Writing as a Discipline: Nurtured Writing Leads to Natural Skills
Open spiral notepad with a crumpled piece of paper and a yellow pencil with bite marks on it.
The age old question of what makes a good writer is still circulating classrooms today. If we are fortunate enough to have access to education then we are taught to write in elementary school and we continue to learn until we graduate high school. For some, it ends there; for others it’s just the beginning. Yet, the answer is not simple, because it’s different for everyone. If we continue to write and we want to be successful then it’s important to understand why your past education, future education, and how your practice of this skill will determine your success.
Workspace on a table shows open bag with a phone and glasses in it, a laptop, a cup of coffee and a pad of paper and pen.
In Shirley Rose’s “All Writers Have More to Learn” and in Kathleen Blake Yancey’s “Learning to Write Effectively Takes Different Kinds of Practice, Time and Effort” the concept of writing being a practice and not a gift is explored. Both author argue that writing is not a natural gift, but something that has to be continuously worked on. Rose believes that while writing is learned in school; the learning is not limited to school only. Furthermore, writer will need to continue learning to grow as a writer because writing is not one size fits all. Similarly, Blake reports practicing and building your practice of writing is what will allow you to grow as a writer. She urges that using process work, varying technologies, and peer feedback is what the practice of writing should entails. In spite of a few differences in approach, Rose and Blake are in agreement when it come to understanding and advocating that writers always have more to learn when it comes to writing effectively.
So, why does this matter you ask!?
It matters because growing up I thought there was only one way to write. There was a right way and a wrong way. I thought some people were just naturally gifted. But, what I’m finding out now is that beyond right or wrong, writing is about your voice and those you want to reach with it, and how you make that happen. By nurturing your writing practice you can vastly improve your work. As Shirley Rose so eloquently states, “Writers never cease learning to write, never completely perfect their writing ability, as long as they encounter new or unfamiliar life experiences that require or inspire writing.” Nurturing your experiences and continuing to learn will be paramount in your success as a writer. These concepts will encourage your writing in new ways, and allow you to explore new ways of delivering your thoughts/ideas/research. While writing is a discipline that requires practice, with each written piece you evolve and grow in your skill. If we can remove the idea that failing grades determine your success, and instead use these failures as building blocks to betterment, then we could really change the way students feel about their work, and about themselves. This will encourage many to find and develop a voice they didn’t know existed within them, and allow them to share their gifts with the world.
So, keep living, keep learning, and keep writing!
