drafting

For today’s guest, Drew Perry, a Professor in English who has an interest in writing fiction, came to discuss writing fiction.  He focused on these questions: how do you capture the audience?  What should be brought to life in a world of fantasy?  Should there be magic, ghosts, murder, a normal life in the suburbs or a dog?  Why these people? Why this day?  Throughout the discussion, the students had to write down the rest of the story for a prompt displayed on the board, add details on the characters, setting and actions.  It was truly a beautiful sight as the students started to write down in their little notebooks about what the story should be.  Some made it into a romantic comedy, others made it into a simple event gone wrong.  They turn a simple paragraph into a story people are going to love to hear.  Beginning with a simple idea and adding the rest of the details is a process writers would use to ensure the format is interesting, in order and truly bring the story to life.  


Overall, it all starts with a blank piece of paper.  All of us in some point would have writer’s block, a time when the emptiness of a page starts to frighten us, our hands to shake, your head fills completely empty and as you try to think hard and fast; it feels like you are about to explode because you can not find the right words.  In order to overcome this dilemma, just start writing.  Put in one sentence, whether it is the beginning of the prompt or represents the middle, you have something to work with.  Then read it and think, what does it mean, what does it need?  Ask questions to yourself and to others because these questions, along with the ideas you developed, are the building blocks of writing.  That is why most people use bubble charts or come up with a list.  This blank page is the draft of something wonderful.  Once all the details are on the page, read it, make some notes, highlight, read it again, cross an unneeded word out, put down an arrow, write suggestions in a red pen and transfer everything you like into a new page.  This time, instead of having to spend a few minutes thinking about what needs to be put down, you already have you story, nice and neat.  Then you read the new draft and edit again and again.  Have others read it because you are trying to capture the audience, do some research and use your imagination.  Be inspired by the people around you, read your favorite books and watch a show to get your brain moving or relaxing from a hard day of work.  Write in your journals (REMEMBER DAY 2), save your essays and previous works you have done over the years which may bring back a forgotten spark of ingenuity.  Do the process for a long time until for you are fully satisfied.  In the end, the essay, poem, magazine, movie script, blog, textbook, research document and novel is finally done and ready to be shared with the world.