Our Narratives….

When we write for assignments with deadlines and “grades”, we are not often afforded the opportunity of the experience of real writers, which is to put away what we have written for a period of time before we come back to it. This distance in time allows us to see our own work in a more detached, objective way. Once we have lost familiarity with something we have written, we are able to read the writing with fresh eyes and open ears. With this distance in time, we can understand our writing with new insight and respect. The words seem less precious and we feel freer to play with them/change them.

I have copies of the narratives you wrote earlier this year. You all have B’s or A’s as assessments. I am collating them together to create a volume of stories like last year. However, I want to give each of you the opportunity, like real writers, to look once more at the words you have written, to read your story with fresh eyes.

Some time over break, find a moment of uninterrupted time. Pull out your narrative, a printed copy, and curl up with your cat (if you have one), or a warm throw, maybe even a cup of hot cocoa or sweetened tea, and reread your words. How do they sound to you now? How does the story feel to you? Does it still work? Are you impressed with what you have put together? Are there any changes you would make or does the story still stand firmly on its own? Read the story aloud. The flow of the words are more readily accessible this way. How do you think others would respond to your story? Is the message clear? Is the reason you wrote the story available to the reader? Have you conveyed your “so what?”

If you feel the need to make any changes to your narrative, please do so and hand in a reworked version when we return from break. I will be interested in hearing about your experience of rereading your narrative and how it felt having a month distance from the intensity of writing it. When we return, we will share (finally) our narratives aloud with each other.

Have a wonderful break! Get lots of rest. Let me know in comments how you like the music on the CD.

Namaste.