomes easier and I am more proud of my work.
That Reid text sounds familiar, I feel like I must have come across it somewhere. It's interesting to see your view on "inventing" writing as we come from two different generations. I find the pen and paper convention restricting. I write very profusely, and currently next to me have on a self nearly a dozen spiral bound manuscripts of plays, short stories, full length novels (in various states of completion). I am in fact gearing up for this years NaNoWriMo for the sixth time. I will actually be writing a sequel to a completed entry I did 3 years ago. Google NaNoWriMo if that acronym is foreign, but I'm betting its not.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have a laptop in my hands these fingers cannot stop clicking. I can churn out a 1000 words in just under 15 minutes if I am really cooking. On the flip side I couldn't see myself writing 100 with a pencil. Perhaps its just my pampered 21st century ways but I almost feel like my brain would work faster then my hands could handle. Like I was working with stone age tools.
I free write with a laptop, outline, I even use a nifty little program to create brain webs which is what I assume you mean by clustering. I would be a hopeless writer without my little 2.4 pounds of netbook goodness.
(Shane)