Dialectical Notebook: Lamott, King, Diaz

Response	Quotation
I chose this quote because it shows how many professional writers are often times under pressure. They are forced to write in order to live and survive.	“One writer I know tells me he sits down every morning and says to himself nicely, ““It’s not like you don’t have a choice, because you do – you can either type or kill yourself”” (Lamott 301).
This quote is significant because it shows how the first draft of anything usually isn’t perfect. Students need to learn to not get discouraged by the thought of a large paper. The best thing you can do is start writing.	“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere”(Lamott 303).
I feel that this is a very important quote. Although for Lamott it is taken in a very literal sense, I think anyone can relate to it because blocking out any unwanted distractions can help with writing anything and can help you focus on your thoughts.	“Quieting these voices is at least half the battle I fight daily” (Lamott 303).
I like King’s interpretation of telepathy because in a sense, that is what writing is. Readers are able to create the image in their mind that the writer is trying to convey to them.	“You’ll notice I have nothing up my sleeves and that my lips never move. Neither, most likely, do yours” (King 306).
I feel that often times, many writers try to impress the readers by putting in un-godly amounts of imagery, details, symbols, etc. And, that sometimes this can take away from the joy of just plain reading.	“A prissy attention to detail takes all the fun out of writing” (King 306).
This quote shows how even professional writers have trouble writing and how it doesn’t always come naturally to them. This quote made me think of Allen’s article, and how writing is not always enjoyable, even for the people who do it everyday.	“It took two more years of heart-break, of being utterly, dismayingly lost before the novel I had dreamed about for all those years finally started revealing itself” (Diaz 320).
This quote almost directly relates to Lamott’s quote above. When a student gets discouraged or disheartened about writing a paper, the best thing to do is to just keep writing, even if you don’t like it.	“Even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any signs of promise, you keep writing anyway” (Diaz 320).