I Survived a Writing Class

Many people consider writing fairly easy, mainly because they have never done any serious writing themselves. Others compare it to arithmetic and science, but anyone who has been to writing class like I was for a year and a half knows that it is not exactly a walk in the park. Unlike arithmetic and the sciences, writing is an art and while others are busy stating facts and manipulating numbers, writing is actually a display of creativity. The writer is often required to come up with new ideas every time they write in order to capture the readers’ attention.

While I attended writing classes in college, there were many challenges that I had to face. I believe they are the same challenges that many writers face today in colleges all over the world. Nevertheless, I was able to graduate, albeit not without some difficulties. The main challenge was finding new ideas to write about. As a writer, a great level of creativity is needed. A writer is expected to come up with a new idea either in form of a fresh plot, an original or unique style of writing or an entirely different way of presenting their ideas if they want to score highly or have a successful career. While science and arithmetic revolves around understanding already existing ideas, writing depends more on creativity.

Another challenge writers experience is difficulty in self-expression. It is not surprising that one can have an idea and fail to find the correct words to put it down on paper. Suppose one is writing about an emotional experience, for instance. It may be difficult or even impossible to bring out the intensity of feelings so that the reader can feel them too, or explain the impact that they had on the character who felt them. Few writers can find the right words to explain a phenomenon so vividly that the reader can actually visualize the occurrences.

The use of language to bring out ones thoughts is not easy. This especially applies to those who are writing using any other language other than their first. It takes time for one to be fluent in a language that was not learned and used since childhood. It is no wonder that those who are writing using their second language rarely become as proficient as those using their first. Writing requires absolute mastery and proficiency in the language which the writer is using in order for them to use the correct grammar and at the same time find the most appropriate words and phrases to bring out their thoughts. Without mastery of the language, it can be difficult for the writer to achieve their intended objective.

There are other minor problems that writers face, like a lack of confidence. This is where the writer is not sure whether the article or story will appear as it is intended to. There is the fear of being unable to express oneself efficiently. There are also those writers who write for leisure. They experience the fear that the piece of literature may not be as interesting as they think it is, and may not captivate the reader. However, with the right focus and motivation it is possible to rise above these challenges and be successful in writing. I am living proof of that and I can attest that with the right amount of effort, success is inevitable.