In the essay “Looking for Trouble: Finding Your Way into a Writing Assignment” by Catherine Savini, Savini navigates the answer to the one thing that many students struggle with: completing a writing assignment. At times, the mind goes blank, wanders off anywhere but the assignment, or simply the fact that one is just stuck on how to approach an assignment. For starters, Savini suggests that one must seek difficulty, to find a problem within the assignment. Reading this at first I was confused because I thought to myself, “Why would anyone want to find a problem? Isn’t the main problem not knowing what to say, what to write?” The more I read, the more I was able to see how it can be applied to real life situations, such as the example mentioned about a car being broken down and the solutions that come with the goal of the problem: to fix the car. Once I read this it was easier to understand that finding a problem in the assignment helps guide one to having ideas to write about, the solution. Another thing that really piqued my interest in reading this essay was when Savini posed the question: “What should we have for dinner?” A question that seems so easy to answer, yet it is very difficult because many people want different things. From this question, Savini dug even further into the topic and brought to light that many people are not even allowed to ask this question because they do not know when or what their next meal will be. Based on the essay, I learned that in order to find a solution to the problem (not knowing what to write about), you must find a problem within it.
In the chapter “You Can Learn to Write in General” by Elizabeth Wardle, Wardle discusses how complex writing actually is. While many people seem to think that writing is a piece of cake, simple and easy, it actually is the opposite. Typically, writing is done for a reason, a purpose. This can be for an assignment such as an essay or a creative writing piece, it could be for professional writing for a novel, poetry, and even more. Wardle suggests that writing “just because” is not possible. In my opinion, I agree and disagree with Wardle. The reason why I say this is because I feel as though writing is a strength that some have, so naturally I feel as though writing comes easier to others than some, hence suggesting that it can be done. On the other hand, I agree that it cannot be done because we are all humans and there are moments of writing blocks, where the mind wanders, and how “failure” is inevitable, but beneficial to all. The word “failing” scares most, even me, but I feel as though when one fails, it’s important to get back up and try again. Of course, there may be moments where one has a rage moment with a good scream and a good cry to let out any frustrating moment with said failure. In the end, after getting back into the spirit of wanting to do better and re-writing the “failure” piece, it will become successful. All the hard work will pay off in a later time, which is what Wardle also suggested in the end of the chapter: it is okay to fail, it is okay to now know, but that one can learn to write in general.
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