My First Response:
The Comparison
Both article share a common theme; the inability to freely write because of psychological complications. Mike Rose’s article discusses the theory of writer’s block; the mental roadblock of the intellectual mind and the incapacity to express the true writer within oneself. Many writers undergo writer’s block and others do not.
His article has similar to almost identical similarities to the article of Anne Lamott. Lamott’s article discusses that everyone’s first drafts are “shitty,” as she calls it, and some experience anxiety. She describes her issues whenever she starts her review projects for the California magazine. Her “mental roadblock” like condition can seem similar to that of writer’s block. Worries about other’s opinion, deadlines, and the specific topics cause fabrications and panic within her mind. Thus her capability to get the project done becomes strenuous and almost rushed. Many situations are illustrated within the article when she tries to force her mind and her fingers to write. She begins to doubt her aptitude to write and to finish the projects; even the thought of her being fired and going back to being a clerk therapist ran through her mind. Mike Rose’s theory of the problem solving behavior theory is the core of writer’s block. Lamott finally overcomes her struggles by just ignoring the rules and following her belief for the time being. Even though the first draft is far from perfect, this “child’s draft,” as she calls it, now has a foundation and a real structure that she can finally process her thoughts and then later fix her mistakes. Both articles share this common theme.
His article has similar to almost identical similarities to the article of Anne Lamott. Lamott’s article discusses that everyone’s first drafts are “shitty,” as she calls it, and some experience anxiety. She describes her issues whenever she starts her review projects for the California magazine. Her “mental roadblock” like condition can seem similar to that of writer’s block. Worries about other’s opinion, deadlines, and the specific topics cause fabrications and panic within her mind. Thus her capability to get the project done becomes strenuous and almost rushed. Many situations are illustrated within the article when she tries to force her mind and her fingers to write. She begins to doubt her aptitude to write and to finish the projects; even the thought of her being fired and going back to being a clerk therapist ran through her mind. Mike Rose’s theory of the problem solving behavior theory is the core of writer’s block. Lamott finally overcomes her struggles by just ignoring the rules and following her belief for the time being. Even though the first draft is far from perfect, this “child’s draft,” as she calls it, now has a foundation and a real structure that she can finally process her thoughts and then later fix her mistakes. Both articles share this common theme.
My Second Response:
My Application
Before starting English 1010, I always had issues with starting and completing the first draft of a paper. I finally understood that I suffered from writer’s block after reading Mr. Rose’s article on the theory of writer’s block. In the past, I was oblivious on how to fix this problem.
In high school, for an example, my English teacher would hand out the information and instruction to the class regarding the paper we had to compose. My mind began to generate many ideas for the project once I understood my directions from the teacher. However, when I started to write, I didn’t know where to begin or how to organize the paper. At times, I would sit there staring at my computer monitor while thinking on how to start my first sentence. My thoughts were overwhelmed by many factors such as conducting a strong introduction and conclusion, creating and maintaining the main point (thesis statement) throughout my paper, transitions between each paragraph, and watching for grammatical errors. Another major issue that I undergone was the limited word count; I either had too many words or to less. And so I became distraught that hindered my ability to think. Somehow, forcing my brain to start functioning again, ideas began to flow and eventually I started to write. The process took hours or days to complete the project however.
Discovering that my condition was writer’s block, I found that pre-writing helps tremendously with preventing this to surface. Pre-writing, cluster mapping for an example, helps generates and organize my ideas onto paper. Later, I use my ideas from the cluster map to form an outline for the paper. This cured my condition; I am more relax and comfortable with composing my papers now.
In high school, for an example, my English teacher would hand out the information and instruction to the class regarding the paper we had to compose. My mind began to generate many ideas for the project once I understood my directions from the teacher. However, when I started to write, I didn’t know where to begin or how to organize the paper. At times, I would sit there staring at my computer monitor while thinking on how to start my first sentence. My thoughts were overwhelmed by many factors such as conducting a strong introduction and conclusion, creating and maintaining the main point (thesis statement) throughout my paper, transitions between each paragraph, and watching for grammatical errors. Another major issue that I undergone was the limited word count; I either had too many words or to less. And so I became distraught that hindered my ability to think. Somehow, forcing my brain to start functioning again, ideas began to flow and eventually I started to write. The process took hours or days to complete the project however.
Discovering that my condition was writer’s block, I found that pre-writing helps tremendously with preventing this to surface. Pre-writing, cluster mapping for an example, helps generates and organize my ideas onto paper. Later, I use my ideas from the cluster map to form an outline for the paper. This cured my condition; I am more relax and comfortable with composing my papers now.