Allen

Before You Read

Often time the notion is perceived that (English) teachers and professors wake up everyday with a burning passion to write, however, I feel that although they love what they do, that they don't always want to do it. Somewhat like eating ice cream. I love to eat ice cream, just not for every single meal. I feel that english teachers have a very good writing process, mainly because that that is what they have gone to school to study. But, I feel that they have gone through writer's block just as many times as any other student has.

Summary

In Sarah Allen's article, "The Inspired Writer vs. The Real Writer", she explains to the reader that hardly anyone is naturally gifted at writing. She says that students think that she loves writing and that it has always come naturally to her, but, she explains that the idea of the "inspired writer", is nothing but a myth. She talks about a friend who dropped out of graduate school because of serious writer's block and another who's dissertation was rejected, but is now a very successful scholar in the field of Rhetoric and Composition.

Synthesis

I feel that this article connect best with Kleine's article, because both talk about how writing never comes easy at first, especially to students who have just entered college. Many new students don't know how exactly to analyze papers and look for structure.

Questions for Discussion

2.) Allen proposes that we should try and connect with others through our writing and that our main goal is to communicate through our writing, using emotions and expressing our thoughts and ideas.

3.) A time when I have colluded would probably have been in elementary school. I used to have my mom help me build school projects and help revise my papers. With the way that Allen describes "collusion", I believe it is plagiarism because t is not your own original thoughts being used.

Applying and Exploring Ideas

2.) I agree with the proposition that writing is a connection. It is a form of communicating (which is connecting with someone), just not in a verbal tense. The whole point of writing is to connect with someone and to share an idea or information about something. 

Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this article. Sarah Allen takes the perspective of the student to try and understand why some students don't like writing. However, she gives the students hope by explaining how no one is a gifted prodigy when it comes to writing. Writing is an art that must be practiced in order to become better at it.