I really did not feel like writing
this morning, so I thought a rough draft would do; let’s see where this takes
me. (Google defines draft: "
Judging
from what I've seen and herd, a surprising number of high scool English students
never get past the rough-draft phase; some writing is unbeleivably rough. (Maybe it ain't so surprising after all, if
you know the trend.) For example, poorly
developed essays full of errers and bad sentense construction get marked red
threwout (by my favorite teacher) and that is often the end of it – the standard second chance for an improved
grade fails to motivate more than a few to spend additionel time and effert cleaning
up there little act. Simpel suggestions
and obvious corections are thus ignord, often never seen, possibly in favor
of comunity service, internships, math and science, or other pursutes young
people focus on these days to improve life.
(I shouldn't be a sad cynic, but I got it off my chest – so there.)
(I shouldn't be a sad cynic, but I got it off my chest – so there.)
Ray
Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451,
wrote an autobiographical book that I had fun reading: Zen
in the Art of Writing, about “releasing the creative genius within you” (©1990). Although I dug deep and found little
genius to release, I was inspired to work harder, as he habitually did, eventually gaining his fame as a great writer
(certainly not my goal.)
About
doing the hard work, Bradbury impressed me: “I wrote at least a thousand words a
day every day from the age of twelve on.
… I began to discover the treats
and tricks that came with word association …” (Zen …, paperback, p. 15)
“My
first decision about a career was at eleven, to be a magician and travel the
world with my illusions. My second
decision was at twelve when I got a toy typewriter for Christmas. And I decided to become a writer. And between the decision and the reality lay
eight years of … school, and selling newspapers … [in L.A.], while I wrote
three million words.” (Zen …, A
Closing Note, p. 48)
Although I cannot find it in Bradbury's book, I recall reading this advice recently:
Cruise through the rough draft, without corrections, to let your creativity run free; then go back, correct the spelling, and refine your writing for the second draft. Repeat that for subsequent drafts until it’s as good as it gets (to put it roughly.)
Cruise through the rough draft, without corrections, to let your creativity run free; then go back, correct the spelling, and refine your writing for the second draft. Repeat that for subsequent drafts until it’s as good as it gets (to put it roughly.)
Personal journals are typically rough drafts,
especially when handwritten. You are
free to write and release the genius within you. Do it for posterity, or at least for the fun
of it.
I have been reading a 75-cent book from DI. You know the plight of this Jewish family. (Nazi-occupied Amsterdam) “Saturday, 20
June, 1942 – … I want this diary itself to be my friend, and I shall call my
friend Kitty.” Beginning her writings to
Kitty, Anne opens her heart, “I hope I shall be able to confide in you
completely, as I have never been able to do in anyone before, and I hope that
you will be a great support and comfort to me.” (Anne Frank – The Diary of a Young Girl, ©1952
by Otto H. Frank.) I already know how her story ends, making me cry.
