Thank you for taking the time to consider author Maya Angelou's ideas about how dreams play into the writing process. Please do a New Post on your blog with your answers to 4-6 of the questions on the yellow handout I gave you. Your post should be a decent length (500 words) if you've provided thoughtful answers. Title the post Writers Dreaming. Also include an image (of Maya, of something connected to dreaming or an aspect of one of your answers) on this post.If you're interested in learning more about Maya Angelou, her interesting life and her beloved works, you can start at her official website. I bought this t-shirt showcasing her autobiography (one of my favorite books) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings from a little store downtown next to Maria's called 5# Apparel. Most of the proceeds the store nets are donated to charities around the world. You can also find the t-shirt and others featuring classic, challenged books (ones that have been put on banned books lists at one time or another) at Out of Print. Click the "Shop" link to get to the t-shirts--the site donates a book to Books for Africa for every purchase made. I'd like to do some thinking next week about books that have made a difference to us as people and as writers, and I wonder if you've read any of the classics featured on their other shirts...
If you didn't finish and/or post your color story on Wednesday, please do that today also.
You can continue to customize your blog layout with gadgets in the right column, maybe a new background or header. Click on the Edit Profile link on your Dashboard and fill in the information about yourself. You can also have a look at your classmates' pages. If you're inclined to comment, be sure to be positive and supportive and write in the best English you can. Please don't be lazy and write in all lowercase with no punctuation, and don't leave only meaningless "what's up/i heart you" type comments.
I love that several of you have mentioned you "dream" of becoming professional writers. Leave a comment here telling us why you'd like/not like to be a professional writer and/or what kind of writing you see yourself doing. Stephenie Meyer said on Oprah (in a clip I'd like us to watch next week) that she always heard that was an unrealistic, financially hopeless goal, but I hope that no matter what anyone says, if that's your dream, you go for it. Seems like you'd regret not trying more than you'd regret taking a shot at it...
I'd love to be professional writer because I love stories and I love telling them. Sometimes the only thing a person can turn to is imagination. And to nurture that in people... the thought is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteI would either write fiction or poetry, no doubt. Probably both. I love the fantasy, mystery and adventure genres.
But it really isn't practical or realistic.
Writing for me is more of a hobby now. When I was younger I carried a notebook with me everywhere and always made characters from anything that I could possibly lay eyes on. For a while I guess I kind of thought that art couldn't be an actual career, so I took up writing for a while. I've been educated since then of course, so now I only write when I need to document a time of my life. One of these days I might write an entire account on my timeline as far as art goes, or maybe not. The whole process of writing overwhelms me at times so when it's just me writing about me then I feel no outside pressure. When I live somewhere busier where I can draw up inspiration I can see myself writing short stories of some sort.
ReplyDeleteWriting has been a crutch for me. Like this shiny pink walker that carries my elderly soul and gets me mocked by the rest of the retirement home. I love it. I will fight tooth and nail to do what I love. Writing is the reason I keep going. The positive reactions to my work make me happier than anything and the negative reactions to my work tear me down more than anything else. I don't plan on putting the figurative pen down any time soon. With that said I also encourage any and all other people who have so much as found a poem they like to just jot something down from time to time. It helps you study you and provides you the ability to keep your mind sharp. I am going to be an author one day.
ReplyDeleteI like writing creatively. I would love to publish something at some point. Maybe a collection of short stories or poems. Maybe a novel. It won't be my career, but writing will always be a hobby of mine.
ReplyDeleteStay fresh, people.
Writing has been a crutch for me. Like this shiny pink walker that carries my elderly soul and gets me mocked by the rest of the retirement home. I love it. I will fight tooth and nail to do what I love. Writing is the reason I keep going. The positive reactions to my work make me happier than anything and the negative reactions to my work tear me down more than anything else. I don't plan on putting the figurative pen down any time soon. With that said I also encourage any and all other people who have so much as found a poem they like to just jot something down from time to time. It helps you study you and provides you the ability to keep your mind sharp. I am going to be an author one day.
ReplyDeleteI would not like to be a professional writer because none of my papers ever make any sense. If I did have to become a writer like if it was a life or death choice then I would have to say I would become a children book writer or something like that because Dr. Seuss never really made any sense but look where he got.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to be a professional writer because I like the idea of sharing my imagination and thoughts in written word form with others. While I prefer a certain type of writing more than others, I believe that there is nothing better than writing as I can also communicate my thoughts and feelings better through that. Also, I think that having a world of my own and others to share it with would be great.
ReplyDeleteI would not like to be a professional writer. Not because I don't love writing, but because I don't want it to feel like a job. I like to keep my work life and my creative outlets separate. Not that I can't love my job and have fun in my career because I know I will, but knowing that something I love to do has a deadline bothers me. I love writing when I am inspired and when it doesn't feel like it has to be done. I tend to procrastinate on writing when I know it has to be done. When I write a song, short story, or anything else I want to do it because I feel inspired to do so. Some writers can work well and creatively with a deadline, but it is the exact opposite for me. And I know a lot of careers that involve someone being a writer involves deadlines.
ReplyDeleteI am a writer of perspective. I like to put myself in someone else's shoes and observe. It is interesting to try and tap into someone else's mindset and tell their story whether it be through song, books, or scripts.
i am planning on writing professionally. i am going into journalism and am planning on focusing more on print journalism. at some point in my life, i'd also like to be in a place where i am able to write a book or a few books of my own. writing is the only thing i've ever seen myself doing, and i plan on doing it even if i suck at it. writing makes me happy. that's all that matters.
ReplyDeleteIt would be something I'd be highly interested in. However, knowing myself, I would probably not have the attention span or the motivation to apply myself. But, if I ever decided to try to do it when I got older and more consistent, I would love to. You share ideas, and empowering messages through writing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know for sure if I want to be a professional writer mostly just because I don't even know if I'm even good enough. If i did write books they would probably be non-fiction books about things I know a lot about. If I wrote fiction they'd be mysteries or something suspenseful (but not horror).
ReplyDeleteI would love to be a professional writer. It'as actually one of my dreams. I could write about a plethora of topics. I could see myself writing a fantasy series, or young adult John Green-esque type of stuff. I have tons of ideas for books and short stories, so being a professinal author could actually be a future for me.
ReplyDeleteI would like to be a professional writer but the problem is that I hate sitting down and actually writing. This may sound odd but I like coming up with the stories and writing them in my head when I am bored. It takes me awhile to get my thoughts down on paper and even when I do, I often will not let anyone read it until it is perfect, which is never.
ReplyDeleteAlong with an illustrator, being a professional writer is something I have considered doing sense I was a little kid. I have always written but my problem is I can't finish a novel; I can only write short stories. Maybe with some more practice I will be able to write a young adult novel some day.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be a professional writer and plan on it too! (As of now) my plans are majoring in journalism. Writing would be the perfect career choice for me because I want to be traveling a lot which requires a flexible schedule and many writing job only requires a laptop so I can take my work anywhere I want to go.
ReplyDelete