English 5599 - Creative Writing For Teachers
Self-Audit
1.I was 9 years old and in the 4th grade. My teacher had us keep a daily creative writing journal. I don't recall how long we wrote each day, but we were able to create stories from our imagination. At the end of each week, she would call on each student to read selections from our writings. I remember enjoying the writing process but also felt I was in competition with Wesley Moss who always wrote better stories. My audience was as polite as fourth graders can possibly be. They would applaud at the appropriate time, I would graciously nod and take my seat. Inevitably, Wesley Moss, would sat directly behind me, would follow.
2.From the 4th grade to the 12th grade I have written few pieces that were not assigned to me for a grade. I have very little memory of writing for the sheer enjoyment of it.
3.I do recall writing in Dr. C--'s Creative Writing courses during my undergraduate studies. I feel like I grew as a writer during that period simply because I was given the opportunity to write creatively. The structure of the class allowed for full freedom to explore where I was as a writer. I learned quickly about my limitations, common grammatical issues, and my need for a lot of practice. I appreciated his willingness give constructive criticism, because he has been in my position as a young writer. Now he is a successful, published author that I still feel comfortable approaching when I am having difficulty with a passage. From those writing courses, I began attending a weekly writer's workshop at a local bowling alley meeting room with a few other writers. That experience has been invaluable to me. Lately my attendance has been sporadic because of my grueling school/work/family schedule, but I haven't forsaken them altogether yet.
4.I enjoy reading anything fictional. I am currently reading through the classics of literature. I am about to finish Homer's Iliad. I also enjoy contemporary fiction and lately have developed an interest in Southwest literature. Further, I enjoy reading the philosophers of the Western world from Thales all the way to Foucault. I appreciate how philosophy is relevant to literature in every era. Lastly, I am a theologian. I read mostly reformed theology (meaning theology coming out of the Protestant Reformation). Some of my favorite fiction writers include Kazuo Ishiguro, J.R.R. Tolkien, Chuck Palahniuk, John Fowles, and E.M. Forster. Theologians I read are J.I. Packer, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, R.C. Ryle, John Owen, and Michael Horton.
5.Last year, I published a couple of short stories in the Legacy Literary Magazine. Beyond that, I upload all of my graduate work and writing onto the Internet for public consumption. Few people know the address to access the site, so I don't think many people read my stuff. I have no shame in my writing. I do not force any of my work on anyone, but I am certainly inclined to allow anyone interested to look at anything I've done.
6.Good writing to me is effortless writing. I don't mean effortless in the sense that it is thrown together the night before the editor takes it to the publisher. By effortless, I mean that I look for writers who toil all night long, painfully pouring their hearts out on the page, and then, with smoke and mirrors, they make their creation a joy to read. Good writing is when the author is having fun, or if he's not, he isn't revealing the blood, sweat and tears. Writing that does not seem forced or coerced is good writing. I will never forget reading The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles. It was abundantly clear that Fowles was having a good time writing that book. He would just in and out of the story as narrator. In one chapter, he even appeared as a character in the book. I've got to read that book again! I think anyone can be a good writer when enough practice. Writing is a skill before it is a talent. I believe some people are gifted with a knack for it, but I certainly believe anyone with a standard level of intelligence can learn to write well. Writing well takes practice.
7.Explanations about my writing:
a.My most creative ideas come from real life situations.
b.I begin the writing process by researching what I want to write about.
c.Usually I write for a grade. This keeps me going. If I am writing for the sake of writing, the thing that stops me is my hectic personal schedule with family and work.
d.I write my best when I am in front of the laptop at Roasters or in my living room. Either place has a soothing atmosphere. When I write at Roasters, it is usually early in the day. I drink black coffee by the gallon. When I write at home, it is usually in the evening. I brew chamomile tea.
e.I revise very little of what I write for this type of class. This is more of an exploratory experience. I am learning by thinking. The writing part is simply a method of keeping a record for posterity. When I write a fictional story or an essay for school, I revise, revise, revise, and revise some more. In fact, even during the writing process I revise. This recursive style seems to be common among many writers. It certainly cannot be the best way, but it is the way I am used to doing it.
f.I write all drafts on the computer.
g.For me…
1.Writing is like walking either a short distance or miles at a time, depending on my time table. The weather is mandated by my ability or inability to accomplish what I set out to do.
2.Revising is like going back over the sod I have covered and picked up the articles that I accidentally dropped along the way. Sometimes the articles are so small, I need a companion to come along who has better eye-sight than me.
3.Reading is like taking a trip by airplane in first-class with a movie playing on a big screen.