The Essay

Exultation! Momentary pride.  Self-doubt.  Recrimination.  Meditative breaths.  Read.  Relief.

The stages of my writing is described above.  Exultation for having completed the assignment.  Pride at the new entity I have brought to life with my imagination.  Self-doubt as I read in our texts what my paper should and should not be.  Deep breaths as I print the article to read “in the flesh.”  And relief as I realize I do have something to work with after all.

Relief washed over me when I read the chapter in the Field Guide that writers have more freedom with the essay.  My paper definitely bears a personal stamp.   Maybe too much so ---- I violated Hancock’s admonition not to write about a subject you were too emotional about.  

After reading the chapters in Field Guide and Hancock, I am eager to look at my paper anew.  I’m nervous and find that my stomach is doing flips.  What if it sucks?  Hancock definitely captured my state of mind when she acknowledges that a writer can read, look at, and work on their paper so long they no longer know what it actually says. 

That’s why I love studio sessions!  Fresh eyes, fresh thoughts, and useful suggestions.  I have found the sessions the most useful exercises in the class. 

Hancock’s Chapter 6, Refining your Draft, is a remarkable tool!   I’m actually within my word count (if you don’t count source credits)  WhooHoo!!!

I chose a subject I wanted to know more about, fracking.  I cried, yes really, for two weekends in a row as I uncovered what fracking really is and what it does to the planet.  Am I too emotional about it?  Yep, certainly.  Will it inhibit my ability to write an effective essay?  I’m curious to find out what you all think.

What I learned galvanized a course of action for me after graduation.  In that respect, the paper was an outstanding success!

Hancock's Wisdom

                                                        

Hancock:  Words Into Ideas

Inspirational.  Reading Hancock’s book inspires me to take a look at my writing with fresh eyes.  I’ve spent several days working on my feature article and, quite frankly, I’m tired of working on it.  At this point, I don’t know if what I am reading is really there, or just what I think is there. 

My paper has undergone so many evolutionary changes, even Darwin would be amazed.  Yesterday, I gathered images to illuminate my ideas.  Today, I was going to leave it all alone.  Then, I read the Hancock chapter, gathered up my courage and imagination, and read my article again with fresher eyes.

WHAT AM I REALLY TRYING TO SAY

What am I trying to say???  Just like Hancock predicted, that question works magic.  I definitely do not want to write a piece about the scientific processes of fracking.  I want to write a piece that generates thought, untangles the propaganda, and connects pieces to the puzzle in a way that a picture of what and who is driving this frenzy becomes clearer. 

POLISH YOUR PROSE LATE IN THE PROCESS RATHER THAN EARLY.

This is a strategy I changed after reading Phillip Gerard’s Non-Creative Fiction a couple of years ago.  Previously, I edited as I wrote, carefully choosing and massaging each sentence.  Cutting my carefully cultivated words was excruciating.  I’m still way too wordy and editing sucks, but without as much time invested in my drafts, I am more inclined to dice and slice at my paragraphs.  Brilliant advice!

THE BONE HEAP

I never called it a bone heap, but I have moved sentences to the end of the paper for possible use later.  Hancock is right, knowing the words are still there makes it easier to move them out of the paper if they interrupt the flow.  I even have a permanent folder of ideas or sentences that I keep for use later – possibly.  I think I have an attachment problem. 

And thank the high heavens for word processing!  I’m old enough to remember typing on a typewriter than permanently recorded all of your mistakes.  What a nightmare!!!  Moving ideas and sentences around was very time consuming.  Now, it’s just a couple of buttons to edit, edit, and re-edit.  You youngsters have no idea how easy you have it!   Lol.

WRITE USING ACTIVE VERBS

By far, my most challenging struggle is capturing the essence of what I want to say with the right verbs.  I love verbs!  I even printed off several lists of the best action verbs, but they leave a lot to be desired.  Some industrious soul needs to make an action verb thesaurus.  I love it when writers use a verb completely out of context, but it works perfectly!  Dean Koontz was a master at this in his book Innocence.   

START WITH THE QUESTION, NOT THE ANSWER

My favorite fiction novels drop you right in the middle of a scene.  My head is spinning wondering what the hell is going on.  And then bit by bit you get glimpses into the history that brought the character to the heart pounding scene you entered at the start of the novel.  Implementing that skill into science writing might make it more interesting and grab the reader’s attention quickly. 

QUOTATIONS

Lots of new info in this section that I did not know.  Excellent advice I will use immediately in my feature.

I always enjoy reading Hancock!  It’s time to write!