Ayriana Steele
Professor Helm
ENWR 1101 23S
16 September, 2015
Evolving into a Rose A bud doesn’t become a rose overnight. It takes water, sunlight, nutrients, and love for the bud to blossom into the beautifully scented flower that it is. Not only does this rule apply to flowers, but also any talent that you work at; it is bound to grow. This goes for writing as well. Most of us are not born great writers. It takes failure, after failure, after failure and a few triumphs along the way. It takes analyzing piece after another in order to find your strengths and weaknesses in writing. These things are essential in order to know who you are as a writer. As of right now I am not a very big fan of writing, especially compared to the writer that I used to be. I let my writing ability dwindle. This partly is due to the death that recently occurred in my family. My Uncle Primo, a great influence on my writing, took his life a month and a half ago. This loss took away my passion for writing. Often times I would text my uncle and share my pieces, anxious about the feedback I waited to come. The fact that I couldn’t hear his input on the thoughts I jotted down killed me softly, and I just have not had the desire to write the way I used to ever since. Writing is something that always interested me, even as a child. Ever since I was a little kid, I was apparently very skilled in telling the most outrageous fibs. I guess because of my vivid imagination, my dad told me I would be a great writer one day. He probably said it to be funny, but as a little kid any words from my parents were equivalent to the Bill of Rights in my eyes. In the past I often found myself writing frequently.Whether it be on a rainy day or a day full of sunshine accompanied by beautiful breeze, I was somewhere in the background writing. I often wrote songs and poems that could be considered songs, along with a few fictitious works I put together. My mother kept a dainty little box full of them. The reason I became so interested in writing again would have to be because of my Uncle Primo. I remember every Wednesday night I would sit outside on my back deck enjoying the sunset, writing and sharing my work and occasionally gazing at the stars until something passionate and heartfelt came to mind. I would consider those creative times with my uncle as an experience that helped shape me to be the writer I have grown to be. Analyzing my writing, I can see that I struggle with a few things. I often times have trouble with writing academic papers. I would consider myself to be more of a creative writer than an academic writer. This is because most of my writing experiences were creative works that revolved around myself and my feelings. It made writing a lot easier considering it was just feelings on paper. Academic assignments were never very appealing to me because the topics never catered to my interests and I always felt like I had to force myself in order to complete it. Because of this I often procrastinate when writing an assignment for class. I often get distracted which in turn leads to not having enough time to work on assignments. After realizing that the deadline is rapidly approaching, I panic which then leads to writing a paper that is less than what I am capable of. When reading Scott Sanders’ “Stillness” for class I felt it had an influential impact on myself as a writer. Sanders basically reflects on his routine of isolating himself from his hectic modern life. He finds a sense of place by going back to nature and leaving all electronic devices and distractions behind. This helps him focus on his writing and, in turn, leaves him “more peaceful and joyful and grateful” than when he first arrived (Sanders 582). This inspired me to do the same. Cutting out distractions such as cell phone usage, hanging out with friends, and social activities will result in a better quality paper. In my opinion, taking the words that Sanders had to say in “Stillness” can greatly help to improve my writing imperfections. If I take the time out to give myself a break from my hectic surroundings and distractions then I’ll be able to improve my writing. Writing outside, like I used to with my uncle, may make writing more enjoyable, therefore the paper won’t feel forced. I feel it’s important for me to develop my academic writing skills. I say this because I want to be a well rounded writer, I want to be able to write soulful creative pieces as well as educational and informal works. Taking the advice from “Stillness” will help me achieve the goals I’ve set as a writer. No matter how great or how horrible one is in what they do, there is always room for improvement. And although a negative event may occur, doesn’t necessarily mean the effect of the cause will be negative as well. From my uncle’s death, I’ve learned that at every dark tunnel there is light. I feel like I can take my uncle’s death as a gateway to reignite my passion for writing, ideally this will result in becoming the well rounded writer I would like to be.