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Writing as Reflective Practice 2015-10-12 17:42:17
Summary
In the except for Stephen King’s memoir On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, King explains that writing is a skill to be built upon. King makes the analogy of a toolbox. His uncle own a toolbox that “had three levels, the top two removable, all three containing little drawers as cunning as Chinese boxes. It was handmade, of course. Dark wooden slats were bound together by tiny nails and strips of brass. The lid was held down by big latches; to my child’s eye they looked like the latches on a giant’s lunchbox” (112). King’s uncle carried this massive toolbox with him on every handyman job and when a young Stephen questioned his uncle—after all, carrying the entire toolbox when all that’s needed is a few screws and a screwdriver seems pretty impractical—his uncle replies calmly “It’s best to have your tools with you. If you don’t, you’re apt to find something you didn’t expect and get discouraged” (114). King carries this advice into his writing and encourages writers of all abilities to have their own writing toolbox.
King believes that the writer’s toolbox should have vocabulary and grammar within reach on the uppermost level. Although vocabulary is the most exercised tool used by writers, King does not believe writers should work on vocabulary at all. Vocabularies will either strengthen as writer’s read or it won’t. But, forcing complex words into a sentence when a simpler word would be more appropriate is harmful to the writing overall.
Grammar is just as important as vocabulary, and King implores writers to understand the difference between active and passive voice and to make an effort to say away from passive voice. Although the passive voice is safe and alluring to newer writers, it is ultimately detracting from the power of the words. King expresses similar views about adverbs—they’re nice, but still detracting from the power of the prose. King attributes the use of passive voice and the overuse of adverbs to both fear and affection. A newer writer fears that their readers will not understand them—hence the overuse of adverbs—and the dependence on passive voice.
Under the vocabulary and grammar that make up the topmost layer of the writer’s toolbox, there should be a layer on the elements of style. King is specially referring to paragraph structure here. As essay writing and fiction writing are two completely different animals, it makes sense that the structure of the paragraphs would be different as well. King emphasizes the idea that paragraph structure will be different in expository prose as opposed to fiction prose, and that paragraphs in fiction will be far less structured.
Further Reflection
While I agree with the ideas of having a toolbox, I do not completely agree with King’s ideas about not working on vocabulary. As writers, it is our responsibility to actively learn and sharpen our skills in order to be the best writers we can possibly be. Vocabulary is included in this skillset. Even if you never use the word postulate in your own writing, it would be good to know what it means. At the very least, to be able to guess the meaning. I completely agree with King’s thoughts on paragraph structure. Paragraph structure is something I struggled with while making the leap between expository writing and fiction. The idea of a paragraph consisting of a topic sentence then supporting sentences was so ingrained in me that I could not fathom a paragraph as anything else.
Central Question
- What is your relationship to paragraph structure or writing structure in general? Do you see writing as something that needs to be structured?
- What would you put in your writer’s toolbox?
Links
Adverbs—should we really fear them?
Active voice vs. Passive Voice
Active voice vs. Passive Voice (Part 2)
Works Cited
King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. New York: Scribner, 2000. 111-31. Print.
“Why?” She Said Questioningly.” Reference For Writers,. N.p., 11 May 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
“When to Use Adverbs.” The Writing Café,. N.p., 16 June 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
“Active v Passive Voice (#storiesshouldn’tsleep).” The Writing Café,. N.p., 14 June 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
PROJECT 2:
https://docs.google.com/a/myci.csuci.edu/document/d/1T0TkyA7bBiGIVWPy0zxfO_e9CVGD3CVOaMjv_Z_yLQ0/edit?usp=sharing
http://prezi.com/ojuhs5e0weue/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
The 10,000 Hour Rule
What does it take for someone to master something?
- Passion
- Ability
- Opportunity***
Bill Joy
Bill Joy went to the University of Michigan at the age of 16. He helped rewrite UNIX software system. He is known as the Edison of the Internet. He is one of the most influential people of our time.
How did he get to that point?
- 10,000 hours
- University of Michigan
- UC Berkeley
- Worked for AT&T
- University of Michigan
The Beatles
The Beatles had numerous hits and one of the most well-known bands of all-time. They started the “British Invasion” of music in America. All band members went on to become solo artists.
How did they get to that point?
- 10,000 hours
- Liverpool
- Hamburg
Bill Gates
Bill Gates was raised in Seattle, Washington. He started off in public schools then moved to private. He went to Harvard for 2 years and then dropped out to start his own software company. Co-founder of Microsoft. One of the wealthiest people of Earth.
How did they get to that point?
- 10,000 hours
- Lakeside
- ISI (Information Sciences Inc.)
- University of Washington
All of these men became experts in their fields by putting in at least 10,000 hours in their craft.
How do I relate to Gladwell’s chapter?
One of the crucial points that Gladwell brings up in The 10,000 Hour Rule is the confidence and experience that you gain from the 10,000 hours you put in. 10,000 hours is going to change you. I realize that with my writing I need to do more of it and I think I need to read more also. I’m not satisfied with where I am with my writing. I’m not passionate about being an expert writer, but I’m passionate on becoming a better writer.
10,000 hours = 1 year, 51 days, and 16 hours
Questions:
- Are you an expert or master of a certain skill?
- Do you enjoy practicing that skill or do you practice that skill because you’re good at it and it comes easy to you?
Work Cited
Gladwell, Malcolm. “Outliers: The Story of Success.” New York. Little, Brown and Company. 2008.
Reagan Museum Reflection
My top five favorite objects
Oval Office: I enjoyed the replica of the Office because even though it is pretty much the same it had pieces that showed who Ronald was. For example they had a bowl of Jelly Belly on the coffee table because that was his favorite snack. this really showed that even though the oval office was a place for businesses his little joys still showed trough.
The Visual scene of the Reagan shooting: This had to be my most memorable part of the museum. They had set into a dark room and showed us the clip of the actual shooting. That even though Ronald Reagan has so much protection he was still affected and wounded. This showed that even in life altering situations he still had a strong will about everything and did not let it hold him back. Which says a lot about how he carried himself in his terms as president.
Dedication to Wife Nancy: The little exhibit about Nancy Reagan did not only show us who she was but showed us why she was such a great first lady. It showed us that she led a life of her own and was a strong independent woman and a supportive wife. I remember a part of a quote on the was saying ” Nancy has the features Ronald lacked and Ronald had the features Nancy lacked that together they were unstoppable”. Now this part of the exhibit showed that even though Ronald Reagan was an amazing man and president it was in fact because he had a strong amazing woman by his side. This spoke to me because I believe that a leader should be well rounded and the fact he was such a great husband had to do with why he had a successful presidency.
The Ranch Exhibit (Horse Attire):I enjoyed this part of the museum because it shed light into who he was and what his hobbies were. He had so much dedicated to this part of his life and took so much pride in his horses. Walking around this part of the exhibit showed that he was a normal guy that likes normal thing. Granted he had top of the line everything did not change my opinion or out look that he genuinely enjoyed this hobby.
Air Force 1: I mostly remember air force one being cramped and a little dusty but I do remember how the lady presenting shared quit a funny story with us. She had said that Ronald Reagan would look to see if it was anybody’s birthday on the plane just so he could have a piece of chocolate cake. That this was the only way Nancy would let him eat cake. I don’t think this was the entire reason. Ronald was such a nice person that he probably hoped to make that person stuck on the plane with him feel better by acknowledging their birthday.
The visual scene of the attempt on Ronald Reagan’s Life
The curator probably chose to present this visual scene to create sympathy within the audience. I responded to this visual scene with empathy for the wounded president. Which is most likely the responses wanted by the curator because this was the first serious or tragic even shown to the audience in the museum.
This reaction creates an emotional connection with the president based on the fact that we saw the attack take action and then saw what came after. Which then carries the narrative into a more serious tone. This exhibit was in fact the entrance into the more important issues he faced in his terms.
Discovery of the Truth
With this particular scene shown in the museum we were able to relive it. The shooting was captured in live happening so it is certainly the truth. This scene certainly represents a time in Reagan’s history where he may have not been to popular with the audience. It also portrayed him to be a light hearted forgiving person. He did not let this set him back or make him bitter he in fact prospered from this event.
Chapter 4 Reading!
Reading chapter 4 was quite controversial. Chapter 4 basically talked about whether technology is making us dumber? at the beginning of the chapter I didn’t necessarily agree with the statement, but I did think of ways how social media, television, and the use of technology can take away from our learning. However, I began to think about it deeper, and if technology only has a negative effect on teens and children. What really stood out for me were the results of some research studies on teens and television use. There didn’t seem to be a strong correlation between television viewing and educational displacement. Middle and lower class teens appeared to have better grade point averages than the higher class teens whom watched less television then them. Also, I was shocked to learn about the IQ scores improvement compared to the 1970s. These studies made me think a lot about what really other than technology really affects student achievement and success?
Reality vs the Media’s perception
Sorry for the late reply, I’ve been beyond sick and left my computer up at my dorm.
You know if you think about it Media has always been broadcasting the poor different ways. I have noticed more and more as I watch the news that it depends on the channel how some people talk about the poor. I’ve noticed watching the news that most the time they are looking aren’t spending to much time on it anymore, its now a lot about celebrities or scandals and around this time politics; why not the things the people running for office keep talking about. Another factor I’ve notice is that fact that you don’t see many white poor people either; I noticed a few days ago that most the time when poor is highlighted its african Americans that are shown on tv in the poor settings. I know maybe I’m kinda getting off topic, but its kinda what I see in the media.
Never Let the Truth Stand in the Way of a Good Story
BRIEF SUMMARY:
Williams’ essay tells the story of three different writing mindsets: the journalist, the writer, and the teacher, and how Williams knows about all three firsthand. Williams’ journalist self stems from his desire to get into journalism when he was very young. He was always taught “Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy,” yet he wanted to tell his story. He believed that a journalist had the ability to skew the story in a way that reflected them as a writer, as a storyteller. Williams’ voice as a writer was much more liberal; nevertheless, like his role in journalism, he capitalizes upon the importance of the truth. The example he uses is when he writes a story based on real people in his life. Like, with his journalism, he tells a story, his story. The last voice is his voice as an instructor. He tells his students that truth is a social construct and isn’t necessarily objective, jumping off his previous points that it is a writer’s duty to tell his story, going back to both journalism and writing.
All three points touch upon one common idea: that a writer does not just present a story, they tell the story in their own way, even if it means it is not entirely true. The idea of truth is not an objective one; everyone has their truth to tell, and the writer tells his or hers. Both journalists and writers are storytellers; however, it is their differing prerogatives that separate them by title.
![SSB95WY[1]](http://engl478.maryadler.cikeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/SSB95WY1.jpg)
This cartoon is a good example from the journalist side of this story, yet it does hold the main idea of the article. Journalists and the media have been known to be synonymous with one another. Their job is to inform the masses, yet nowadays, it is not common to be delivered purely unbiased news. Each journalist, each newspaper, each news station has their own bias and isn’t afraid to complement their story with their own agenda and beliefs. In fact, reporters from the three biggest cable news networks (MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN) have been accused multiple times of pushing their own bias. Williams backs this idea up when he states: “It’s not that people are trying to lie…it is simply that we all construct our perceptions and memories based on our experiences, our desires, and our cultural expectations” (298). Truth is subjective, contrary to popular belief and everyone tells their own, true or not.
![your-truth-and-my-truth[1]](http://engl478.maryadler.cikeys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/your-truth-and-my-truth1.png)
This image sums up the idea of Williams’ essay very nicely. It is not known who originally said this quote. The quote emphasizes the idea that not everybody will hold the same truth. Each one of us holds our own perspective and sees the world through our own eyes.
MY OWN BELIEFS
In my life, like Williams, I have been taught under the rule that one should always tell the truth. I have grown up believing that there was only one truth. Reading this article put a lot into perspective for me. I never thought of viewing the truth as a social construct, as being subjective, as being a viewpoint. However, I have to say I agree with Williams upon thinking of the media, telling the same story yet a different one. This idea is especially relevant today, being just a year away from electing our forty-fifth president. Many presidential candidates will be telling their truths, and they definitely will not coincide with those of their opponents.
This idea has been important in my writing, personally. When I was in high school, I was not as good of a writer as I was today. My sophomore English teacher was able to hit on the head what I was doing wrong. She pointed out to me that I use too much summary in my papers; I just reiterate ideas. She wanted to see my personal touch in my writings, through my own words and beliefs. In subsequent papers, I offered more analysis and commentary, putting my own skewed view on my assignments. I noticed that I got much better grades than I have before. I have utilized this method in my college papers and have seen my GPA increase more and more. In this case, I was telling my truth, my story. The subject is irrelevant; I have utilized this method in essays about Ronald Reagan and short stories for subsequent English classes, and I have still seen the same positive feedback.
I feel that this subject ties well in our discussion on fiction and that the placement of this article in the semester was apropos. While not always “truth,” fiction is all about telling stories to inform and entertain the masses. This objective is exactly how the journalist, the writer, and the teacher are described by Williams. They offer their wisdom to the world; they tell their stories. Williams’ uses truth in his fictitious story; he bases it on his own experiences, and it is quite obvious to the people who read it. We are storytellers, on both paper and in person, and our truth is our own.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- In terms of writing, is there truly such a thing as “unbiased?” Why or why not?
- Can “truth” exist in fiction? Why or why not?
WORKS CITED
Hirschfield, Neal. “Teaching Cops to See.” Smithsonian Magazine. October 2009. Web. 4 Oct 2015.
Williams, Bronwyn. “Never Let the Truth Stand in the Way of a Good Story: A Work for Three Voices.” College English (Jan., 2003) 290-304. Web.
Low Income Children 10/11/2015
I have always known of the poverty in my city because I grew up in it and it breaks my heat when I see the FACTS in any article. I have many homeless friends who I feed at Del Taco and I see the way my co workers and to tell you the truth I don’t give a dang either. But when I read the articles about how we were born into poverty I definitely agree because I know from experience that we are however, I do know that with an education and determination one can pull themselves out also. The simple fact that the numbers keep rising is upsetting because, as a community we can help in many ways by simply passing out food at a food share or being a big brother/sister for some of these children. I know those two things I mentioned seem like nothing but it means the world to low poverty kids to have adult figures who are positive role models help them believe that they can also achieve. Forgive me for the long post but I feel as if its very important to touch down on issues that pertain so closely to one self. just the cost of living in California alone puts many at poverty level itself and yet it doesn’t get the media attention it deserves. I know that their are people in communities that would help and I feel like the media downplaying the reality dos put a bit of restriction on success and awareness. lf one isn’t involved in their community personally they will only hear about these issues when something tragic happens and an upper class citizen is involved in some cases. I cant stress the education facts enough I chose to work and got to school full time to provide for my daughters financially so I can save them enough money for college. I also believe with every ounce in my body that me being an example in school; will indeed show them that its possible through education and a career is more valuable than a job! Family structure plays a huge roll also and I give credit to single parents who work their butts off so their kids can receive a proper education.
