Bailey Sims

Professor Furuness
Reflection on the Semester

Throughout the semester I learned how to develop a writing process that worked for me
and guided me through my creative process. Coming into this creative writing class, I was
unaware of the creative transformation that would occur within my life. Not only was I provided
with a creative outlet to explore new ideas and develop new worlds and characters, but I was able
to open myself up and allow myself to be more creative in other aspects in my life. At the
beginning of the semester, I was unsure of myself. I didn’t know if I have what it takes to be a
writer or a storyteller. The last time I remember writing a fictional story was back in grade
school. Throughout high school and college, my writing focused on factual essays and research
papers. Sure, there is a certain level of creative freedom with these papers, but nowhere near the
level of creative freedom I experienced through this class. This class helped me to reignite my
creative spark. After taking this class, I view the world with a new lens and have a greater
respect for storytellers and writers.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this class is being able to see how my writing has
evolved. At the beginning of the semester, we wrote a diagnostic story to see where we were at
as a writer. This first assignment was a struggle for me. I could not settle on one idea and kept
second guessing myself and what I was writing. In the end, I wrote a story that I was somewhat
proud of. However, when I turned it in, I felt embarrassed about the story I created. However, as
I learned more about myself as a writer and the processes that worked best for me, I became
more confident in my writing and the stories I was creating. This can be seen through my
midterm story. My midterm story was an ambitious fairytale retelling of the story of Rapunzel.
The story was longer and more complex compared to my first story. In my midterm story I was
able to introduce and create a complex problem that affected each character differently. I was
able to develop characters and give them a more complex personality and life story. I learned
how to set up a story and move it along at a reasonable pace. Overall, I became more confident
in my writing, and I became more excited to tell the story of the characters I had created.
Comparing my midterm story to my final story, I am surprised to see that even after
developing a writing style and process, I still continued to develop as a writer and storyteller.
Since my final story was a revision of my midterm story, it was a bit easier to see how my
process had developed and changed since my first draft of the story was submitted. Through the
revision process I learned how to identify my central themes and ideas of my story by looking at
the story from a holistic view. I allowed myself to change the narrative and alter a story that I
was already happy with to make it more enjoyable and understandable for the reader. I learned
how to identify unnecessary characters, scenes, and plot lines that really did not add anything of
substance to the story. On the other hand, I also learned how to identify areas that were in need
of enhancements. Being able to identify where a story was lacking in information has made me a
better writer as I am not able to pinpoint plot lines that are needed to be built out. My final story
is a more built out story that is entertaining and full of character development and valuable and
necessary scenes. Every scene and character in the story has a meaning and purpose. They help
to move the story along and provide insight into the characters and how they think, feel, and
interact. With the skills I learned through this class and the revision regimen, I have become a
more confident writer who is excited to share her work with others!
My writing process and creative outlook was influenced in part by the stories we read this
semester. One of the main moves I stole from the story “An Unnecessary Man” was the use of
call backs to information that may have seemed insignificant at the beginning of the story. In my
story I used information introduced at the beginning of the story to help the reader connect more
with the characters, especially once Rapunzel and the witch begin fighting. One scene that comes
to mind is when Rapunzel asks the witch about love and, in turn, her father. This provides the
reader with the knowledge that Rapunzel is curious about her father and why he was not in her
life. Once the witch and Rapunzel start to fight and argue, having already been exposed to
Rapunzel’s want to know more about her father makes her anger about the situation more
believable and relatable. Another example is seen right at the beginning of the story. In the
opening of the story, I discuss how stories were told about the enchanted forest, and how
everyone believed in something different. This comes back into play when Rapunzel overhears
the hunters discussing the legend of the wicked witch that guards the forest. Although the older
man does not believe this story, the existence of the story was enough to have Rapunzel question
her mother about it, and whether or not the witch in the story was her. Another move I stole
came from the story “Wildfire Johnny.” The move I stole from this story was the way the author
paced the story. Inspired by how the author used certain scenes to show the characters moving
through time, I did this multiple times throughout my story. I paced the story through scenes
including the king throwing the witch out, the witch returning for help and once again being
chased away, the witch teaching Rapunzel life and academic skills, the conversation of love
between the witch and Rapunzel, the witch telling Rapunzel about her powers, and the fight and
battle between the witch and Rapunzel. With each one of these major scenes, I used Rapunzel’s
age to clue in the reader on how much time had passed. Focusing on these major scenes and
using Rapunzel’s age as a time tracker allowed me to pace the story in a way that made scenes
for the reader without large and drastic changes in the story occurring.
Throughout the semester my confidence as a writer has skyrocketed. I once viewed
writing as a means to an end, or as a task to be completed. I never took the time to discover what
it could be like to use writing as a creative outlet or as a way to express myself and my ideas.
This class has reshaped my thoughts and feelings about writing. Although I will still have papers
and memos that are more of a tasked writing, I have also developed the skills needed to continue
on my creative writing journey. I now see writing as a way to help me release tensions in my life,
as well as create worlds for myself and others to escape into. Five to ten years from now I see
myself continuing to write! This class provided me with the creative freedoms I needed to
reconnect with my creative side. Due to this, I was able to experience writing in an enjoyable and
exciting way.
This course also helped me to discover that I work best on creative projects when I can
isolate myself in a public area. It is a weird concept, I know. However, throughout the semester I
found that I wrote best when I was working in the library, listening to a creative mix music
playlist. Although I was surrounded by others, I was isolated in my own space and in my own
head. Being in a public space also allows me to observe what is going on around me, helping to
spark inspiration, and in some cases, it helps me to refocus my thoughts and gain clarity when
writing. I was also surprised that I was more productive listening to music while writing.
Usually, when I do work listening to music distracts me as I find myself stopping my work to
sing along or just focus on the lyrics. However, since I was already in a creative mindset, the
music actually helped me to imagine and picture scenes take place. Walking away from this
class, my ideal creative writing process and routine include playing one of my music playlists
while observing the world around me. I take in the sights, sounds, and smells of my surroundings
and start to brainstorm story ideas. When brainstorming story ideas, I like to use the “I
remember” and “Mapping” techniques from the 12-Day Kickstart. The “I remember” activity
helps me identify unique ideas that are relatable and honest. Writing on topics that I relate to and
understand is much more enjoyable for myself than trying to write a story that I think people
want to hear. I also like using the “Mapping” technique as it helps me visualize the setting for
my story, or possible settings that I could use. I have always been more of a visual learner, so
finding a writing technique that allows me to visualize my story was very beneficial for me.
The writing process is different for every person. I used to think that the best way to write
a story was to just sit down and write. Let the words flow out and create a story on the page
before you. However, this process is actually the opposite of efficient. Although there are times
when just writing to write can produce a story or a compelling scene, going in without a plan or
guideline often leads to staring at the page and waiting for the words to come to. I know this
because I have experienced it. However, through this course and the 12-Day Kickstart, I learned
that every writer from a “good writer” to a newbie, has their own way of writing. There is no one
universal correct way to go about writing a story. Some writers work best when pulling from
their own experiences, others work best when thinking about different ways to start a story.
Some writers' processes include refocusing their thoughts after every few paragraphs or after a
scene, while others, like myself, work best when visualizing the scene and location of the story.
When it comes to a “good writer”, I think their process is continuous. I don’t think a “good
writer” sits down and expects to write a perfect story. I believe a “good writer” knows that it is
important to be open to change and new inspirations within a story. They know that it is
important to go back through a story and look for holes to fill, or fluff to trim. They revise their
stories, adding to it, deleting scenes and characters, and reordering the story in order to create the
most entertaining and convincing story that they can. A “good writer” understands that writing is
a journey and is ever changing. They write to discover something new, whether that be about the
world they created or about themselves. By my definition and understanding of a “good writer”,
I am a “good writer”.
Moving forward, I can see myself using everything I have learned in this class in my life.
From a professional standpoint, I will be able to use my creative writing skills when pitching
new ideas to my supervisors, when presenting findings to clients, and when convincing a client
to work with my company. I will be able to create stories and scenarios that will help me to sell
my ideas and relate to the customers and clients. I look forward to being able to bring in a more
creative outlook into my work. In terms of my personal journey, I hope to continue to write and
create stories. I would like to try my hand at poetry and, although it is not the same, try to get
back into songwriting. As a kid I loved to create songs and perform them for my family. I would
write songs about anything and everything. I remember how much fun I had when writing songs,
and how excited I’d be when a melody popped into my head. Now that I have reignited my
creative spark and learned how to write a compelling story, I would like to tell a story through
song. I would also like to continue to attend writing events throughout the city. I think hearing
from other writers is inspiring, especially when the writers share the same goal that you do, to
write a story that touches people and connects them. Although this class is ending, my life as a
writer has just begun!