I often get complaints from students that writing is hard. Does that mean you should give up on it? Absolutely not! First, you should explore why writing seems hard for you. Then, you should practice, practice, practice. Does it help that, although I love to write, I also find it challenging?
One reason writing is hard is that it is subjective. Math can be hard, too, but at least in math you can show your work and you know if the answer is right or wrong. With writing, the teacher says something like, “This is almost what I was looking for, keep trying.” There is no right answer in writing, and often different teachers have different ideas about what is good writing.
Good writing is also dependent on a myriad of other skills. In order to write well, you need to have a good grasp of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure long before you even deicde what you want to say. Then you have to remember about topic sentences, introductions and conclusions, and developing your paragraphs. At times it seems that only the truly stout hearted will manage to be successful!
At the school where I teach, many parents learned English as a second language. They are very good at helping their students succeed at math and science, but they are completely unable to help with writing composition. Many of them never formally learned to write, no matter what country schooled them. Others learned so many rules they never enjoyed writing and are incapable of passing along a love of writing. Can I tell you a secret? Many teachers have never been taught how to write, and they hate it too. (yes, really!)
Okay, so writing is hard. But you’ve mastered many things that other people consider hard. I think riding a skateboard is hard, and I am completely incompetent at anything musical. Think about something you do well (basketball, homework, ballet, guitar, even video games). Now think about the very first time you picked up a basketball, or a guitar, or a game controller. Did you immediately make that three-point shot to win the game? Or take off on a rockin’ solo? Or obliterate the crazy dude and beat the level? No, you had to practice. In most cases, practicing is quite boring and painful. Even professional athletes and accomplished musicians will admit that practicing is not enjoyable, but they will all tell you it is necessary. If you want to get better at anything, you must practice. That includes writing. And guess what? The more you practice, the better you get at it, and the more fun it becomes.
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On my Kindle: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Practicing does help a lot!
If it were easy…
Writing isn’t about the product. It isn’t the novel, the story, the poem but rather the act of creating them that feeds me.
Tirz
Yes, Tirz! That’s true! and that’s one thing that makes it hard to teach!
Writing is hard, especially when editing
Yay, Jesse! Good for you!
Oh, Clyden, I feel your pain…..that story rewrite is due next week……
you made my writing totally better than last year!!!! 🙂
Thanks, Alyssa !
Whether you’re editing your work, editing your edits, or anything else like it, there is always room for improvement in writing.
Absolutely right! It can ALWAYS be made better…even after it’s published sometimes!
Writing is hard but you’re great at teaching Kathryn, my sister, she teaches me everything you teach her! (:
Mrs. Uleseit, you’re a great teacher! Even though writing is hard, you make it seem so easy!
writing is hard because you have to brainstrom and look for names.
Brainstorming and naming are the fun parts! You are still excited about the story then. The REWRITES are the hardest part for me, Brian!
it is hard
writing can be challenging sometimes. it could be hard or easy justin.
Graziela, What do you mean?
Writing may be difficult at times but it could also be easy but at times when it is just too confusing, ask someone, a teacher, an adult, or your parents. I would say having a teacher who is so focused into writing, like Mrs. Ulleseit, is someone you should ask if you need help writing.
Thanks, Kate 🙂
Writing, definition: The act or art of forming letters and characters on paper, wood, stone, or other material, for the purpose of recording the ideas which characters and words express, or of communicating them to others by visible signs.
A long definition like that. Well then,writing should be hard, but it takes a LONG time to master it. Just think of it as a rollercoaster, (what I learned from my awesome 5th grade teacher) it has ups and downs but practice makes PERFECT, (old theme).