Reading and Writing is Liberating

Summary

In Lauren Passell’s article “Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules For Writers, as the title indicates, it is a list of twenty rules that Stephen King abides by when he writes. Other aspiring writers should attempt to utilize the majority of these points. Now, of course, I will not bore you, listing each point verbatim. However, we should highlight the points I agree with most and the ones I disapprove of. I think from all the blog posts composed in this class, we can concur that writing is difficult. This, to us, our particular discourse, is no surprise, but those unfamiliar with the intricacies of writing may feel that it is easy (it is not). Nonetheless, with the complexity of generating ideas to put pens to paper or fingers to keyboard, the rules we must abide by in writing can affect how we write, either positively or negatively.

Agreeable Points

Furthermore, I should note I am not sure if the list is in chronological order, but mine will be. I think a few points I agree with in the piece and that I follow were the following: Take a break, Eliminate distractions, You become a writer simply by reading and writing, and Writing is about getting happy. Before enrolling in this class, I always integrated break intervals when I was writing. After this course is over, I will still do the same. I think it is important to be able to write and pause for a few minutes, hours, or days, as it prevents me from burning and stressing out. “Eliminate distractions” sounds like Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator. I prefer to call it finding a peaceful and suitable environment. Find one where you can function and put forth your best effort. I know I like to write in the quiet study room because there is no distraction, and it is the environment I am comfortable in when I am writing. The next point about individuals becoming writers by only reading and writing was spot on. I am an immigrant writer, so my reading and writing skills were never up to par with my classmates. My standardized test scores were always below average. My English was choppy, so it was expected. However, it was not until I picked up a book in the ninth grade, which was years too late, that I started to see improvements in my writing. So, I have been consistently reading since then, and I have been learning as I go. This is not to say that I haven’t had great teachers alongside me to aid my progression, but books gave me a solid foundation.

Audience is Vital

From the list, I think many of the points overlap, so there were not many too disagreeable options. But I do not like: Writing for yourself and then worrying about the audience, dont worry about making other’s happy, and sticking to your own style. The audience is key. There is no goal of a writing piece without the audience. Sure, you will be able to write, but what is the purpose of your message, and to whom is it meant for? I need to know or set an audience before I write. If I do not know my audience, it will be an awful writing piece. His second point I disagree with– similarly overlaps with the audience’s point- I like to believe when I am writing, I can make myself and the people (audience) happy. If there is no shared happiness between both, then the piece is probably not good. Also, when I say the audience is happy, I do not mean that they cannot disagree with your writing. For example, in this class, I have read articles that were specifically set for me, a college undergraduate, and it made me happy because I enjoy the authors’ writing and their message. After all, it gave me new insight. However, I still could have the ability to rebuttal, so happiness from the audience could even be some controversy. If happiness here means the audience cannot appreciate good work, even if they disagree, then maybe I misinterpreted this point. This article makes me happy– They are things I enjoyed and things I did not, which I am debating, within valid explanations.

Stealing From Authors

I am not sure if I am overthinking that writers should stick to their style, but I feel it contradicts the claim that reading and writing are key to becoming a writer– This, of course, does not apply to everyone, but if you are reading often and then writing, are you not picking up the styles of the authors you read from? If not, I am surprised. I do so. I get a thrill from implementing new styles of writing. The different diction, awkward syntax, and many possible other styles are my favorite things about new books. I enjoy reading philosophical books. When I am reading, I try to see how the author writes. Are they often sarcastic and snotty? *hence, perhaps my use of sarcasm.* Is their phrasing odd and awkward on purpose? When it is my time to write a paper, in the back of my mind, these philosophical forms of writing styles are trying to escape, and sometimes they do. So, I think reading influences my style of writing significantly. Therefore, am I able to say I have a style if I utilize the styles of multiple authors? Do any of us have one style of writing to stick with if we read and learn new rhetorical analysis? I am not sure, but that is my attempt at being philosophical.

Take Control of Opportunities

Moreover, in Doris Lessing’s “On not winning the Nobel Prize,” she highlights the privilege individuals have to be able to read. Lessing summarizes her experience when she went to speak at school in North-west Zimbabwe and how the children and teachers implored her to send them books when she returned to London. They were eager to learn, but they did not have the resources, or more accurately, it was limited and expensive. Comparatively, when Lessing returns to London and visits a privileged school, the students are not as eager and do not realize how much of an opportunity it is to have access to a library and read whatever and whenever. Lessing states, “You know how it is,” one of the teachers says. “A lot of the boys have never read at all, and the library is only half used.” It can be disheartening to think about, but reading can be privileged. I am certain the students and teachers of the school in Zimbabwe would be grateful for this availability of books.

Third World Countries

Before reading this article, this thought never crossed my mind. Of course, I knew about how third-world countries could not have the resources of first-world countries, whether economically, politically, or educationally, but it did not strike me until this. In America, we have private, public, and even digital libraries to access books. I feel that I sometimes do not take advantage of these things, while kids from back home in my country would value this. “Reading maketh a full man.” To read is to be educated and knowledgeable, but to have the ability and access to read and not read is to be clueless about your opportunity and privilege.