By: mark

mark — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 00:37:25 +0000

I found, late in life, that to require one’s self to distill their thought to the degree that when written, and then read by another; not only did they convey what they had intended, but learned a little something extra in the bargain. I don’t write for a specific purpose but one always seems to emerge during the act. Like discovering that I actually LIKE math at age 59, I discovered that when the only consequence to learning is enlightenment, as opposed to getting a job say, then reading, writing and rithmatic are a treat and the best form of introspection there is. Downright therapeutic. I’ve written more essays in my fifties than the rest of my lifetime. I am particularly proud of my “proof” of evolution and my “proof” of the non existence of time.

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 23:12:23 +0000

I really think that writing IS magic, but maybe not in the way you mean. I tell my students to write as a way of making sense of things they read, their feelings, things they are thinking about, things they don’t understand, etc. I recommend they write whenever they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed or angry.
It is amazing what eventually comes out of the pen! Even when I think I’m done, it is amazing how much more flows out if I make myself keep thinking and writing. It IS magic! It is magical to see how writing calms the soul, how writing helps you process confusion, how writing helps you learn.
I may have an idea about what I want to write when I first sit down, but I never know where I will end; it is much like a little mental journey.
Of course, I’m not trying to write a novel. There are so many more reasons to write than just to publish a book. Keep writing!

Comments on: Neal Stephenson’s writing advice for students (and everyone else)

By: mark

By: Rhonda