"There's nothing hard about writing. All you have to do is sit down and open up a vein."
- Walter "Red" Smith
While Smith makes a decent point, what he says is only true under certain circumstances. Take for instance, right now, as I am writing this blog entry. This is not hard to me; I am able to write whatever is on my mind without having to worry about grammar or content (at least to an extent). On the other hand, when writing becomes a requirement, a chore that you know will be graded and analyzed, it becomes stressful. You have to proofread every sentence and meticulously dissect your work so it is fit to be handed in for a grade. And sometimes, when research is involved, or parenthetical citations, and all that other stuff, it just hinders the writing process and takes away the potential positive experience that Smith is alluding to. Additionally, when we, as students, are told what we have to write about, we do not always like the topic and cannot fully get into it. If we do not like what we are writing about, how can we be expected to enjoy the writing process?
I agree, writing can be enjoyable when completing a task that you like. Other times writing assignments seem like a chore as you said because the topic is boring to the student.
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't think that writing is stressful when it has to be graded because, as Smith stated, you only have to open yourself up. In most cases, no one can mark off for your ideas because everyone has different views and a unique style. Obviously, grammar and parenthetical are a different story, though. But I think he was trying to say that writing should be a fun experience because it is so "easy" and it's all about finding a new way to express yourself.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you're right. I guess what I was trying to get at more was just the fact that a teacher ordering what you are to write about can sometimes take away from the potentially fun, positive experience if you dislike the topic.
ReplyDeleteVery true, writing can be enjoyable and easy when there are no restrictions, but can be quite stressful when there are many limitations. Good post.
ReplyDeleteI disagree, Smith is actually saying how writing is hard, because he is comparing it to opening up a vein, which is not an easy thing to do. He is mocking those who think writing is easy because he states that writing is like opening up a vein (which is hard) and then implying that some people think it is easy. I think this is evident because of the way he juxtaposes the two phrases "opening up a vein" and "easy." However, I respect your interpretation.
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