Writing about Fiction

Well, I can definitely say that writing about fiction is far easier than writing my own fiction. Writing about fiction is easier because I am able to make my own interpretations about a piece of literature and argue my points. All of the elements of fiction are already in the story and I just have to unfold it. No matter how outrageous my argument may be, as long as I have solid backing for it, I am able to validate my interpretation.

In writing my own fiction, I found that it was just as difficult as writing my own poetry. Both activities required me to be creative and vulnerable. I was afraid that the readers would not understand some of the hidden meanings behind my writing. Trying to convey the message of the story was much more difficult than I expected. I thought that I would be able to write the story easily, but I was terribly mistaken. The hardest part was trying to use the perfect words and map out certain images to enhance my story. I found that choosing the right words meant everything in writing my own fiction. I also found that my sentences were just very straight forward and didn't contain a specific voice. When I read a piece of fiction, I get drawn into the speaker, or character's world. After reading my story the first time, I found that I could not be immersed in the world that I had created. Something just didn't seem right. So, I had my youngest brother read it over. He likes to write his own stories (which, by the way, are very good) when he gets bored, so I figured he would like to give me some comments. To him, I had failed miserably. He thought it was really boring and stupid. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

What bothered me the most was the fact that as an English major, I felt that I could do this activity, no problem. I didn't realize the amount of revision and preparation that needs to go into writing a story. I just seemed so easy to do. I guess taking something apart is far easier than putting something together.

So, in light of these revelations, I think that as a teacher, this activity will help me to grow along with my students. I think that it is wonderful to be able to share these kinds of experiences with students because it shows that as a teacher, I am not all-knowing or perfect. It might give the students a sense of relief and motivation to engage with literary activities more freely. Just as in the poetry exercise, I still feel that there should be some level of trust and respect when writing a creative piece. Some students tend to go overboard and get very inappropriate. I just hope that as a teacher, I will be able to not only encourage my student's creativity but to nurture it as well.