In Passell’s Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules for Writers, his emphasis simplicity and authenticity in the craft of writing. He wants writers to avoid overusing adverbs, and to embrace active reading and writing skills. His approach to writing is not only vocabulary but it is also about clarity and unrelenting commitment to your work. King’s suggestion to write “with the door closed” because it is a value of silencing extra distractions to focus on your writing. As for Gillespie’s Becoming Your Own Expert: Teachers as Writers highlights transformative wisdom of writing in the form of teaching. Gillespie argues that most teachers who write become better at understanding and supporting their students’ process in writing. He suggested that teachers should practice more on building confidence and refine their writing skills to improve their ability to guide students.
As a writer in college, King’s advice is more about persistence and honesty. This reminds me to focus more on the heart of my message than embellishing it. Gillespie’s perspective made me view writing as an iterative process, where it is more on learning. Example of this would be helping another student with their writing, I can gain some insight into my own writing and blind spots.
This aligns with Gillespie beliefs that teachers and writers can grow over time together. I see writing as a connection, communication with my audience and to also refine my craft. Both remind me that the act of writing can be storytelling or teaching that requires practice and passion. And the importance of immersing yourself in the act of writing.
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