When I came into class weeks ago to see our finished Literacy Narrative Map, my face honestly lit up. To see so many different, individual, and unique stories being shared in a classroom setting was an amazing sight to see, emphasized through the visual of the small little google map markers scattered across the globe like a clear starry night. It took me back honestly to my first-year writing class. The only assignment that we had for the whole semester was to write and workshop in class a 15 page + book where we would write about something that we were dying to tell the world. I say that it took me back though as if it was like 10 years ago. But I said this to my dad the other day. College moves so fast, but when I look back at all of the work that I’ve done over that short period of time, I honestly don’t know how I’ve done it/continue to do it.
I digress. I mention this class a lot when I talk about writing in University with other students and people, primarily because I think it was a really profound and enlightening experience for me of what writing could be, and it allowed me to intake a diverse variety of perspectives. People from all over the country, and even I think one student who was an international student, who had different lifestyles, different aspirations, hopes, dreams, stories to tell the world. And I had the privilege to both share my story with them, but more importantly I think was the privilege that I had to listen to and read their stories. It showed me just how diverse writing could be, and for that I’m thankful.
When I was writing my narratives, I felt like a lot of the work that I had done in first year writing translated. I had to think about things like audience, and developed a style of writing that was uniquely my own. While it was different in that I was doing creative writing in my other class, this was still in many ways an exercise in creativity. How could I convey my experiences in a way that was meaningful and concise?
My first set of my narratives gravitated towards thinking about the best memories that I had about writing. Most of them were from school settings, educators that had made a difference in my life, and spaces where I felt the most comfortable reading and writing. I think the good is oftentimes the easiest. When you are so passionate about reading and writing that it becomes a part of you, like it does for many of us, thinking about the times where writing isn’t occurring or is blocked in some way is oftentimes painful. When we started to talk about as a class the idea of writing about moments where writing wasn’t occurring after the first round of drafts, my mindset shifted a little bit. It took more out of me to recall those situations, and writing about them wasn’t easy.
But in a way, I think that working through these moments is necessary. When we think critically and write about these situations where writing could not occur, I think it proves the point that writing can still occur even after severe roadblocks and limitations. Even if someone individually, a group of people, ideological structures, or other means prevented you from writing in that moment, the very fact that you can write about that now serves as a testament to your ability to be a writer. No one can take that away from you try as they might. Our ability to think critically and reflect is something inherent to being human. And instances where we reflect on difficult moments gives us agency, it shows that ultimately, we get a say in whether or not we can write or be considered writers.
I’m fortunate enough that I don’t have many of these moments, however, I have had my challenges and struggles in my writing. Writing about them gave me the opportunity to realize my ability and become closer to what I truly love. It made me realize how important writing is just to getting closer to ourselves, and the potential that it has both to tell stories, and help us look back and remember. I’ve never been one to really journal on a regular basis, but now I think I understand just a bit of why so many people do that. There’s something very personal and empowering about putting thoughts to words on pages, and it makes me wonder about how the ability to write personally can still prevail despite the challenges individuals face.
Tom Talks (and Learns) About Writing 