Overcoming Writer’s Block

Hi there, Roxy Readers! Welcome back to the blog! I have to admit something. This blog entry was hard to write. I knew what I wanted to write about, but I couldn’t get the words down on paper. It’s kind of funny, actually, considering that today’s topic is “writer’s block.” Although some would say that writer’s block is not real, those of us who have struggled to put words down on a blank sheet of paper would certainly disagree. Today, I want to share some strategies to help you overcome writer’s block; try some of these tips the next you are struggling to put some words down on paper. 

• Stream of consciousness writing

Start by writing anything that pops into your mind. Don’t worry about organization or grammar; just get your thoughts down on paper. This will get you started, and you might find that you can use more of it than you think.

• Bullet points

Write down any ideas you think you will want to include in your writing. Whether the bullet points are a few words or a few sentences long is up to you. Don’t give yourself any rules—just write what comes to mind.

• Resist the urge to edit as you go

It can be hard to leave a sentence alone when you spot an error or a word that does not sound quite right, but if you stop to correct it while writing, you might lose your train of thought. Based on my past experiences, I’ve learned to insert comments in my Word Doc that highlight what I’m not satisfied with and say something brief such as “not the right word” or “needs work.” This only takes a minute or two to do, and then I continue writing. Try not to focus on any errors or correct them until you’re done writing.

• Use a recording app on your phone or computer

Try recording yourself as you talk about what you want to write or what you have to say about the topic. Again, don’t stress over how long you should talk. Talk until you are out of ideas, and then stop the recording. As soon as you can, sit down at your computer, hit play on the recording, and type out what you said. You might find that you had already written most of the essay in your head. 

• Sit down with a friend or family member and talk to them about the assignment, recording yourself if possible

Tell a friend or family member what you want to write about and what you think so far about your topic. This might feel less intimidating, enabling you to get it done. I suggest recording yourself so that you don’t forget what you said when you sit down in front of your computer. However, sometimes even just talking to someone about your topic and ideas can get the words flowing.

That’s all I have for today, Roxy Readers! Thank you for being a lovely audience, as always! I managed to break through my Writer’s Block, and there are few feelings quite as satisfying. 

See you next time the sun is up, the breeze is cool, and the waves roll into view. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Roxy

Overcoming Writing Struggles

Hi there, Roxy Readers! While I was out on the water today, I was talking to one of my friends about how much I enjoy writing, and she asked me whether English had always been one of my best subjects. When I said no, she was surprised, and that got me thinking. I want to wash away the belief that if someone is a good writer, they’ve always been good, and if someone struggles with writing, they can never hope to improve. Let me tell you about one of my biggest writing challenges and how I overcame it.

Although I’ve enjoyed writing in my spare time for many years, I usually fell in the middle of the pack grade-wise in my English classes. In fact, it wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I decided to make a genuine effort at improving my writing. My English teacher that year returned my first essay, and I was shocked to see that I’d earned a C. It was passing, sure, but I’d worked hard on that essay; I enjoyed writing in my spare time, so a C was unacceptable to me. However, instead of feeling discouraged, I swore to myself that I would work hard, and, by the end of the year, I would make an A on an essay for that class.

Each essay that year found me working harder than the one before, and I poured over my teacher’s notes and suggestions, trying to pinpoint exactly what she wanted from me and how I could impress her. I also went to her class a few times after school to ask questions about her feedback. Each essay received a higher grade than the one before, but none of them had the A written on the top that I’d been striving toward. However, with each failure, I became more determined. By the time the last essay rolled around, I decided to use her notes and throw my past writing habits out, at least temporarily. I would incorporate all of her suggestions, and I would earn that A. I spent hours working on the essay, and after turning it in, I waited with bated breath to see if my efforts would pay off.

To my immense satisfaction, the efforts did pay off, and I had achieved my goal! I told myself that I would change my writing only for that essay, but I can see a clear divide between my writing before that year and my writing afterward. I might have only been striving toward making a better grade in that one class, but I improved my writing in general.

This experience is far from my only struggle with writing, but it is my favorite story to tell because I think it shows that writing is just like any other hobby or skill. We don’t expect ourselves to excel the first time we try to cook. We know that it will take time, practice, and effort to become a good chef. The same is true of writing. I encourage you to practice, to be patient with yourself, and to seek out help when you need it or have questions. Speak with your professors about your writing and their feedback. They will likely respect your desire to improve your writing, and if you’re a Del Mar student, consider coming to the Stone Writing Center to work with a tutor on your writing. We can certainly get you on the right track! The writing center is a resource I wish I’d had access to as a sophomore in high school, and I bet I would’ve earned that A even earlier in the semester with their guidance.

Thank you, Roxy Readers. I appreciate all of you, and I believe that each of you has a wonderful writer within you. Be sure to give your inner writer what they need to shine!

See you next time the sun is up, the breeze is cool, and the waves roll into view. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Roxy

Understanding Assignment Instructions

Hi there, Roxy Readers! I’ve been thinking recently about how intimidating it is to look at assignment instructions, especially when they’re lengthy. We want to be sure to include all the necessities in our essay, and we sometimes spend more time stressing over meeting the instructions than we do writing. So, today, let’s talk about how to break down assignment instructions so that they’re easier to understand.

• Highlight the big picture items
• I often start by highlighting important parts of the assignment instructions. For example, if there is a paragraph in the instructions discussing MLA format, which is a requirement for the assignment, I would highlight only “use MLA format.” Then I can glance at the highlighted words of the paragraph to know what that part of the instructions requires. Later, when I’m ready to format my essay, I can quickly find the paragraph that outlines what I should do.
• Make a checklist
• After highlighting, I pull out a piece of scratch paper and write down a bulleted list of everything the instructor has specified the essay should do. The list includes things such as the topic of the essay, but it also includes any words that I should avoid.
• Making a checklist is helpful for writing and revising. I like to read through my essay a few times while revising, each time focusing on one or two bullet points. If I’ve met those requirements, I check them off the list.
• Re-read the assignment instructions
• After you have written the essay, look back over the assignment instructions to see whether you completed every part. Keep in mind that sometimes it can be easy to miss small specifications or rules, and it is always good to double-check in case you missed something when highlighting or creating your checklist.
• If the instructions ask questions, be sure you’ve answered them all.
• Keep an eye out for words like: “Most importantly”
• If there is a part of the assignment instructions that says, “most importantly,” be sure you have met that requirement. Likely, the entirety of your essay should address whatever is most important according to the assignment instructions.

Thank you, Roxy Readers, for being such a wonderful audience! I hope this takes some of the fear out of looking over assignment instructions. Remember the old saying of how to eat an elephant—one bite at a time? I don’t care for that saying, so I think I’ll say instead: “How do you eat a family-sized box of cookies by yourself? One cookie at a time!” In the same way, it will be easier for you to digest your assignment instructions one highlighted section or bullet point at a time.
 

See you next time the sun is up, the breeze is cool, and the waves roll into view. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Where in the world is the Stone Writing Center?

Roxy Readers, SWC IS BACK! We are thrilled to let you know that lots of new blog entries are coming your way. To all our Vikings, this is where we are. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by! We'd love to chat with you about your writing.

This site best viewed using Firefox.

Have we met? Hello from the SWC!

Hey, Roxy Readers! Rylie is here to welcome you to the Stone Writing Center!

I am so grateful to be back with you! Our world has been through some challenges these past 18 months, but the Stone Writing Center is still here to help you with all things writing. Perhaps you’re a new reader and not familiar with us, so please let me introduce you to the SWC!

The Stone Writing Center has been around since 1976, and the tutors here, all of whom have at least a bachelor’s degree (and some even have a master’s degree!), are all very friendly and excited to help you with every part of the writing process. Although we each enjoy a different stage of writing, we’re all happy to help you, whether you’re just getting started, working on revisions, or putting together your citations!

If you’re a student at Del Mar College, access to the Stone Writing Center is included in your tuition. You can submit to us online by going to delmar.edu/swc and selecting “Online Tutoring” and then enrolling using your Del Mar Canvas username and login information. From there, you will take what looks like a quiz. In reality, it’s just a form that gives us a better understanding of what you need help with specifically. And don’t worry—the “quiz” is not for a grade! We also like working on all kinds of papers, whether it’s a literary analysis for an English class, a discussion over your favorite hobby for your speech class, or anything in between! We can even offer some feedback on resumes!

I know that submitting writing online can be a bit intimidating, and it might feel like your submission should be as close to perfect as possible by the time you submit it to us, but that’s not the case! I’ve had students submit outlines and introductions only, asking if they were on the right track as far as meeting assignment instructions went. The writing process can be challenging, and we never want you to feel alone! If you hit a wall and want some feedback, but you aren’t yet finished writing, submit it to us anyway! We might be able to offer some helpful advice that will get you back on track.

What’s the best thing about online help, you ask? Well, it’s got to be that we’re available 24/7! Some people submit writing at 9AM on a Tuesday morning, and some people submit writing at 2AM on a Saturday morning. Just like our students have varying sleep schedules, so do we! I tend to be a night owl when I’m allowed to follow my body clock, so I’ve assessed some students as late (or early) as 4AM!

Finally, I know that not every student is used to everything being done online. There have certainly been a few times I’ve run into a wall when it comes to technology. It can be hard and frustrating to navigate online and on screen. If you have questions about accessing our online services or understanding feedback a tutor gave you, it might be worthwhile to give us a call! We’re happy to help you however we can!

Stay tuned to learn more about each of our individual tutors! They look forward to introducing themselves to you!

Write on, Roxy Readers!

-Rylie

See you next time the sun is up, the breeze is cool, and the waves roll into view. ‘Til then, hang ten!

Summer 2021

 

It's a Blog Takeover! Getting Started - Part 1

Dear Roxy Readers - Spring has finally sprung, and I am excited to share more writing tips from Rylie, a Stone Writing Center tutor. Read on to see her suggestions about getting started on a writing project!

I look forward to seeing you next time the sun is up, the breeze is cool, and the waves roll into view.

Roxy

Hi, everyone!

If this blog seems a little different than what you’re used to, it’s because Roxy let me guest star for another special topic today. Thanks for letting me chime in on your blog again, Roxy! Today, I’d like to talk about something many people struggle with when it comes to writing: getting started.

I’ve certainly struggled with starting writing projects throughout the years. Writing is one of my favorite things, yet that blank page still scares me sometimes (although not as much as spiders). Remember, just because you struggle to get started doesn’t mean that you’re a bad writer. Still, issues with getting started can cause trouble when you’ve got a deadline to meet, so how do we push past that apprehension? One of the biggest problems I have boils down to finding my focus—my interest—for the essay. Although the cause for my lack of interest differs for each assignment, I’ve found a solution for each.

Have you ever felt a topic was boring or too vague? I used to begrudgingly accept that the assignment wasn’t going to be fun or interesting and press forward. Eventually, I decided I’d had enough of writing papers that bored me to tears, so I started to look for fresh angles that inspired me. Although it took me a bit longer, I found that I wrote my papers faster and the end result was better.

For example, if you had to write a critical analysis over a book you found boring, it might seem impossible to make the prompt interesting, but you can use your dislike for the novel to your advantage. Think about why you didn’t like it. Did you disagree with one of its messages? Were the characters unlikable? Did the plot drag on? Each of those can be used as the basis for your essay, but be careful not to rant. Similarly, if you like the topic, think about why. Determining why you like or dislike something can help make the subject more interesting. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I’ve struggled to write because I had too many ideas for an essay. If you’re someone who struggles to come up with one idea, I can imagine you’re rolling your eyes. It sounds like the dream, right? In truth, however, too many ideas can be overwhelming because it’s hard to stay focused. If this is a problem for you, try making a bulleted list with a sentence or two for each of your ideas. This exercise will help you determine what you can write the most about.

There are also times when the prompt seems so personal that you struggle to write anything. When that happened to me, I stared at a blank page for hours, writing and deleting sentences more times than I care to remember. How did I eventually write the essay? I found a way to distance myself so that I could manage my emotions. See if you can approach the prompt from a different angle that has fewer personal and emotional ties. Remember, you are in charge of how much you share, and there’s often a way to tackle these assignments without added stress.

Conversely, you might have a prompt that you desperately want to answer using your own personal experiences. You might be crushed if your professor says that you can’t use examples from your own life, and you wind up not knowing what to write about. If that’s the case, remember that your experiences can be used as a starting point for your essay even if you don’t write about them. Use your personal knowledge of the subject to inform your research. That way, you won’t refer to your own experiences, but your essay will still cover the same ideas.

That’s all I have to say about getting started for now. Remember, finding an interest in a prompt will always motivate you to start writing. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with your readers, Roxy!

Rylie