What is my relationship with writing?

In “Re-narrating Teacher Identity: Telling Truths and Becoming Teachers,” Anna Schick described the writing prompt she gave to her first writing workshop group. They were to write a letter addressed to her, answering the question, “What is your relationship with writing?” This question made me pause and reflect on my own relationship with writing - why don’t I choose to spend my time writing anymore? - so I wanted to try the exercise myself.

I addressed my letter to Anna, Jasmine, and Jordan, since you are the three who will likely read it. I still have a lot of processing to do, because I feel a kind of mental block when I try to delve deep into this question, but the beginnings of my thoughts are written below.

One more quick thought I had was that this would be a great exercise to do with students toward the beginning of the year, before the start of a writing unit. Whether that’s creative writing or essay writing, having some insight into how our students feel about writing right from the start will help us tailor lessons and approach skills in a way that is sensitive to their personal writing histories and journeys.

Dear Anna, Jasmine, and Jordan,

When I was a junior in high school, my language arts teacher shared this William Wordsworth quote with us: “Poetry is the overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.” Any writing that I choose to do (i.e. writing that is not for class or work) falls into that category - when I am overwhelmed by an experience or a thought and absolutely must process it outside of my own head, I write. My journals are essentially collections of very dramatic moments from my life, from 6th grade onward, since I only turn to journaling during those moments of overflow.

I wrote about moments of loneliness, motivation, confusion, crushes, and the like. I don’t feel as powerful an impulse to write when the source of my feelings are stress from school/work/etc., and so I have not written in my journal for quite a while. As a result, my relationship with writing has become a begrudging one. I will drag my fingers over the keyboard to type an essay, to get it out of the way, but I haven’t gotten genuine joy from writing in a long time.

Writing with authenticity requires vulnerability, which is why I usually opt to use formal language rather than write with feeling or candor. I do miss this feeling, of writing honesty and sharing that honesty with others, so I hope that I am able to become reacquainted with styles of writing beyond the heavily academic and impersonal.

Sincerely,
Leyla

Photo Credit: https://studybreaks.com/culture/nanowrimo-step-up-your-writing-game/