Writer’s Block and the Shitty Rough Daft Summaries
Part One:
Writer’s Block Summary
Figure 1.1
Mike Rose (born 1944)
Mike Rose’s (Figure 1.1) article, “Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer's Block” and published by the National Council of Teachers of English, discusses the theory of writer’s block. The author defines writer’s Block as “…that frustrating, self-defeating inability to generate the next line, the right phrase, the sentence that will release the flow of words once again” (Rose 389). Within the article, Rose demonstrates and scrutinizes the theory of writer’s block by using “non-experimental…more clinical than scientific” observations on ten of his UCLA graduate students, who represents the “cross-section,” or various kind of people, of the UCLA student body, that he lectures regularly to them about writer’s block. From interviewing the ten graduates, he found that fifty percent or more suffers from writer’s block (389-399). While using the gradates as a reference, Rose analyzes writer’s block by applying other cognitivist and theorist’s research throughout his article to address various ideas on the subject (390-400). He illustrates many theories involving the nature of writer’s block; however, by examining and utilizing the “problem solving behavior theory”, he settled several debates about writer’s block. Rose thoroughly discuses the rules, plans, set, and belief principles within the problem solving behavior theory. The fifty percent of the students who suffer from writer’s block main issues were the “rigid rules and “inflexible plans” (400). Rose quotes Robert M. Gagné’s (Figure 1.2) definition of rules; “an inferred capability that enables the individuals to respond to a class of stimulus situation with a class of performances” (391). Inflexible plan, defined by Rose, “…any hierarchical process in the organism that can control the order in which a sequence of operation is to be performed” (392).
Figure 1.2
Robert M. Gagné’s (August 21, 1916 – April 28, 2002)
American educational psychologist.
American educational psychologist.
Part Two:
Shitty Rough Draft Summary
Figure 2.1
Anne Lamott (born April 10, 1954) is an American novelist
and non-fiction writer.
and non-fiction writer.
The article, “Shitty Rough Daft,” written by Anne Lamott (Figure 2.1) and published by New York: Andovers Books,first approaches the myth that every good writer’s first draft is always flawlessly written. In spite of this, Lamott debunks this myth by stating, “All good writers write them [“shitty” rough drafts]. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts” (Lamott 1). The author describes the first rough draft as the “child’s draft;” where the writer can let all the desired information flow on to paper “knowing that no one is going to see it and that you can shape it later” (2). The idea of the “child draft” lets the writer convert his thoughts like that of a child’s way of thinking; “You just let this childlike part of you channel whatever voices and visions come through and onto the page…” This old way of thinking can produce great writing that the adult way of thinking lack ability to create (2). The author feels that this is a good foundation for the overall paper; this isn’t the finalized draft thus the writer has control over the paper. The writer can let anyone to no one see the first draft. Nevertheless, many writers, including Lamott, panic when writing the first draft. She panics whenever she begins to write a review (3). The author comments that even though all the information needed was gathered, panic, hopelessness, and fear would still emerge. She found a solution by just writing whatever came to mind and to write it all down without the fear of another’s eyes peering at her mistakes. Later, she fixes her errors “with a colored pen…find a new lead somewhere on the second page, figure out a kicky place to end it, and then write a second draft. It always turned out fine…” (3).
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.
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.