In my Writing 200 class, we’ve been reading a series of essays from a book by Bret Lott, called “Letters and Life.” One of the essays I read was titled, “Why Have We Given Up the Ghost?” Its title doesn’t have very much to do with its contents, but instead Lott discusses his view onContinue reading “Bret Lott’s “Letters and Life””
Tag Archives: Writing 200
The Book Industry’s Supposed Demise
The printing press was invented in 1440. For hundreds of years since, generations of avid readers have devoured books, keeping shelves in their home stacked with scores of leather bound tomes (and more recently, flimsy paperback novels), teaching their kids to read with primers and picture books. Recently, however, traditional book publication has begun toContinue reading “The Book Industry’s Supposed Demise”
The Princess Bride: Book vs Film
“The Princess Bride” is one of the most famous cult classic films, and a personal favorite of mine. Something about the epic fantasy, laugh-out-loud humor, and quotable characters make it easy to rewatch again and again. It’s well known, full of lovable actors and lines, and there’s a sense of magic to it that doesn’tContinue reading “The Princess Bride: Book vs Film”
Necessity of Grammar
In our class this week, we talked about formal grammar instruction, and whether or not it’s necessary to learning how to write. Some people were of the opinion that it is absolutely essential, whereas others said that it wasn’t important at all. I personally landed somewhere in the middle of the debate, but closer toContinue reading “Necessity of Grammar”
The Effect of Gender on Writing
Writing is influenced by a lot of different things. One of the most common influences that people wonder about, however, is gender. Does being male or female affect the style or content of your writing? After reading a couple of articles and just looking at what I see in the world around me, I thinkContinue reading “The Effect of Gender on Writing”
Sharing Writing
I have a love/hate relationship with showing my writing to other people. Sometimes I’ve written a blog post or poem or essay that I really want someone to read, and sometimes I never want another person’s eyes to see the disaster I just created. Occasionally, I’ll write only for myself, things too private to shareContinue reading “Sharing Writing”
John Grisham’s Writing Process
John Grisham, author of famous legal thriller books like “The Firm” and “A Time to Kill” has a very interesting, specific writing routine. He’s been writing for a long time, and so he has a methodical process with details that have been well thought out. One thing I thought was interesting was his schedule forContinue reading “John Grisham’s Writing Process”
The Process of Macaroni and Cheese
On any list about comfort foods, you can bet that macaroni and cheese will make the top ten. It’s warm, cheesy, gooey, filling, reminds people of their childhood- it ticks off any and all boxes for comfort food that could be ticked. But, such a simple recipe inevitably inspires many variations. From the boxed KraftContinue reading “The Process of Macaroni and Cheese”
Success in Writing
It’s hard for me to feel successful when I write. When I was a little kid, I would always love the things I’d written. At every word of praise coaxed from my mother, I would glow; at every time I made my cousins laugh, I would shine with pride. I was convinced that I wasContinue reading “Success in Writing”
Audience
I’ve never been a big fan of the idea of an “audience,” especially for writing. I loved to sing when I was a kid, but I would always get stage fright singing in front of someone else. Similarly, I didn’t like showing my writing to a lot of other people, because then they would inevitablyContinue reading “Audience”
Writing Wizard 