In the essay “Failure can be an important part of writing development” by Collin Brooke and Allison Carr the author’s describe the importance of trying in spite of failure. They used the quote from Edward Burger’s 5 Elements of Effective Thinking. When students come in, they do not know how to use their grammar and punctuation. However, a patient instructor will be able to guide them so that as they continue on their writing journey, they are more equipped. As a student is learning the proper way to put their thoughts onto the paper, they will hit many potholes. Hopefully with what they have learned, they will eventually be able to climb out of those potholes with the tools of writing.
As in the gif, sometimes students feel like they are drowning in a pothole.
A writing classroom should be a safe and stress free space where students can grow to learn the language of writing. The article stated that all students will fail. However, they are learning in the failing. It’s like learning to ride a bike. No one gets on and rides the first time they try. They fall off the bike, crash, or jump off. Each time they get back on and learn to ride better.
To the beginner, it can be overwhelmed. It is like learning the ABC’s as a child. When a child learns to read, they have to learn how to sound out the words, spell the words, and how to put them together in a sentence. Then those sentences have to become paragraphs which takes many many years in school. I would say to a new writer “Don’t give up.” At the end of the journey, the writer will be able to get out of the pothole and use the tools they are given to write well.
For me, when I understand what I am writing about, I tend to be less stressed. When my paper is read by the professor and I get positive remarks, I want to write more. This is a whole different language than spoken language. On the road to learning, you will fail. It is hard to come to grips with failing, but it is okay.
As J.K. Rowling stated in 2008, people will fail by trying or fail because they never tried. It is in the trying that great work is accomplished. It is easy to believe she wrote the Harry Potter series, which most people love, on the first try. Readers do not see all the many drafts and edits. A writer will understand the process and how long it takes.
