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- Reading responses are due by 10pm on the day PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading
My response to the prompt “what is creative writing” is as following: humankind expressing and understanding their emotions and life in order to survive. Expressing and understanding alludes to writing; surviving alludes to creative as in order to survive individuals will become ingenious and witty, the essence of creativity. For my response, I will support my answer using Wallace Stegner’s framework of creative writing provided in his chapter Creative Writing, of On Teaching and Writing Fiction. As Stegner noted early in the chapter, the very creation of creative writing classes derived from a need of self-expression. Composition courses focused on “correctness” allowing for no introduction or acknowledgement of the uncontrollable journey mankind is (Stegner 11). Grammar and metric were key while themes and content became neglected. Such can still be seen today, however, as Stegner has stated, “in spite of the excerise books and the negative approach of our schools, language stays alive (Stegner 24).”
ReplyDeleteLanguage thrives because of humankind’s struggles. We crave to understand them. As the prayer for writers exemplifies, “let understanding and wisdom be engraved on my mind as deep as the lines of living on a wise and weathered face (Stegner 14).” Creative writing serves understand the world around us. However, as the prayer continues to expand, “and then let me find the words to say it so it can’t be overlooked and can’t be forgotten.” A survivalist mentality is been described aiding to the creativity of humankind. Life is lived in conflict, and humankind to counter the conflict and attempt to encounter some equilibrium will require a sense of inquiry through whatever means necessary. Stegner signaled this process as language itself, composed of symbols that have been encoded (Stegner 28). The connotations are processed twice, first by the writer who witnessed life and decides to document it, and subsequently by the reader who will acquire his own message on life based on where he stands on life at that point in time. By encoding, for the writer, and decoding, for the reader, are revelations, pleasures, and delights achieved (Stegner 12).
Although, it is worthy of been acknowledged that not all writing is based on conflict. Writing is also based on an appreciation as the writer’s prayer also depicts, “teach to love and teach me to be humble and let me learn to respect (Stegner 14).” Appreciation, furthermore, is a means to survival.
Alejandro Sanchez
After reading the article, Creative Writing by Wallace Stegner, I found a lot of interesting outlooks on the literary process. Mostly, I was in agreement with Stegner on his take on different forms of writing. For instance, I agree the writers need to have a great understanding of his/her senses. However, there was one particular topic that I did not find agreeable. Stenger's statement that there are no rules when it comes to language. All in all, the article was more eye opening than overwhelming. And I found the information to be of great user to further my progress as a writer. I found that he had a lot of good points such as when he was describing the loaded gun because in his view, creative writing is more about being spontaneous and less about being premediated.
ReplyDeleteI agree that writing is easier when the author is well-tuned to their senses. Stegner wrote,” No writer without acute senses and the willingness to use them should pretend to literature because without senses he cannot create images, and images are his only means of making his reader hear and feel and see (Stegner 16)”. The proof of this statement is everywhere. Another point that I agree with this article is when he is describing the destroyer and the victim. The way I interpret it is that a writer’s work could be used against him and others in a negative manner. As Wallace Stegner is describing emotion, I agree that the writer is able to express themselves freely. Because if the writer cannot express themselves freely, they won’t be able to get their message across.
I did find Stegner's statement that there are no rules for language to be inaccurate. Not to say that there are rules to language. It's just that Stegner makes this claim at one point in the article. But then in the next few sentences, he makes a rule. He stated,” For the young writer there is no rule on language, there are only warnings, and they concern the extremes of choice (Stegner 27)”. However in the next sentence, he stated,” a playful way with language is always better than a solemn one” (Stegner 27). It seems to contradict what the writer is stating. Despite this, I found the article to be very informative. As well as helpful in my development as a writer.
Andrea Espericueta
My interpreration from Stegner about having no rules when it comes language was more about finding poetic voice. Traditionally, creative schools would teach writing very structurally, with no room for growth especially for language (Stegner 25). Language cannot grow without any exploration, thus writers should no have limitations to hinder their poetic growth. That explains his other statement, "a playful way with language is always better than a solemn one (Stegner 27)" because as poets explore their voice they can fall into polar opposites such as been too feminine or masculine which once again hinders poetic growth. In other words, it is important to have no limitations in our search for language, and in the search for language don't create them yourself.
DeleteAlejandro Sanchez
The knee-jerk reaction to standardized, mill-churned passages is to write something so different, so strange, that it is difficult for the reader to follow. For instance, a cacophony of ideas that flitter through the author’s mind, jotted down haphazardly and then published may be creative but lacks any cogent point. One then must ask his or herself if such writing is of any value? If the writing fails to draw something beautiful out of the reader, I reckon the answer is no.
ReplyDeleteWhat this elusive thing of beauty that the reader has somewhere locked deep away in unknown reaches is a complete mystery to both the reader and writer. But it must be beautiful. For instance, a written work that disparages and belittles multitudes and prompts the reader to a psychopathic rampage is not beautiful. But beauty has many, many facets and to say it simply causes love for one’s fellow human beings would limit beauty and all its glory.
Let us consider a scientific report and question whether or not such a thing can, ever, be considered valuable creative writing. From the surface it would appear impossible since most reports necessarily follow a very strict pattern describing the experiment, results, and so forth. Yet because words are used and the author or authors have the potential to use them in ways unknown, the passages nonetheless can be put forth creatively. And these words can be used to draw the reader into the experiment, to make him or her recognize its importance, and – that thing of beauty – develop understanding, spark curiosity, show the wonder of creation, or spur the reader towards greater like studies. Its antithesis? A text which the reader struggles through boring him or her to death.
Ernest Hemingway blew his brains out with a shotgun. Yet he is celebrated the world over for his masterful works of fiction. Likewise, his advice for writers to take life by the horns and squeeze every emotion out of each experience is hailed by many as wonderful advice. Who doesn’t want to be the next Hemingway? Who doesn’t want to have two shotgun holes in their forehead?
I don’t. And the beauty the creative prose produces in the reader is also hidden somewhere deep in the author. It bubbles forth like an endless fountain, imparting to both reader and writer an almost imperceptible beauty that, like the air, need not be seen but nonetheless necessary for life. And it is life, not death, that is beautiful. And this beauty cannot forsake us for it is real, a foundation, that dog that heard you all alone, crying, and licked away your tears.
Elizabeth Barham
Stegners speaks about his views on creative writing and provides useful examples and tips. Everyone has a voice and can express themselves in any way they want, but when writing we need to connect with our reader and be able to relate and attract their attention to our words and points of view. "Teach me love and teach me to be humble and let me learn to respect human differences, human privacy, human dignity, human pain. And then let me find the words to say it so it can't be overlooked and can't be forgotten"(Stengner 14). This writer’s prayer opened my eyes to always think about my readers in all aspects in order to be considerate, but at the same time get my point across in a respectable manner. All writers should be introduced to this prayer, I agree with it completely. This prayer also got me thinking about stories that are destructive towards the readers. Writers can write anything they want, but if it’s going to challenge the reader’s beliefs they need to provide a clear argument in order to possibly imprint in the readers views on the subject.
ReplyDeleteAs a creative writer it is important to create imagery for the readers. “No one without acute senses and the willingness to use them should pretend to literature, because without sense he cannot create images, and images are his only means of making his reader hear and feel and see (Stegner 16). Readers want to read and feel emotion or be educated on a subject. When writing about a personal experience it is best to just tell the truth, but it is important to create the same feeling you felt with your experience in order for the reader to put themselves in your shoes. Stegner talks about the importance of people experiencing actions, feelings, and sensations. I agree when writing a poem or any other type of work it is important to produce a picture or sensation in their mind because it makes what they are reading real. This chapter also mentions the use of barbarism language, which is a modern and grammatically incorrect form of writing. Creative writing has no limits so as long as the reader can understand your work and message put across is all that matters. These tips and skills will help me produce better work for my future essays to come.
-Bianca Salinas
Thoroughly having read On Creative Writing by Wallace Stegner I found myself falling into a deep abyss of curiosity in regards to what creative writing really is. Although many different and well explained concepts were covered in this passage the main idea that spoke to me was the definition of creative writing provided by Stegner. Before this passage I was inclined to believe that that creative writing had nothing to do with imagination and that they both worked as independent elements. But can you singularly and only be creative or vice versa can you only be imaginative? These where the questions Stegner made me ask myself throughout the entire reading. So Stegner proses, "possession of a weapon does not make a warrior or a hunter, but no man is a very good warrior or hunter without one" (Stegner 14). Consequently, how sad would it be if a sentence, a story, or a play meant nothing more to me than just that? A bunch of words lined up in a fancy way. In the passage he enlightens me with details and examples as to how creativity goes hand in hand with imagination. There has without doubt been a story that has moved feelings and opened our world to new ideas. Stegner himself questions this by asking, what comes to mind when you think of tree. He tells us that grammatically it is a word made up of "four letters" and produces a "certain sound" (Stegner 28). It prompts one to ask, is then tree just that? Is there nothing else? If I open my mouth I possess the power to produce sound but when I write it down it turns into an object with "bark and leaves" (Stegner 28). This is the most wonderful truth, and it becomes almost cringe worthy. Words create new worlds and help us express ourselves. Dare to see language and brave against the norm. It is by everyone and for every one. Love it, make a river, create emotions with it so powerful that it won't be forgotten. Although my initial beliefs have been placed at the edge of a cliff, Stegner presents this as an opportunity to mmet new ideas, destroy old ones, and spill your heart out.
ReplyDeleteI thought it would be something simple that I would get from this reading. But isn't that the beauty of creative writing? That you think in such a way and you close yourself and all at once you are exposed to the strength of writing.
-Mayra Lopez
From the first words that leave his lips, or the tip of his pen in this case, it was easy to see the eloquence with which Mr. Stegner is capable of writing. It is, to me at least, a very enviable eloquence to which I can only hope to aspire to. Of particular note his vocabulary is so on point, I often found myself using surrounding words, just to figure out what another one meant, or what he was trying to convey to the reader.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the context is concerned, I often find that to be the most important part of any creative writing, and Mr. Stegner does not disappoint. I particularly enjoyed his reference to the classroom, and education’s way of defining creative writing. For me personally, I can overlook structure and grammatical errors, for it’s what the writer wishes to say that most intrigues me when I pick up a piece of literature.
The prayer to God, sent a cold chill down my arms, as I come from a family rooted in faith.
What I do not completely agree with is Stegner’s interpretation of the senses. I admit that while it is necessary to detail a piece of work so as to blanket your senses over that of the readers, I do want to leave some things to their imagination.
The ability to express comes from personal experience, of that I can concur with Stegner. One has to utilize his senses to fully comprehend the world around him before he can actually begin to write creatively. You wouldn’t ask me to describe life on Mars would you? (Even if Matt Damon’s The Martian did a fantastic job of it)
I believe that when Stenger refers to Hemingway’s, “Big Two-Hearted River” in the sense that only one sense is utilized he may as well be referring to me, as I have yet to unlock the secret to coordinating more than one sense into a line of text.
I do not want to be Thomas Wolfe. He’s a “putter –inner” as stated in the text. While I agree, a bit of this is necessary too much of it can slow the progression of a story.
Further reading Stegner suggests that apprentices of writing use imitation as the sincerest form of flattery. I believe this to be true whether you’re looking to be a realist, romanticist or any of the other types of paths to be followed.
If I had to categorize myself, which I know is frowned upon, I’d like to consider myself a realist, in the purest form of the word. While I do enjoy branching out into a bit of the unreal, I find that the humanistic side to any story is what keeps me compelled.
I found Stegner had come to repeat himself when stating that schools tend to impose “correctness” in a person’s writing. Perhaps repeating this is his way of emphasizing its importance?
All in all, Stegner’s excerpt is an enviable one. By reading it though, I can say it’s inspired me to dig deeper into the recesses of my mind and search for talents I don’t even know I possess.
-Lucas Zamora
While reading this passage, I believe Stegner provided much needed advice for a young writer to be successful if he/she is going to become someone that wants a career in creative writing. Not only that, two particular pieces of advice stood out to me. That in order to become a good creative writer, one must use his/her own senses in their writing such as sight and taste. To me, that is required because in order to get a character or make a story more real, the author must acquire this skill in order to capture the reader’s imagination. Stegner was referring to how writers “must be able to express…the qualities of things, the hardness and smoothness…the feel of heat and cold, the physical symptoms of fear” (18). To me, when a writer does this in their story, they are creating an atmosphere that has the reader in the protagonists or any character’s place. The reader is experiencing what the character is going through and just by reading the description of the character is feeling, they would soon feel with that character, the reader and character would be connected by the same emotions. To put it simply, the reader would sympathize with the character. Usually imagery is used by straightforwardly. Just by providing an a image of the setting itself, to me is vague and also just by having the writer state for example, ‘tears running down her face’ to express a character crying is boring. When a writer uses more than just an image, expressing imagery with a metaphor, for example gives the image more depth. It shows that the writer is making emphasizes on how imagery can express the setting and how the reader can see what the character is seeing. Stegner, however, didn’t just emphasize how imagery along with depth can be useful, he also expressed how there are different ways to use imagery. Just by using imagery, in any kind of form helps the writer become more depth in the story and more entertaining to the readers. When the reader feels that they can feel and see the setting and the images provided in the story, they can visually see what setting the character is and also have the reader be influenced by the setting of the story as the character goes through it.
ReplyDelete-Andrea Serrano
The most interesting idea for me from the reading was Stegner's thoughts about creative writing style and what he called "hav[ing] something [the writer] wants to say, something he can't keep still about (Stegner 13)" or that substance, that idea and belief at the heart of any work. While he feels very deeply about a creative writer having the ability - and then the duty of using that ability - to communicate with the reader in its "attempts to uncover form and meaning in the welter of love, hate, violence, tedium, habit , and brute fact that we flounder through from day to day (Stegner 12)," Stegner believes that to write relying solely on stylistic devices is wrong, and worse is to create a body of work solely based on the pleasing way an arrangement of words sounds. Conversely, he also believes it wrong to write creatively based on ideas alone. Style and substance should not be separated, and a work favoring one or the other is empty. I thought this was an interesting idea in that, while Stegner encourages developing style, he cautions against losing sight of communication with the reader, which should be the ultimate goal. It put in my mind current mainstream creative literature, which is the most easily accessible avenue of writing for readers. Because of the incredible volume of writing available from mainstream publishers (and independent online sources, which can be cheaper than print), the readers can potentially be exposed to a sizeable amount of writing styles and content. These publishers do follow trends, consumer habit and preference, and published subject material can reflect this. For example, because of the success of 50 Shades of Gray, adult romance migrated from the Harlequin Romance section of the bookstore and is now set up in glossy displays, out in the open, with new titles written in the vein of 50 Shades of Gray. The style of writing found in mainstream creative writing can be more directed toward grabbing the reader's attention, which Stegner believed was a necessity in writing, except that these stylistic tendencies are chosen more in hopes that the reader would buy the next volume in the series; therefore, the style of the creative writing is formed more for commercial value and less to communicate with purpose, or "communicate insight (Stegner 15)." If this kind of creative writing is built on these ideas originating from demand and supplied in accordance with, if one were to think in line with Stegner, does that mean it's not really creative writing? If so, how much writing published in the mainstream is actually creative writing if, at heart, the writer themselves has nothing to say? Does that mean that, since this is the kind of writing available to most people, that readers haven't actually been supplied with creative writing?
ReplyDeleteDoris Tolar
I agree with most of what Stegner says about creative writing. Creative writing is not just another English course where we need to read and then write an essay on what we read. It is a course where we can actually create something. All through high school we are made to write essays and the occasional story, however, we are seldom given the opportunity to properly express our true emotions or to write creatively. It’s not till we register for a creative writing course, in most cases I’ve seen at least, that students are able to enter the world of creative writing. Up until that point the writing they have done is mostly academic and non-creative.
ReplyDeleteStegner made a statement that I had not thought of, but makes perfect sense upon consideration. That creative writing begins with the senses. He says that “No one without acute senses and willingness to use them should pretend to literature, because without senses he cannot create images, and images are his only means of making his reader hear and feel and see.” This is something that really made me understand just what creative writing is all about. We can write something for others to read and even be entertained, but this tells me that if we write creatively, we can make the reader feel, see, and hear what we want them to see. To not only put an image in their head, but to live it or experience it as if he was in the story.
I like how Stegner mentions how a good writer is cocked and aimed like a gun. In other words, he says that there is some danger when it comes to what are able to write. The writing can always be productive or destructive, influential or informative, but the “caliber of the bullet does not matter”. It will still be considered dangerous. That’s when he says that if the writer isn’t “a little dangerous”, he will not live up to his calling. If that’s the case his writing will not be taking seriously, so sometimes it’s ok to go for everything instead of playing it safe. A writer must be ready to question and test anything.
What I get from all this is writing in a way that lets a person express themselves fully. To share what their feelings, thoughts, and even their senses were in a particular story or real life events.
Erik Ramirez
There was so much great information in this reading but in this response I am going to talk about the things that I really think will help me because of the specific mistakes that I am making as a writer still trying to figure out what i'm doing. One of the things that really stood out to me is when he said that having the gift of words is only part of what makes someone a good writer. Personally, I like to make things sound pretty. I play around with words until they flow nicely, and often times leave it at that. While there is nothing wrong with things sounding pretty, there needs to be a substance to what I am writing. My writing should come from a place of something that I am so passionate about that I can make my reader feel my passion and consider what I have to say. He also said in the reading that writers see things through images and they need to be able to communicate those images so that the reader can feel exactly what the writer wants them too. while this may seem like basic information, the more that I write, the more that I realize how difficult this actually is. The only way to do this successfully is to really pay attention to the things around me. If I am writing about sleep for example, I should take the time to focus on how everything feels in the bed around me, where my thoughts naturally flow to before I drift off, the white noise in the background of my bedroom and say them in a way that they feel there are in the same room as I am. A part of writing that he mentioned was not only putting things in intentionally but also concealing what you don't want to be seen or felt. I had never really thought about the fact that there are many other things that may be going on in the background that only you are aware of but you don't want to reveal them to the reader. To me, that is one of the most amazing and most difficult skills to master. It's the kind of thing that I love to read in books. the moment when something happens and I say "ahh, now it makes sense" a little detail that maybe was thrown in earlier in the book that didn't really seem all that significant so it gets pushed to the back of my mind until the moment that all things are revealed and suddenly that insignificant little detail hold much more weight than it first appeared. For me I hope to not put any constraints on my writing. whether I am telling a simple story for the enjoyment of myself and the reader or writing about something that weighs heavy on me and the world around me. I hope that no matter what I am writing about, I can make the reader feel. Whether it be happiness, sadness, anger, hate, I just want them to feel, and feel fully.
ReplyDeleteErin Valdez
As I read the passage, I often wondered what Stegner had to say about what he thinks creative writing is. To my understanding, he was stating that writers are free-spirited with limitless boundaries. Me, personally, I also believe in that very strongly. It is helpful for beginning writers to understand what they need to know about how to become a writer. I think it is also helpful to veteran authors to inquire some sort of inspiration when they the case, in common cases, a "writer's block". I like to write stories in my spare time and this helped me further understand that is more to writing than putting down pretty words and random dialogue. Stegner helps you understand that you have to put real human emotion into your works to make the audience feel what the characters are feeling. To see, breathe, and taste the same world that they are existing in. He points out the importance of these universes that an author/writer creates by writing it all down on a piece of paper. I did like how he used the "old school" references of how one learns to write as examples. I do believe that some of the best works don't have to contain fancy wording or be over five-hundred long to be a great read. Sometimes, the best reads I've had were short series, a novel I wouldn't have thought of reading before, or even subjects that I thought would not interest me. I do also love how he out that there's more to something than what it stands for like the tree he talked about. A tree could be just a tree or it could symbolize life/growth of a person depending on the context of the story. Things, people, or animals that have more meaning to them than just the surface really strikes something within me.
ReplyDeleteHis descriptive words really astound me with how clear and amazing they are. They really point out the real issues of writing as a whole and the finer points of being a writer. I agree with his idea of making the world that an author creates come to life with the senses. Sometimes, I believe it helps make it seem like it is actually happening right in front of you. I also think that the readers can also come up with their own assumptions of what is happening as the characters interact. "A writer must knock the reader down"(Stegner 32). This quote really spoke to me, I honestly felt deep emotions when I thought about what it could mean. My interpretation is that writers have the power to use their own words and imagination to make the audience continue reading their works in awe over how magnificent it is. And, "creativity implies both talent and hard work" (32), makes me have a stronger passion that you have to work hard to develop the talent to make an entire world on your own while having the readers think that it does exist. While reading more of the passage, he also makes references about masculinity and femininity into writing. I disagree about writing in general to have a specific gender, because it is gender neutral in my belief. Yes, there are works that are considered more "masculine" or "feminine" based on the sex of the author. I think it does not have anything to do with that at all. A man can write a beautiful romance between his characters and a woman is able to write about "manly" sports stories. As I said, creative writing really does not have a gender or needs it to be an excellent read on its own.
I personally enjoyed reading this passage and I hope that I can use Stegner's advice in order to help myself become a better writer!
-Alexa Rodriguez
Creative writing is an art form that is unique in that it can be either as broad or as concise as the writer chooses. An object or experience can be simply told or it can be “…communicated insight…” (Wegner 15). It is that tool that allows two people to connect. The reader simultaneously sees through the eyes of the writer as through their own. The task of manifesting this connection is one for which the technique must be practiced, though care must be taken to avoid devolving into just writing and not so much creative writing. There exists a delicate balance in the opposite direction as well; it is important to avoid language that “…half embarrasses its author when it is read aloud…” (Wegner 27). Creative writing is a delicate product in that the smallest tweaks affect its quality and effect on the reader. Word choices, point of view, indulgence and abstinence from certain devices, and layers of meaning are all able to tip the scale from mediocre to quality and vice versa. Connotations can turn a sentence into an insult or jab or can invoke positive reactions as a compliment or reminiscence. Point of view can be that of an overbearing writer or keep them at a distance, allowing their work to speak for itself (Wegner 31). Hemingway’s initial aversion to the cheating that is metaphor limited what he could weave with words. He could only relate things as they were, with limited choice in the manner in which he did so (Wegner 19). Layers of meaning transform a work from simply a story or relatable tale into a work of multiple dimensions. They do not attempt to cast a shadow without any solid substance (Wegner 30).
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this analysis of what creative writing is and how one can become proficient at it. I had never really put much thought into what goes into writing other than the purpose of the work and the choice of words used to express said purpose. It could be said that many of these characteristics are taken for granted by readers, myself included, and in analyzing them, a newfound appreciation for all forms of writing can be obtained.
Jessica Rodriguez
After having read On Creative Writing by Wallace Stegner, I found a lot of helpful information about what makes writing an art. While creative writing can take on many forms I found it insightful that he was able break down different variations of writing and how they can take on different meanings. While I feel I have had many opportunities to write creatively I have never thought I was very good and could never quite understand why. I could not pinpoint what it was about my writing that I felt I could improve on. While reading this passage I found myself questioning my abilities, my knowledge and my own willingness to think outside the box. Much like the article states it’s difficult to break outside of the emotions that we’re taught to feel and instead be real to what it is we’re really feeling. To allow those thoughts and emotions to cross over into our writing. On page 17 Stegner implies that “a writer begins with ideas…and makes them into flesh and blood; sometimes he starts with flesh and blood…and lets flesh and blood work themselves into idea.” There are so many places from where to draw inspiration as a writer. While I’ve had my fair share of both good and bad experiences in life I never had the idea to actually draw from those experiences to put into my writing. I feel perhaps that if I were able to tap into those experiences I would be able to be more expressive in my writing. I have a big problem with elaboration. I am very short and to the point. While this worked well for Hemingway I don’t feel I have the creative ability to excel in that type of writing. After eight years in the military I forgot how to be expressive. I forgot to slow down and experience, to be able to use words to describe what is happening. I no longer had the ability to describe what a feeling of emotion looked like, or the various ways to be able to explain cold without even using the word. This article opened me up to see that there is so much more in writing than just getting to the point but instead enjoying the journey to get there.
ReplyDelete-Diana Zepeda
On the first day of class we had to write what we thought creative is, I personally wrote, “Creating your thoughts, on any matter, with words.” In this reading, Wallace Stegner's "On Creative Writing" he says, “Creative writing means imaginative writing, writing as an art... (Stegner 11)” So the way I would interpret that is unlike being bounded by the rules and norms of writing, you are freer to write as you please, regardless of what we are told. In most classes that you have to write, they will grade you not only on the content that you show, but also on the way you are presenting it. Creative writing is not just one thing, it can be anything: poems, short stories, plays, lyrics to a song. This type of writing is not just to vent out your problems, which I am guilty to do that from time to time, but it is also to get points across in a way everyone or most people can understand.
ReplyDeleteA quote from this reading that really made me feel like it is okay to be unsure about the type of writing I want to stick with is this, “No young writer needs to worry whether he (or she) is going to be a naturalist, realist, romanticist, impressionist, surrealist, or anything else… Most potential writers are omnivorous readers… (Stegner 23)” To me this means I am not bound to just one style of writing, since I write songs, poems and working on a book, I thought I was just getting ahead of myself. Also this should inspire whoever wants to write, to read more because to be a good writer you have to read for pleasure, not just for academics. I believe reading helps writers because you learn more words and how to use them.
With writing you have to love what you are doing, pretty much like everything else. Some might say that reading and/or writing is very feminine, and it makes some men turn away from it, because literature can expose feelings that men might be hiding. “… so is the affected over masculine toughness that some young men adopt in the belief that it permits them to love literature without being called effeminate. (Stegner 27)” This was one of my main setbacks when I first started writing, because writing really opened up my emotions and when I let a few people read what I have so far, they didn’t realize how depressed or anxious I really am.
-Roberto Rodriguez
At one point or another, one has come across the tremendous task of communicating an experience, whether it be through a colloquial conversation or in a formal presentation. In either of these two occasions, it is inevitable to separate the message with its messenger, and I couldn’t agree more with Wallace Stegner in his work “On Creative Writing” when he stated “man and style are inseparable.” As a novice writer, I must confess Stegner’s writing is quite impressive, but more than that I would say it is comforting because he does not provide a step by step recipe on how to be the next Shakespeare. That is, there isn’t one formula to create an excellent writer. Rather, I think, Stegner’s work invites the reader to unwrap creative writing as a gift and examine its content with familiar eyes as opposed to the old school militaristic approach to writing. For example, Stegner elaborates deeply in the different types of writing styles and advises the younger writer to “try everything” but can’t deny that “some forms will come more naturally to him than others.” Stegner’s words are gold in the myriad of sources and styles our modern society dictates, directly or indirectly.
ReplyDeleteIn essence, creative writing is a natural expression of a personality. It reveals something unique about a person, whether it be of the writer’s character of experiences. For instance, Shakespeare’s writings and Mark Twain’s can’t be compared merely by the level of vocabulary, but what makes them successful is the way in which they wrote. They were able to make a personal connection with the reader through the gift of writing. I find it amusing that still critics may argue that Twain’s work is a deposit of grammatical errors with “a good many barbarisms of language.”Nevertheless, it is the simplicity of Twain’s work in Huckleberry Finn and the careful use of everyday language that gives me hope as a writer. Stegner notes, however, that one must not forget the context of creative writing.
Truly, the use of senses is imperative in creative writing, for it is the medium in which these connections are made. As Stegner wrote, “every word is a symbol,” and therefore its appropriate use is crucial. For this reason, I take the stance of the writer’s prayer in Stegner’s chapter “On Creative Writing” to “grow into such a man as has something to say” and one day be able to “stimulate the sweat glands and the hair follicles.”
Julio Manzano
Creative writing is exactly what it says it is, it’s a creation of writing, an extension or better yet an outlet of your inner world and how it functions. It’s a creation that opens up new worlds in other peoples’ world.
ReplyDeleteOnce you open up your writing world to your readers it is very difficult not to compare your style of writing with an earlier writing style. As much as you put an effort to put your own individuality on any type of writing, that itself seems to be a task. There have been countless writings about countless topics that’s why it is very difficult not to compare your style of writing with an earlier writing style. Which Stegner exactly points that out” Most potential writers are omnivorous readers; and in the nature of things an apprentice is sure to imitate (Stegner 23).‘’ This maybe that you have fallen under what Stegner has mentioned or it can simply mean that your style of writing just has resemblance to that of many other writing pieces. In the early stages of your writing career it is easy to fall into what Stegner has mentioned but it’s not necessarily true that you are imitating. Resemblance is not always imitating what others around you have done especially if it was done years ago. This can easily just fall into what Stegner mentions is Hemingway’s method. And that is’’ simply try to state purely whatever is before his eyes (Stegner 23).’’ That is creative writing in its pure form to express the senses that people connect within the world and go beyond that from sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch to reach the most sensitive feelings within the readers through your writing.
Writing can resemble other pieces of work but they don’t resemble who you are as a writer on how you are explaining a story. Words are as simple as they are spelled but they carry a lot of meaning when used in different styles of writing. This means that words give you more freedom of expression when you are in a situation that requires different types of structures of writing. The way you style your writing is what makes you the person you are and will eventually give you a style of your own as your writing progresses.
-Victor Vasquez
According to Wallace Stegner , anyone has the ability to write creatively, but there are some requirements if striving to have readers to understand what is being said. If there comes a case where readers have questions, to have answers ready. When it comes to creative writing, Stegner says it begins with the feeling of having something to say and to keep in mind to be humble. What is wanted to get across to the reader should be clearly stated and written in such detail so this way the reader can have a great picture of what is wanted to be understood. Not everyone will understand what the writer had in mind, but to have an open mind because there will be those that will. Having an open mind is another way to remain a good writer. For this reason everyone's opinion can be thought of thoroughly instead of taking anything to offense.
ReplyDeleteAlthough anybody has the potential to write, when it comes to writing well, there is practice and patience. Perfecting writing takes time. There can be risks to take, because when it comes to creative writing it does not have to be perfect. A great example would be Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. The written southern accent, though said incorrectly, readers are able to embrace the grammatical errors.
What I believe is that there is no right way to write creatively. Agreeing with Stegner, writing should be whenever a person has an idea and believes that others feel the same way to. There is bound to be someone who thinks the alike or never thought about what is being said. This is where Stegner says to be persuasive to have readers to side on what was on the mind.
Sandra Melaine Villarreal
The text is laid out in several phases for one to understand. As a writer, or as someone who aspires to become one, essentially it is a guide. It serves as a guide, but in the most part the writer has the responsibility to translate, elaborate, deploy the ideas and have those ideas be properly understood by the audience or the reader. Perhaps in the beginning this is essential. MAking sure one is on track and does not deviate, and maintain objective. However, through experience and skill writing it may develop naturally. What one means by this, is this text focuses on different aspects of structuring, and learn to develop the “finess” of the text as well as the words and meaning of the main subject and idea. At the beginning the writer focuses on the encouragement of being fearless in regards to ideas, and taking risks. He encourages to dare and write with all honesty and truth about one really believes. Not to mind about the responses, maintain focus, and aim towards the understanding of such idea. Another part of the reading focusses on the enhancement of natural things. One as a writer has to maintain an alertness, and portrait properly the feelings and aspect of things, the senses. The colors, smells, textures, heights, grossness, scariness, and the possibilities are endless. Maintain a good story alive, by employing these trades, as well as the wording is key to a personal success.
ReplyDeleteIn addition and most importantly, and what I believe to be extremely important is: to be original. I have found this to be the most critical point. And as mentioned before, one should be honest about one's work. I have found this to be very important not only in english writing, but in all other subjects and life. Learn to deviate from all imagination one has ever seen and felt, and employ your own. The learning and developing of one's style, as well as employing skill to make it outstanding. I am not talking about striving for popularity, but for also establishing a style, and refining language. It should become one's goal, together with purpose, meaning, and proper presentation.
Francisco J. Aboytes
After reading Stegner’s “On Creative Writing” I realized it coincided with what I wrote about creative writing on the first day of class. Creative writing doesn’t just express but it can also be opinions, experience, and influential. Creative writing is an outlet to share what the writer is feeling. It doesn’t follow the traditional writing methods, but focuses more on an individual, and has a broader aspect of choices and structure. Like a horse with freedom to roam, rather than being tied down, a creative writer has freedom of expression. I liked the excerpt of Ernest Hemingway on the difficulty to not follow the fence line. He shares how hard it is to find the creative flow and not to jump back to things that have more structure and rules. Like writing a newspaper article. Hemingway mentions, “You told what happened.” With that, it is also hard for a writer to let themselves be free in respects of which bracket they fall under, “the intellectual currents of his time will carry him,” is my favorite quote. Let yourself as a writer discover your niche or what you are meant to write; wither its poetry, playwright, non-fiction, etc. Creative writing can be positive but also needs to have the negatives too, “the hardness the smoothness and splinteriness,” all need to be shared in creative writing. As a young writer this chapter was so encouraging. It is helping me understand creative writer more than I thought I did and is encouraging me as a young writer just starting out. While “some forms will come more naturally to him/her than others.” I shouldn’t be discouraged if the writing technic I crave doesn’t come easily to me. I should keep pressing forward to let it be found. Also, to encourage my fellow writers in their search for creativity.
ReplyDeleteClaria Buddle
From my own perspective, creative writing is everything and anything anyone wishes to express. If there is no courage in communicating to people or not having a way to let it out but can be said with words, I believe that is creative writing. After reading Wallace Stegner’s article about his own definition of creative writing I came to the conclusion that he demonstrated each aspect of being creative with writing very thoroughly. Whether it might offend people or actually be a way to express words for people, creative writing has no wrong doings. I also want to state that I completely agree to his statement. It reads, “Creative writing means imaginative writing, writing as an art.” Everyone has their own mind, their own ideas, and their own thoughts. Many things can be added together to make a short story, or a poem and so forth and that is what makes creative writing. I believe it is everything and anything that is accumulated in your mind and is passionately written into any material and is to be enjoyed by others.
ReplyDeleteMost of this article I came to realize that creative writing is not to be judged, but to be understood as someone who has talent with hard work imputed. It does not matter the rhetorical level someone might be on. Just like how Stegner quoted “Joseph Conrad once stated, ‘To have the gift of words is no such greater matter.” I truly do believe that. The more you feed your brain, the more your brain will input out. To continue more into the article another quote I enjoyed was, “Don’t forget that a great writer is not only a leaver-outer but also a putter-inner,” written by Thomas Wolfe. This is a perfect example that demonstrates a writer who has potential, not only would someone have to be discrete about their material but they would need to be able to put in the work to make a great piece. In conclusion I came to the realization that creative writing has multiple ways to express what goes on in someone’s head and can be interpreted into a fiction, non fiction, play, poem, etc. You can use numerous symbols, rhetorical devices and onwards, it just has to be able to be concrete and be able to communicate with what you wish to express to others.
-Aliza Longoria
“What is creative writing?”
ReplyDeleteCreative writing to me is any thoughts, ideas, experiences, opinions, put into words. Creative writing is a gift, not everyone can do it. Everyone can write, but not everyone can share their ideas clearly. Sometimes people have a hard time putting their own thoughts in paper. Aspiring writers might struggle with making whatever they are writing interesting. In order to become a good writer one must be connected with our senses and I would also say they should be open to experimenting. In the process of becoming a writer one must not be afraid of stepping out of the comfort zone and not be cautious. I would say that I agree with Stegners idea of what creative writing is. At the end of the day, the best writers are the ones who write about things that they are very enthusiast about and they are not scared of stepping into dangerous territories. I think that some of the best writers are also the ones who do not follow rules but follow their gut. I am not saying it is okay to not follow the rules, I mean it is if there weren’t any consequences, but if you as a writer step out of that nut shell you are in, can and will probably write the story of your life. However, I think that a big thing every writer should respect is privacy. There is nothing sweeter in life than being able to have some privacy. I am pretty sure that if someone wrote something about yourself, you would be upset about. I would say that applying the “don’t do what you wouldn’t like for others do to you” to writing. Except I would modify and say “Write anything you want, just keep some details to yourself”. It is not always okay to be an open book, especially if you are the one writing that book. You as a writer and individual might get into professional problems that eventually would affect your personal life. It is safe to say that when writing it is best to follow your gut.
Estefany Gonzalez
Mr. Stegner has the qualities of a inspiring performer and teacher, in the way he presents his observations in the discipline and art that creative writing is. I believe that his intentions are not give a guide to creative writing but more a guide to the birth or confirmation of an idea of the journey in creative writing and what it may or may not be.
ReplyDeleteI like how he strategically began with arguing against any notions his audience may have towards creative writing. He shifts his attention to why creative writing is special, moving and a struggle. The great teachers in my life planted the seed of a goal and were helpful in giving me useful constructive information. For those who aspire to reach the status of creative writer Mr. Stegner gives guidelines to keep them true. The "prayer" in page 14 paragraph 1 describes the ambitions, intent, and range his ideal writer should strive for. Then he follows up with practical advice in the following paragraphs. He covers the problem of words, examples of writers that mastered words and their artful usage in literature. I interpreted these examples as an effective attempt to make the audience curious and wonder about words. Like any effective teacher would do Mr. Stegner warns of common mistakes and pretentious routes many students take. He points out the pirate forms of writing that pose from the wanna be creative writer.
He describes the usage of language with talent in creative writing, but goes beyond that and ties in philosophies or ways that these individuals may or may not know they posses.
After exploring the reaches of language on and in our lives he leaves us with what he believes is a good start for a beginner. Mr. Stegner teaches us that the short story is a transparent form and because of this, we can develop effectiveness in creative writing.
My brain is on fire because I believe I have a more developed idea as to what creative writing is. Creative writing penetrates our psyche constantly challenging our current state of belief, awareness, knowledge etc. It a discipline for us to practice as well as to preach. Creative writing is definitely a fine art.
- Abran Garcia