The writing process has been and probably will always be a topic to debate. There are so many styles and techniques people find most easy, in order to achieve worthy literature. For me, I must be interested and present when I write. Also, it is imperative that I enjoy the direction in which I am writing so I won't get too distracted. I have written a piece titled Mean Writers, which discusses the writing process at a round table setting. Sitting at the table are famous writers Don Murray, Mary Karr, Anne Lamott and soon to be famous writer, Myself. I have also included memorable quotes from each of their readings. For my personal enjoyment, I have decided to pay homage to the movie Mean Girls by connecting a similar setting and subtly changing some of the movie's most iconic lines. Mean Girls is such a cult classic and I absolutely adore everything about it. Hopefully in reading Mean Writers, I will encouraging my readers to write too! Mean Writers It's currently 12:00 pm, everyone's favorite time of day, writing time! Which takes place in the writing room.The Writing room is a well lit room full of windows filled with tons of paper: You should see it! They have all sorts of paper. Black Paper, White paper, Blank paper, sloppy unreadable paper and even balled up paper. It's always terribly busy with writers amongst their own disclosed communities sitting at round tables. There are the cool writers, the unfriendly writers, the desperate writers, writers who write their feeling and writers who actually don't write at all. And then there was my table and we go by the name "The Papers" We are the coolest writers you could ever meet!
We all knew it was better to be in the papers hating life, than to not be in at all. The Papers consisted of the very tight and always right Mary Karr, the very dramatic Anne Lamott, the intellectual Don Murray and Me, the struggle writer. I sit at the table and ask for a pen so I can start my book titled "the extinguished book" Anne quickly passes me her pen and lets me know that she needs it back. I start to write and for some reason cannot begin. I ask my table mates how they normally begin the writing process. As usually, Mary took the lead and proudly said "In the beginning, when there are zero pages, you have to cheer yourself into cranking stuff out, even if it lands on the cutting room floor." Anne then dramatically yells "It's hard to get your footing, and your fingertips get all red and frozen and torn up." I sit silently feeling discouraged and then Don calmly chimes in and says "Not overnight, for writing is a demanding, intellectual process; but sooner than you think, for the process can be put to work to produce a product which may be worth your reading." I perk up with understanding and cheerfully say "why yes, creating worthy literature takes time!" I neatly begin to write in my best font, cursive. Mary looks at my paper and gasp! She couldn't believe that I was writing so fancy for my first draft. Are you writing in cursive she spits. I stutter and answer yes, why? She says because it's a big ol' waste of time! If you're going to write like that starting off then YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US! Anne rolled her eyes and begin to tell me her way of starting. "First I try to breath, because I'm either sitting there panting like a lapdog or I'm unintentionally making slow asthmatic death rattles. So I just sit there for a minute, breathing slowly, quietly. I let my mind wander." I nod my head yes to agree. Don picked up and said listen. " In Prewriting, the writer focuses on the subject, spots an audience, chooses a form which may carry his subject to his audience. Prewriting may include research and day dreaming, note-making and outlining, title-writing and lead-writing." I'm exhausted I said "SO BASICALLY, Prewriting takes the most time in the writing process." Mary now has a look on her face as if she just taken a trip down memory lane. She snaps out of it and adds, why yes! you would need to find a subject! One time I found it extremely hard to write so I decided to write about "my mother, whom I'd vowed not to write about anymore. But-- surprise!-- that was exactly what I needed to write about -- how making peace with her legacy was something I had to do to become a mother myself." Anne noticed I'm still a little unconfident and said Tiffany, Listen "Very few writers really know what they are doing until they've done it." Don agrees as well and firmly says "We must listen carefully for those words that may reveal the truth, that may reveal a voice." I brighten up and say "I'm so happy with all of your encouragement! I now know that writing is a process and to not be so hard on myself when starting the product. I have to just start, freely." With that being said, the bell rings and I say see you all again on Wednesday. We all freeze and then say in unison "ON WEDNESDAY WE WRITE" we all laugh. We say our farewells and as I make a dash for the door I hear Anne yell "I WANT MY PINK PEN BACK! I WANT MY PINK PEN BACK!"
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Do you really know your true nature? Finding yourself for most people can take a lifetime. Only because we are always evolving and constantly inspired. We learn to even think and communicate differently and become more open! I wanted to find out my true self. I've reached a point in my life where I feel its really necessary to know who I REALLY am and what I truly stand for. Honestly, What better way to find out about myself than conducting a personal interview? Not just any interview, thee interview! I decided to answer the famous questions in the Proust Questionnaire, composed by French writer Marcel Proust. In doing So, I've found that I care about my Children more than I think. Most times I casually go about raising them because I'm their mother and I enjoy just being that. When actually, it's the Joy they bring to my life that makes the relationship so effortless and me want to be a better person and better to them. Also, I found that I actually do have an opinion on just about everything. While in person, I'm often reserved in saying how I feel about certain topics leaving me to feel like I don't actually care about the topic. That feeling is now proven a lie. Honestly fill out The Proust Questionnaire as I did and see what you learn about your true nature. Please check out my responses below. __1.__What is your idea of perfect happiness?
My idea of perfect happiness seems like it would be total life perfection but I can't really say because the bumps and flaws that I've had to overcome in my life have made me happy. Life changes and I believe during the different events and stages, a different type of happiness is acquired. __2.__What is your greatest fear? My Greatest fear would have to be dying too soon. I want to live and see my children live and finish taking them on adventures. I still want to enjoy all the good things life has to offer. __3.__What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? What I most deplore about myself is that I don't put my plans and dreams in motion. I have great ideas too :) __4.__What is the trait you most deplore in others? The trait I most deplore in others is the lack of humanity and prematurely passing judgment, OUTLOUD. __5.__Which living person do you most admire? I mostly admire my children but more so My daughter because she's so young and gutsy. It took me 25 years to get what she has at 4 years old! The word No used to be so hard for me to spit out, out of fear that I would let someone else down. But not my daughter, she doesn't play that. She says No Politely and means it! There's No compromising, no stroking your ego, No considering on how to make you feel better about her response. NO means no, unapologetically and I love it! __6.__What is your greatest extravagance? I honestly cannot recall because when i want something, whether its $1 or $100, I treat all of my belongings with love. __7.__What is your current state of mind? I currently am determined, tired and very anxious. Not really happy but not sad at all. __8.__What do you consider the most overrated virtue? The absolute most overrated virtue is when people say "a crime is a crime." That's not true( insert eye roll) Ex. The unjust treatment of Cyntoia Brown. Yes she killed a man but why did she do it! This poor girl served 15 years in prison for killing the man who bought her for sex. A forced, sex trafficking minor who was serving actual Life in prison with no parole until she was 50. How does that situation compare to Adults who rape and kill sometimes and don't even get that much time. Adults who kill multiple people just for sport. But they argue that she's a killer so a crime is a crime, I can't. __9.__On what occasion do you lie? I'm terrible at lying so I don't.. I'm always so transparent that i feel a lie is just so noticeable. I usually take the silent not answering that question, hope you forget you asked approach. My current lie would have to be giving credit to holiday fictional characters. I believe, believing in fairy tales makes for great personality. __10.__What do you most dislike about your appearance? I dislike my pregnant belly.. Even though a baby hasn't been in my belly for 4 years now :) __11.__Which living person do you most despise? I most despise cnn panelist Jason Miller. He always goes against the grain!! And When he's loosing a debate, he inserts petty snarky comments and over talks the person trying to make a point. He's annoying! I despise him! __12.__What is the quality you most like in a man? The quality I most love in a man is their physical and visible strength but yet the ability to be Soft and loving. __13.__What is the quality you most like in a woman? Our Compassion. __14.__Which words or phrases do you most overuse? "Oh My God, I can't" - I'm almost never in agreement with anything going on in the world. World wide or local. The world is F'D up! __15.__What or who is the greatest love of your life? I would have to say my Children. Before I feel in love with their father, naturally I loved my mother. But After having them I KNOW and am utterly certain on what the definition of love is, means, and feels like. __16.__When and where were you happiest? It's hard to say. There was a time in my life when i was advancing in what I thought would be my forever career. I was making the most money I've ever made while financial providing for my family. I remember thinking that time was real life happy. Now, I love who I am and although nowhere financially equal to my past, I have more time to love and exert my energy and importance into meaningful things and people in my life and this is happiness on an important level and not just a materialistic image. __17.__Which talent would you most like to have? I would love to be able to sing. The fact that I can't sing doesn't stop me. It would just be so dope if I actually sound good while doing it. __18.__If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would change the order in which I did things in my life but then again, I wouldn't have the people I love. Can I change the order and still end up with the people? __19.__What do you consider your greatest achievement? My greatest achievement would have to be every time I commit to something and it turns out great! Wait, is that happiness!? __20.__If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I would come back as a Lion. Beautiful, proud and Hungry! I'm going to eat and not be the eaten. __21.__Where would you most like to live? I would love to live here in my current city, Philadelphia. Just in a better house. preferably my own not rented. With a big yard, tall windows, rooms filled with light to create and feel inspired when I enter them and definitely more than one bathroom. I honestly hate waiting for a bathroom in my own home as if I'm in the bathroom line at the amusement park. __22.__What is your most treasured possession? My children! but if I have to pick a thing it might be my jewelry. I have some of the coolest pieces that I collected over the years. __23.__What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? To have so much talent and never let the world experience your thoughts and dreams. __24.__What is your favorite occupation? My favorite occupation is Art-ing (decorating, Painting, creating, Inspiring) and being a mother of course. __25.__What is your most marked characteristic? Being loving and forgiving. __26.__What do you most value in your friends? I most value her ability to say what i need to hear and not what she thinks I want to hear. We're different and regardless of our many similarities in hobbies, She tells me when I'm wrong! I'm a big girl. I appreciate that. __27.__Who are your favorite writers? I love poetry and motivational books so i would have to say Maya Angelou, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Rupi Kaur! __28.__Who is your hero of fiction? Jon Snow. I mean, he is King of the north. He really can do no wrong. Except for marrying Ygritte in real life. __29.__Which historical figure do you most identify with? I most Identify with Frida Kahlo. She was a loner yet full of love and personality. She didn't tolerate BS and relied on her art as a way to push through. We also Love our eyebrows. __30.__Who are your heroes in real life? My mother hands down! Not only because she raised me but for allowing me to express who I am and not who she wanted me to be. She's so dope! Seeing her strength, smile and resilience through the years. I'm never not impressed. I hope to have that impact on my children. __31.__What are your favorite names? Cameron and Camille. __32.__What is it that you most dislike? I dislike bad design. Why put a handle on a door if you have to push it?.. sigh __33.__What is your greatest regret? My greatest regret is not applying myself 15 years ago in High School. ALSO! My then foolish lack of interest to motivate myself when i knew i wasn't doing my best. Sometimes I could slap 15 year old Tiffany. All she was interested in was working, MTV reality shows, 106 and Park and being independent enough to buy materialistic shit while living at home with her mom not paying bills... sighh __34.__How would you like to die? I would love to die old but not a burden. I can see me being an annoying old lady blaming everyone for stealing my remote, preventing me from changing day time TV efficiently.. I'm going to pray for the best. __35.__What is your motto? If it's good for the soul: Do It! Even if you possibly fail at it. Do it so you can say you've done it! |
Tiffany swanI will use this blog to express my thoughts, creativity, and lust for life through literature. Archives
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