This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Lutheran chapter.
As the semester progresses, the intensity of our assignments enhances. This, naturally, means essays upon essays in class after class, sucking dry our pool of words and inspiration. The greatest female writers experienced the problem you as an essayer, reporter, novelist, or whatever type of writer you are face today. They even leave us with some advice.
- “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” Sylvia Plath, author known for inventive poetry and her novel The Bell Jar, knew how to transform basic observations into masterpieces. Although she was able to write prompt-less and free, Plath’s creativity can be used in any situation where we allow our minds roam. Never let the prompt box you in; instead, think outside the box.
- “I am not at all in the mood of writing, but I must write on until I am.” Jane Austen certainly knew how to write, and she did it in an age of female oppression. Believe it or not, Ms. Austen faced the same dilemma we as college women experience today; we don’t always want to write, but we are required to do so. When that UGH feeling comes upon you and the words don’t seem to come, just write on…even if you don’t seem to make sense at first. The beauty of writing is you can always delete and move on.
- “I hate writing, I love having written.” Author, poet, critic and screenwriter with two Academy Awards, Dorothy Parker, produced words as routinely as the modern college woman, and she our agony; however, she discovered the light at the end of the tunnel and made it her passion. Though the process is arduous, take pride in the finished product, no matter if it’s your best or worst work.
- “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, well-known for her beautiful memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, certainly knew the pangs of carrying an untold story, and the freedom of releasing it. Whether getting an experience off your chest or confiding your past, never fear telling a tale in writing; there’s someone out there who would love to hear.
- “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” Like novelist Joan Didion, author of The Year of Magical Thinking, we take the things around us and paint them on our canvas – the blank page. Even when creating a seemingly dull essay for a class, use the opportunity to go deep in thought, explore the world, and learn something about yourself in the process.
- “Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” This sound advice from journalist and author Annie Proulx illustrates the truth most college students may wish to ignore, that writing comes from reading. When you have a list of essays to write and no words to give, draw inspiration from the words of other writers, even if you only have time for a short poem, or even just a list of quotes. When you’re feeling down and need some uplifting, spend a few minutes on my go-to quote-spiration, Goodreads…or like me, take a couple hours. Here’s some more quotes on writing.
- “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shi**y first draft.” If you wish to heed the words of any of these women, Anne Lammott’s on point statement from Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life is worth considering. It’s impossible to get anything done when you’re caught up in perfection. Don’t be afraid to let loose and make that really rough first draft. If your deadline arrives, turn it in and try again next time.
- “So long as you write about what you wish to write, that is all that matters; and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say.” Whether writing an essay on your views of a current issue or making a journal entry, follow Virginia Woolf’s example of discussing literature, feminism, and all her other passions. Words hold value when filled with the writer’s fervor. An essay may only matter for a minute, but your ideas live on.