Notes towards a theory of writing: Community

Community is vital in the writing process, the people of whom you are surrounded with shape
the person that you are. The community around you not only shapes you but it also points you in
the direction of social issues that you would care about and how you are going to write about it.
In Poets in the Kitchen the author recounted how she began writing and who inspired her to write
the way she does and she will tell you that it is the community around her. The murals on the
west side of San Anto shape the community that surrounds it because it shows others the social
issues and important topics in that community. The community on the west side of town is vastly
different from other parts of San Antonio, and the way that they receive messages is different
too, and that is why the murals work so well on that side of town. That type of writing may not
be suitable for another community like the north side of SA. The author of Poets in the Kitchen
spoke a lot about how the community around her weren’t experienced writers but they used
spoken word poetry in order to assure that their voices were heard. They used their
communication tools as therapy to help them work through issues that they were experiencing.
There are other people who do not use writing in the traditional way many use music to
communicate their thoughts and feelings. With me I am able to relate to this because music is an
outlet that me and so many others are able to get something out of. The two women that we
interviewed were the creators of Saint Sucia Zines and they spoke on how they did not see their
voices in places like cosmo magazine and they wanted to get color representation out there for
Hispanic women and their zines started out as an outlet to speak on sex and feminism but they
began receiving an outpouring of stories from other women of color who needed someone to
listen and tell their narratives. Saint Sucia evolved from a fun piece of writing to an organization
that speaks on real issues in today’s society with women of color. They talked about how they
would leave their zines everywhere for people to find and read and since they were in this
medium they were easier for the community around them to read and relate to in a way that was
different than a traditional news article or essay on the same piece. I know with myself I am
more likely to look at something and pay attention to what it is telling me if there is art scattered
all around it. Art has always been a big piece of my life, especially with my Mexican
backgrounds with all the bright colors and artists. I know that I am not the only one who is able
to look and receive stories scattered with pictures better than an essay. For the essay it is likely
that I won’t read the whole thing or I will be missing some pieces, Zines are short but they pack
a punch. Traditional writing isn’t the only way to reach people, and in communities where
writing is not centralized in their culture writing is best explored in other mediums.

Amanda Ochoa

ENGL 3300

Dr. Bridgeman

11 August 2018

Theory of Writing

The complexities of writing encompass various aspects that most readers are not familiar
with. When picking up a book at Barnes & Noble, some readers come with the impression that
writers are gifted because they are able to think up these fantastic narratives with little to no
effort. It is easy to go without considering the hard work and various challenges that writers had
to go through for others to hear their story. Although the relationship between writing and
process is complicated, it is crucial to understand these facets so that others will have a platform
to voice their narratives. Writing is used as a form of expression, and without it there are tons of
demographics whose thoughts and opinions will be unheard. Writing has various purposes and it
is impossible in today’s age to go a day without writing in some way. It is an essential part of our
everyday life that only grows in the digital age. Especially with social media elevating voices
higher and providing them with a bigger audience to make waves in society.

Traditionally, there are many people who believe that you need to write in a formal academic
way to be successful, and they view work that is different as dirty writing, and these assumptions
just are not true. Writings in other languages, dialects, and mediums are essential in creating a
connection with your readers. Readers crave to see writers who look and talk like them because
in a strict academic field people, especially minorities, find it harder to relate to writers who have
not shared their lived experiences. When others see a successful writer that they share something
in common with, it gives them more confidence to share their stories in new and imaginative
ways. From the processes of getting started in your writing, to languages, locations, and
communities, there are endless aspects that are taken into consideration when thinking about how
you begin your writing career.

Writing is a liberating experience but it can be hard to others to see it that way because
writers are perceived as crazy people who seclude themselves from the world typing all day and
night in a big brown empty office. All writers are different just like their writing, and there are so
many poets who have found unexpected ways to tell stories, like with the painted murals along
the west side of San Antonio and the California/Mexican border, or the zines that artists create to
speak to their community on touchy issues. When we study writing, and look to different
techniques we can find these mediums that we speak the loudest in. Writing is a fundamental
element of communication and there is no right or wrong way to speak your mind and that is
why writing is such an important piece of our everyday lives.

The Process of Writing

Writing can be a difficult process and beginning is the most nerve wracking part because
of our own high expectations, and that is perfectly normal. Writing “is about some of our deepest
needs: our need to be visible, to be heard, our need to make sense of our lives, to wake up and
grow and belong” (Lamott 19). The perception of an author is that they are born a good writer,
but in reality, writing is a lot of hard work. Just think of your favorite NBA basketball player, he
works daily on the courts preparing for game day becoming better and better with practice, and
writing is no different. Writing anything can be daunting, but a way to avoid writer’s anxiety is
tackling each assignment in small pieces of writing. Anne Lamott states that when she practices
this method “it reminds [her] that all [she] ha[s] to do is to write down as much as [she] can see
through a one-inch picture frame” (17). When you are writing in these small snippets it takes the
stress off of the bigger picture, and you will have pieces that you are able to expand upon, add in,
or save for later. It is important that with these small assignments that expectations are not set too
high because it is highly likely that your first draft will not be novel ready, revisions are to
follow and your piece will sound better every time you revisit it.

The hardest part of writing is freeing your mind so that you are able to begin, and once
that part is down you will be able to nurture these growing ideas. Writing liberates us in a way
that is different from traditional depictions of freedom, and it provides us with the independence
to tell our stories and make a difference in others’ lives. Perhaps this liberty is what keeps many
people away from becoming writers, since a young age we have been taught to stay silent, so
when it is time for us to speak up many do not. “Sadly…passion for thinking often ends when
[we] encounter a world that seeks to educate them for conformity and obedience only. Most
[people] are taught early on that thinking is dangerous” (Hooks 8). Writing brings back this
importance of critical thinking, liberating people from the notion that they must be hushed and
that they are not able to form their own ideas. In writing, the author is able to ask the question
why as much as they want and unlike in early childhood we do not have to rely on someone else
to tell us what the answer is, we can find it for ourselves. Not allowing our childhood past of
society oppressing creative and critical thinking affect our ability to express our experiences and
emotions is so important in order to start and continue writing.

The Languages of Writing

In my academic career, the only language of writing that was acceptable was formal
academic writing, and the use of slang or languages other than English was barred from school
settings. Writing in a way that’s different than what is in most textbooks is seen as less
intelligent, and adults lead students to believe that this way of writing is incorrect. Writing in the
way that you speak is frowned upon, but what people do not understand is that implementing
various forms of language in your writing is essential. Diverse language representation is just as
important as English academic writing, and to a lot of people it is even more so. “One of the
most important yet most devalued resources available to youth of color is their language…
[although they are] frequently disparaged by adults… [but they] are in fact innovative, flexible,
and sophisticated language users, and that language is central to young people’s creation of their
identities” (Bucholtz M., Casillas D., Lee J. 44). Representation of various languages in writing
is perhaps one of the most important and when diverse languages are implemented into your
writing you are able to reach a larger audience. This is seen in an interview done with the La
Prensa Journalists who believe that language representation is so important in the community
that they work tirelessly for a bilingual newspaper that spreads positive news to their readers.
They believe that the most difficult part of their paper is finding a language that is
understandable to the varied dialects of Spanish spoken, they need their paper to be understood
by these different language speakers in order to put people who are often forgotten in the news
world, first. For people who are learning a new language and are attempting to speak, read, and
write in that new dialect they are often seen as less intelligent by native speakers. Amy Tan
realizes this with her mother who spoke broken English, “I have always described it [her
language] to people as ‘broken’ or ‘fractured’ English. But I wince when I say that. It has always
bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than ‘broken,’ as if it were damaged…
I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is, because she
expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect” (2). People who speak differently than
others do have valid thoughts and opinions, their voices matter. It is important that we hear these
voices in writing because they are a demographic that are often unheard. Knowing more than one
language including slang is an advantage so it is important that we implement our own voices in
our writings versus always writing in formal academic settings.

The Purpose of Writing

The purpose of writing is to serve as a creative outlet, to educate people on a certain topic, job
related, etc. To find the purpose of your writing you need to take who is reading your article into
consideration. If you know who your audience is it is much easier to center your writing around
their expectations. When you are thinking of your audience you need to take into respect the list
of people who are going to read your writing such as the actual, intended or invoked audience
that your writings circulate to. When you are considering who your audience is, and what they
want to read you are able to tailor what you are writing to what they need to see. Like if it is
related to a workplace assignment, your audience is more specific and you need to be able to
anticipate what information is necessary to include. If it is a personal journal entry you may be
freer with your words, and so on. In professional settings for example, Law enforcement’s
reports have varying purposes that are not always made clear to them. They have such diverse
audiences that it is very hard for them to pinpoint exactly what each person is looking for in their
reports. “The genre is created by officers but used by many. It is intended to serve the
community’s interests by protecting citizens through the prosecution of lawbreakers (Seawright
20).” The responsibility of an officer when creating these reports is to ensure that their document
is written clearly, has enough supporting evidence and it clearly recounts what had happened
during an incident. When you are writing for an employer the expectations are different than if
you were writing them for yourself. Writing, however, is not always for professional or academic
purposes, many writers use this as an outlet or as “therapy sessions” for their “wounded spirit to
begin to heal (Hooks 51).” When some write they are able to lay out what is going on in their life
and form their own course of action or coping strategies. These are just a few of the varying
purposes that we see in writing.

The Locations of Writing

Location is where the writing happens, it is also where the writer is from, and where the reader is
from who will interpret the work. Your writing can look vastly different if you were from
another country because your culture and lived experiences would have made you a completely
different person. In some countries writing is not practiced by many because of their education
systems and if you knew how to write it defines your “economic, political and religious
relationships” writing makes you more powerful in these spaces because it was so rare for
someone to know how to write (Pandey 2).

In an ordinary sense, the spaces that we write in could be controlled or boxed in and these areas
affect the work that we put out. When we are in a place getting ready to write, there are a few
things that we do in order to write comfortably. We personalize the space so that are can nurture
the creative process, then we get out our headphones or writing tools so that we are able to focus
completely on our work. “It is not only places and their built-in constraints that determine
certain practices, which then become habitual or taken for granted, but also the adjustments and
compromises, the shifts and turns in the process of accommodating to a place (Smith, Katz
14).” Just like Smith and Katz suggest, in some cases there are locations that aren’t as ideal as
your office or bedroom, there could be a loud and distracting place that you must write in and
you will need to adjust your writing to fit that space. These locations can push boundaries and
change the genre or storyline of what we are writing and that change can be either small or
drastic. Location determines what, when, and how you write that makes this aspect of the writing
process an important one to consider.

The Community of Writing

One of the most important aspects in writing is the community you are involved in and
seeking to educate. In the San Antonio barrio, there are tons of ways to spread awareness on
social issues or tell stories that don’t necessarily involve writing. A lot of what I remember
growing up was word of mouth stories, my family would be outside drinking and sharing their
life experiences, scary stories, political issues… all things that were relevant in the community.
My family were not writers in the traditional sense, but they all spoke like writers do, “perhaps
the proper measure of a writer’s talent is skill in rendering everyday speech when it is
appropriate to the story- as well as the ability to tap, to exploit, the beauty, poetry and wisdom
that it contains” (Marshall 1). Marshall had a similar experience with her family, and they have
shaped the writer that she is today, just like my family and community have shaped and continue
to shape the writer I am now. Word of mouth writing is not the only way to get a message across
in communities, the murals on the west side of San Antonio shows how a community can get
involved in telling the same story to create a change in their streets. These “painted political
messages that played a key role in reinventing” the communities that surround it, and they do
that with the artwork that shows them a way out of the system or hope of a better future (Reed
107). This writing although not traditional pen and paper writing, still tells an important story to
a group of people whose lived experience allows them to relate to this unwritten narrative.

Week 5: Zine

I was unable to upload photos of my Zine to Digication so I emailed them to you as attachments.
Sorry for the technical difficulties.

Thank you.

Amanda Ochoa

ENGL 3300

Dr. Bridgeman
28 July 2018

Week 3: Purpose of Writing

The purpose of writing is to serve as a creative outlet, to educate people on a certain

topic, job related, etc. To find the purpose of your writing you need to take who is reading your
article into consideration. If you know who your audience is it is much easier to center your
writing around their expectations. When you are thinking of your audience you need to take into
consideration the list of people who are going to read your writing such as the actual, intended or
invoked audience that your writings circulate to. When you are considering who your audience
is, and what they want to read you are able to tailor your essay towards what they need to see.
Like if it is related to a workplace assignment, your audience is more specific and you need to be
able to anticipate what information is necessary to include.

In the article that spoke on Police Reports as a Genre of writing, in the police force
literacy is not a skill that is trained on, so when it comes time for police to write their reports,
they struggle. There are various audiences that their police reports may circulate to, and with no
exact model to go off of, police often times hit the mark with their reports. Their reports circulate
and take on different contexts and meanings when considering who is reading it. Another
instance where I can see this importance that is put on audience and who is going to see my work
is in my own place of work as a fraud trained banker. I am to write a detailed report of the
particular fraud situation and my report will get passed down to different people who have a
different purpose. With my report if I omit information or include information that does not
matter, this could cause the investigation to go in a way that could inconvenience the customer,
thus creating a negative perception of our company. When writing is done in a workplace setting,
the audience is vastly different and they have a different level of expectations for what they will
be reading.

When you are not thinking of who you are writing for then this could create issues later
on if your piece circulates to other readers. Celeste Brown, a communications major from UTSA,
now works for a councilman who allows her the freedom to write what she wants for him
because they share the same visions. When asked about her purpose in writing for the
councilman she answered with “to promote a collaborative spirit” and transparency. When she
sits down to write a statement for the councilman she thinks of her audience first and anticipates
their responses and forms her writing based on that audience. What helps her when she is writing
a statement is to write the general statement and then to think of her audience and adjust it based
on who the councilman is speaking to. She also gave great advice on what to do when you don’t
have firsthand experience with your audience, and she takes people from that community and
elevates their voice and experiences. She also does a lot of listening and research of this
community before she writes to them.

After reading through all the articles and listening to the interview with Celeste Brown I
was able to see a clear distinction between writing and purpose in my own life. When I am
writing for work the purpose and audience are very different than it would normally be if I were
writing in my journal or writing for my blog. Also, circulation isn’t something that I have given
much thought to, if someone would read one of my writings, depending on what they are looking
for they could take my message in a completely different direction. When writing anything it is
important to determine your initial audience and to form your article based on what their
expectations are.

Amanda Ochoa

ENGL 3300

Dr. Bridgeman

4 August 2018

Week 4 Notes: Location of Writing

Location in writing is an aspect that is usually neglected in the writing process. Location
is a characteristic that isn’t thought too much on because writers act on this aspect of their work
without even noticing it. Location is where the writing happens, and in class we discussed how
the various locations that we write in change how we write and what we write. Many students are
able to multitask and easily adapt their writing to various situations, but when asked about the
work they create in these out-of-the-ordinary writing settings many responded with: shorter
writing assignments, frequent breaks, or condensed versions of their writings.

In the first article, we discussed we were asked to reflect on spaces and how they are
“lived, perceived, and conceived” (Reynolds). Spaces are what we see them to be, they could be
controlled or boxed in to create a definite location or they are boundless. Once we got the
scientific concepts down of what the idea of space and locations are we began to explore ways in
which that space affects the work we put out. When we are in a space getting ready to write,
there are a few things that we do in order to write comfortably. We personalize the space so that
we are able to feel relaxed which aids in the creative process, then we get out our headphones or
writing tools so that we are able to focus completely on our work. However, in some cases there
are locations that aren’t as ideal as a coffee shop, there could be a loud and distracting park or
your place of work (writing in between tasks). These locations can push boundaries and change
the genre or storyline of what we are writing and that change can be a small or drastic. Location
is something that all writers need to be mindful of.

A person’s geographical location can also change the genre of writing they do, my
location is primarily filled with other Latino people, even if they are not Chicano they know and
practice the culture. I am from San Antonio, TX a very culture centered city and I grew up on the
west side of town where the Hispanic/Latino/Chicano presence was heavily concentrated. In my
writings, I see a lot of my Latin background, I write about discrimination and everyday problems
that we face. I also write a lot about our culture, the characters in my stories all seem to have the
same background as me because I don’t have much experience with cultures that are different
from my own. Had I been born on a different side of town, another race, or culture, my genre of
writing would be vastly different.
 Growing up on the west side of town I was familiar with the murals, but it was great to
see the background of what these murals truly represent. In The Art of Protest Reed spoke on the
struggles that the Latin community had to face since the birth of the United States. The way that
Chicanos could share their voice was through education and art, and in these artworks, started by
“los tres grandes” people were able to tackle political subjects. “these images became an
aesthetic base for the articulation of complex, painted political messages…” are what established
the Chicano identity that we see all over the walls of the west side (Reed 107). This mural tour
relates to what we have learned in class because it focuses on locations. Throughout the tour
each mural had a story to tell and it had a specific community that it was speaking to. The murals
meaning would be changed had it been put elsewhere. Even though the mural is not physical
words on paper, it is still telling a story, still has a genre and audience, it is just presented in a
different way, a way that is more meaningful to its audience.

Amanda Ochoa

ENGL 3300

Dr Bridgeman

21 July 2018

Week Two: Notes on Languages of Writing

1.What have you taken away from our readings and class discussions about the relationship

between writing and language this week?

There are a lot of issues in the writing that I never took the time to notice, like how
writing is usually only acceptable in one form, and any other form is considered less intelligent
by a lot of people. In the literature that I read in and outside of school, I do not see many
languages or slang being used, especially not in academic articles. If you were to include slang or
bilingual aspects in your articles or literature, your work may not be taken seriously by some
because it is different, unprofessional. Using your native tongue alongside English is usually
frowned upon by people from different clubs. In the articles that we read in class, they all spoke
on this topic in very different ways, but they all agreed in one, that language and culture are
essential in writing. What I found interesting is that language can reach an audience that is
usually neglected. Even slang can be used to a writer’s advantage, it catches the reader’s
attention and allows them to relate to your work and hear your message. This language can be
used to help students learn in new ways, and can help an ESL student to thrive in the learning
environment when they are allowed to use their language. Language is also used to help young
people find their identities. When students embrace their culture instead of pushing it away, and
implement that into their writing they will have a wider audience. Also, a struggle that was
mentioned in our discussion was the preservation of culture in a society that seeks to erase it. We
talked about balancing the two and how some authors will write using both languages in order to
preserve her voice.
2. How do you see the relationship between writing and language unfolding in your own practice
as a writer?

In my own writing, I would strive to write in a way that was academically correct. I
would try to make sure that commas are in the right place and the words I wrote were decorative
“smart” sounding words. I would try to mimic what I read in academic articles because if I
hadn’t my writing would seem that I did not know what I was talking about or that I was
illiterate. I don’t know another language, but I did grow up in a Latino household, my
grandparents were bilingual and my parents were bilingual. The only Spanish that I know are
slang words or obscenities, and I have never implemented those into my writing, unless through
text or social media. When scrolling through Twitter and I see that someone else talks the same
way I do I will usually follow them because we usually come from the same background and we
go through a lot of the same things. Having a strong Latino household, you find that there are a
lot of people who have experienced the same things you have, like the dreaded “chancla” for
example.

How would you describe the languages that you use in your writing?

The language that I use in my writing for academic purposes is very formal and I do not use my
Latin slang. The only writing that I mix random words of Spanish and English together is always
through text or social media, in places that I feel comfortable.

3. How are the experiences with and perspectives on the relationship between writing and
language described by Roxanne Eguia and Melissa Bryant similar to and different from your
own?

Roxanne and Melissa work for a paper that is bilingual, and they do this because they want to
reach the audience in San Antonio, many of us in the community speak Spanish because there is
a very strong Hispanic/Latino presence in this city. They want to keep pieces of old culture with
the newspaper while implementing new culture so that their paper can be for everyone. They
both think that language is an asset, and it is something that makes you valuable in the
workforce. They agree that you must use that language in order to preserve it. I do believe this
too, if you do not use Spanish you’ll eventually forget it. Also, many positions that I am looking
at now require you to be bilingual, and it is frustrating for me because I wish I had valued that
piece of my life when I was younger to learn Spanish. When I was younger I was taught in
school that people who spoke or acted like they were Mexican were less intelligent and so I
shrugged all of those pieces of me away. It is only now that I see that those people who were
telling me that my culture was invaluable were ignorant and my culture matters too.

4Reflecting on the readings and class discussions, your own experiences, and the discussion with
Ms Eguia and Ms Bryant, what are your takeaways about the relationship between writing and
language?

Writing and language are important and Roxanne and Melissa both agree that when you use
language it can be used to uplift people and allow them to connect with others, but you have to
be very careful because it can also offend based on what culture you are talking to. It is valuable
to learn the different cultures in order to understand Spanish, and the language that is spoken
here in San Antonio is oftentimes different from what you hear anywhere else. So in order to
relate to a San Antonio citizen, you would write in a way that is similar to how we speak.

Amanda Ochoa

ENGL 3300

Dr. Bridgeman

21 July 2018

Interview with La Prensa Journalists Reflection

On Thursday, July 19 of 2018, my group and I interviewed Melissa and Roxanne from La
Prensa Texas newspaper and we received a lot of insightful information. I had never interviewed
someone before so I was apprehensive about people looking at me and asking strangers
questions. I was nervous that the questions I was asking wouldn’t make sense or would sound
unprofessional, and as the interview went on I was nervous that any follow up questions I asked
would offend them in some way. At first, I was not afraid of offending them, but throughout the
interview, I noticed when asked certain questions they responded slower than the other questions
we asked and I wanted to make sure that our interview was engaging and I wanted them to learn
off of us the way that we were learning from them. I was confident in the questions that we had
written down, they were all good questions that were open enough for them to elaborate on.

In preparing for the interview it was essential that we knew about Melissa and Roxanne
so that way we could get a sense of what questions they may best respond to. Not only was it
important to know their background, but it was also essential to understand the text that we were
reading about throughout the week. I wanted to make sure without interview that we were
addressing questions that were not only relevant to the text but also questions that my classmates
would benefit from hearing. When drafting questions for our interview we all created about 3
open-ended questions and from those questions, we chose the ones that were the most relevant to
the topic and to the women we were interviewing. Samantha and I were asking the questions and
we had Zena and Priscilla taking notes of the interview so that way our audience had our full
attention. I think that was helpful because our interview went very smooth.

When interviewing Melissa and Roxanne, I wanted them to give us their experience with
language and culture and its importance. They do have a lot of experience on this topic because
their whole paper is filled with language appreciation and Spanish culture. Their paper embraces
the community and they have valuable things to say about that involvement. I wanted my
classmates to see examples of people who combine language, culture, and writing on a daily
basis and they excel at it. When they combine language and writing in this way they are relating
to, and reaching an audience that is usually not a priority to writers in their similar line of
business. In order for the audience to understand exactly what we wanted them to take away
from our interview, we asked questions that would provoke our classmates into asking our
follow up questions and we asked our follow up questions that would emphasize this goal. I feel
that Samantha and I were able to do a good job of asking the questions, but I also wished I had
taken my own notes too. Often times the way that I write notes is different from others, but it
helps me understand and remember what is being said if I write things down. So, if we were to
do the interview over again I would have written notes, too.

In preparing for the interview it was important that we get a feel for our interviewee’s
background to ask the right questions for the best responses. But also, to have enough questions
to ask if we found the interview took a different turn, and if we see that our classmates are very
interested in a certain topic we should listen to what they are saying and adjust the interview
accordingly so that we all get the best information from this interview as possible. We also
wanted to make sure that we wrote down enough information on our presentation to be able to
pull from those resources to explain the questions we were asking and the importance behind
them. Also in listening during the interview, we would get verbal queues on what topics
Roxanne and Melissa enjoyed talking about, or were passionate about, and what topics they were
not so familiar with. Those topics that they were not familiar with we would try to clarify the
question by providing more background information and ask the question in a different way or
we would switch the question altogether. Also listening to what my other classmates were
interested in hearing more about from our interviewees were important and we steered the
questions in that direction.

My first choices were Melissa and Roxanne because I was interested in hearing what they
had to say about topics, however, the interview that I got the most out of was the discussion with
Dr Finley. Dr Finley had some really great things to say, he spoke clearly in a way that I could
relate to and he gave a lot of awesome advice for students who are looking to write. The topics
were interesting during that first week because it was more of a best practice and how someone
could get started in writing or develop their writing further. The topics during the week that we
interviewed Melissa and Roxanne we were talking about language and writing and how it is
important to find your voice by learning and writing in a way that is comfortable to you. With
San Antonio being such a huge multilingual city, there are a lot of people speaking Spanish or
other languages who feel that they should hold back on their language to cater to a white man’s
society. But the message of these articles that we read were all highlighting the same ideas, that
your voice matters too, and speaking another language is not something that should be looked
down on. Knowing another language is a huge asset and it allows you to reach so many more
people. This is what Melissa and Roxanne are doing with La Prensa Texas, they are using their
bilingual staff as assets to get the community involved.

Amanda Ochoa

ENGL 3300

Dr Bridgman

07/14/2018
Notes Toward a Theory of Writing: Week One

1. What have you taken away from our readings and class discussions about the relationship
between writing and process this week?

The relationship between writing and the process is complex. Literacy liberates us in a way that
is different from traditional depictions of freedom. Writing can provide people with an
independence to voice their narrative, for their story to be heard. The first article, “The Desire for
Literacy,” spoke on people who were non-literate and their journey of learning to read and write
and how that journey has freed them. My favorite articles are “Writing Down the Bones” and
“Bird by Bird” because they give really awesome tips on how to start writing and how to develop
your writing into a finished product. I feel that these articles were so easy to relate to because
they are exactly what I go through when I attempt to write my own narrative. I often times will
start with an idea and write a short story usually expecting that that first draft will be great, but
when it turns out to be shitty I will leave it and never return back, it’s a very discouraging
process. Through these articles, I see that even people who write for a living are going through
the same emotions that I do, and I really appreciate reading the advice to get over it. What really
stuck with me was the excerpt in Shitty First Drafts that talked about quieting the voices in your
head. I know that I usually experience voices in my head very similar to what she wrote about
and the analogy about envisioning those voices as mice and putting them in a jar and closing it to
get started on the writing is helpful. Writing and the process of writing have different
expectations, for writing that is usually the finished product, but for the process, it is all of the
struggles and practicing that lead to the finished product. The process of writing allows us to
appreciate the finished product so much more because hard work was put into it. Often times we
do not think of the writing process when reading novels or academic work, we usually think that
they just woke up one day and shit out an entire book or essay, not all the research and time that
went into it.

1. How do you see the relationship between writing and process unfolding in your own
practice as a writer? What is your writing process? How did you develop this process?
How does writing process vary across writing tasks?

The relationship between writing and process is evident in my own writing, I have to write about
things that are sometimes not interesting to me, and I am not concerned with the process much,
just getting my assignment out and submitting it. There are, however, many assignments that I
have felt very passionate about and those assignments have sparked my interest in pursuing
writing more than just for academic purposes. The process was a little bit discouraging at first
with these assignments that I cared for because I wanted the finished product to be perfect. I did
hours of research each day trying to get a new perspective on the material I was writing about to
contribute to my thesis. I split the work up because of the way my professor set things to be due,
he first had me write a very unprofessional first draft usually just about a paragraph or two
mapping out what I was going to write about. Usually, that reflection was just written in one
sitting and it was usually pretty bad, even after I fixed obvious grammar issues. After the first
draft, we had to write two other drafts each one a bit more words than the next. I did not realize
at the time that my professor was setting me up to practice the process of writing that these
authors speak about. I take those practices with me on other academic assignments. This process
is typically only used for academic purposes because I have not developed my creative writing. I
have been looking for ways to start creative writing because I believe that it will be beneficial to
me, but so far, the only thing I have done is buy a journal. This is my first small step towards
developing my writing in the future.

1. How are the experiences with and perspectives on the relationship between writing and
process described by Dr Finley similar to and different from your own?

There were a lot of examples that Dr Finley gave on his writing process that was really helpful.
He mentioned that he develops his true thoughts and feelings about a topic by writing about it
first. I usually feel like that’s true, in one assignment I couldn’t get any inspiration for an
analytical essay after reading Hamlet and it wasn’t until I wrote a full essay on something
random that I picked, did I develop my actual thoughts on the play and if I had more time I
would have rewrote my essay. I remember that he mentioned a lot about failing as a writer, and I
think that is really encouraging that as a writer I will fail, but the important part is saving that
work and coming back to it and trying to rewrite or use those ideas for another story that really
impacted me and it is something that I never even thought to do.

1. Reflecting on the readings and class discussions, your own experiences, and the
discussion with Dr Finley, what are your takeaways about the relationship between
writing and process?

The writing process is very similar to exercise, because in order to become “fit” or to become
more proficient at a sport or certain exercise you have to practice each day. The only writing that
I consistently practice each day is text messaging, but if I want to become a better writer I will
have to sit down and devote more time towards becoming more skilled. Dr Finley mentioned in
his interview that he carries a journal with him everywhere he goes, he has a creative journal and
an academic journal for his lessons. He is constantly writing each day and using activities to
exercise his writing muscles and with each day that he does that he becomes better. My takeaway
is that in order to become better at something you need to practice. You need to set time aside
each day to devote towards your hobby in order to expand your writings.