In the article, Directions: Write, Read, Rewrite. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 as Needed, Susan Sontag provides her thoughts on the connection between reading and writing. Specifically Sontag makes three main arguments. First, reading and writing are joined and we can use this process to make our writing better. Second, reading can be used as a motivation for writing. Finally, that writing can be used as a method of escape, joy, and elimination of the ego.
Sontag states that reading and writing are related. In Sontag's view, "[T]o write is to practice, with particular intensity and attentiveness, the art of reading." Sontag's point is that reading is an inseparable part of writing, that they are one and the same.
Sontag asserts that we write to read
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That when we think it's going well, to keep writing and not to reread.
In addition to her main argument Sontag believes that often reading almost always the motivation for writing. Though she says that others do deny this, that these people see themselves as a "writer, not a reader." Simply that some see reading and writing as incompatible. Sontag denies this while also giving two reasons why she thinks that some might make that claim. First, out of a worry that their voice will be influenced, to which she believes is a vain and shallow concern. Second, that it could be out of lack of time, she insists it's a pleasure she could not avoid.
Finally, Sontag states that it's common today to think of writing as a self-expression. That we can't write about other's authentically, only ourself. Sontag degrees when she writes, "Why wouldn't you write to escape yourself as much as you might write to express yourself? It's far more interesting to write about others." In making this comment, she suggests that we can use writing for escape and elimination of the
In this day and age, writing is being portrayed through various mediums, such as film and television. Some of those portrayals depict writing as both good and bad depending on the situation that is present. Authors such as, by E. Shelley Reid, Kevin Roozen, and Anne Lamott all write about important writing concepts that are being depicted in films, like Freedom Writers. The film Freedom Writers shows a positive and accurate portrayal of writing in the sense that the writers should have a connection to what they are writing about, writing is a form of communication, and that writing does not have to be perfect the first time.
The point the author, Russell Baker, is making in his essay, “Writing for Myself,” is quite evident. When Mr. Fleagle, Baker’s English teacher, assigned an informal essay to be completed as homework, Baker immediately became baffled by the daunting task. Though reluctant to start, Baker knew that it he had to swallow his animosity toward writing and select a topic to write on.
...e does not discuss what she is writing, while she is writing it. She is afraid that if she speaks of it, it will wear out her idea. She says, “If you want to be a writer, I have two pieces of advice. One is to be a reader. I think that's one of the most important parts of learning to write. The other piece of advice is: Just do it! Don't think about it, don't agonize, sit down and write”.
that constant reading can improve writing ability, whether if it’s a fine literature or a poor literature.
...s among what appears as un-related items are involved opening the minds of readers to think more about what they are reading. This broadens the horizon for newer methods of writing, and at the same time it provides not just a lesson in writing, but also a lesson in reading and thinking. It helps readers to open their minds about the things they read even it is a strange way of going about writing. Although the technique and structure of her work is very peculiar, it is a lesson on reading, writing, and thinking. Without writers like Susan Griffin, new methods of writing such as the one she used would never exist rather relying on the more mundane methods. New avenues would not be explored, because connections not normally analyzed would never be presented such as comparing the past and present, public life and private life, an individuality and collective living.
Writing is a form of communication that can be expressed in various ways. The short story “On Keeping a Notebook” written by Joan Didion guides the reader through her thinking process as she tries to answer why and what it means to write in her notebook. Although, it can be difficult to follow and understand her thinking it fascinates me to see her thinking process come to a full circle. I felt a personal connection with her when she writes “We are brought up in the ethic that others, any others, all others, are by definition more interesting that ourselves; taught to be diffident, just that this side of self-effacing.” Didion’s statement made me realized the experiences one has can affect one’s perspective as one writes and reads despite how
Many people think that reading more can help them to think and develop before writing something. Others might think that they don’t need to read and or write that it can really help them to brainstorm things a lot quicker and to develop their own ideas immediately (right away). The author’s purpose of Stephen King’s essay, Reading to Write, is to understand the concepts, strategies and understandings of how to always read first and then start something. The importance of this essay is to understand and comprehend our reading and writing skills by brainstorming our ideas and thoughts a lot quicker. In other words, we must always try to read first before we can brainstorm some ideas and to think before we write something. There are many reasons why I chose Stephen King’s essay, Reading to Write, by many ways that reading can help you to comprehend, writing, can help you to evaluate and summarize things after reading a passage, if you read, it can help you to write things better and as you read, it can help you to think and evaluate of what to write about.
A successful writer is he who is able to transmit ideas, emotions, and wisdom on to his readers. He is cable of stirring emotions and capturing the reader's attention with vivid descriptions and clever dialogues. The writer can even play with the meanings of words and fuse reality with fiction to achieve his goal of taking the reader on a wonderful journey. His tools are but words, yet the art of writing is found in the use of the language to create though-provoking pieces that defy the changing times. Between the lines, voices and images emerge. Not everyone can write effectively and invoke these voices. It is those few who can create certain psychological effects on the reader who can seize him (or her) with inspiring teachings, frightening thoughts, and playful games with the language. These people are true writers…
In “Writing to Learn: Writing across the Disciplines,” Anne J. Herrington finds different sources stating that writing is to be taken serious. Janet Emig says, "writing represents a unique mode of learning-not merely valuable, not merely special, but unique” (1) meaning that writing is far more essential than we ought to make it seem. Anne Herrington wants educators teaching in economics, history, chemistry or any other subject to guide their students into understanding why progressing their writing skills will be more helpful to them. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the educator; whether he/she wants their students to use writing as a way for students to adapt to different disciplines.
There are many factors that can influence a person’s reading and writing. For most people, it can be an author’s work. Some may reference the text that was most significant for them in order to base their own work on it. When I work on my writing, I think of a particular poem that stands out for me. The poem Repetition by Phil Kaye reminds me of what I aim to avoid in my style of writing.
Fifty years on from Susan Sontag’s innovative Essay “The Imagination of Disaster”, which incorporates the use of disaster films as analogies to argue that “from a psychological point of view, the imagination of disaster does not greatly differ from one period in history to another”, but on the contrary “from a political and moral point of view, it does”, Jean Baudrillard exchanges a similar set of concerns in his more recent essay ‘The mirror of terrorism’. He forms his essay on the ideas that the Western media is becoming the basis to advance how we are entering “the era of simulation and hyperreality” with “reality TV”. John C. Gilmour’s ‘Fire on the earth’, also relevant to Sontang and Stockhausen’s bald claims, contends that Anselm Kiefer, a german sculpture and painter, seeks to
Literate arts is what makes the world more creative and everlasting with inventions. Mae Jemison once said,“The difference between science and the arts is not that they are different sides of the same coin even, or even different parts of the same continuum, but rather, they are manifestations of the same thing. The arts and science are avatar of human creativity.” Literate arts are a way for us to express ourselves; they are ways of communication such as poems, songs, or artistic works. In a transcript of literature arts Miller says that reading and writing do not determine a person’s behavior, they majorly reflect on what people are going through in life. Human life is expressed through communications; through this, people come to learn
Reader I must warn you, the following is not a meticulously composed prose by a master of the pen, rather it is the writings and musings of an amateur. In the coming paragraphs I will provide my perspective on reading, writing, literacy and language.
Reading and writing has always played a vital part in my life. From toddler to adult, pre-elementary to college, I’ve managed to sharpen both skills to my liking. However, even though it significantly helped, schooling was not what influenced me to continue developing those skills into talent. Many different things shaped and influenced my learning, and now reading and writing have become the safety net of my life. I know that even if I have nothing else in the future, I’ll still have my talent and knowledge. To ensure my success, I hope to further develop those skills so that I may fulfill my wishes.
There are many different types of events that shape who we are as writers and how we view literacy. Reading and writing is viewed as a chore among a number of people because of bad experiences they had when they were first starting to read and write. In my experience reading and writing has always been something to rejoice, not renounce, and that is because I have had positive memories about them.