Six Word Memoir

               Don't just have a life: LIVE

Writer's Block

Ever have trouble starting a paper or telling a story?  Writers block isn't technically a medical problem, but executive dysfunction (the inability of some children and adults to plan, organize, pace, and complete tasks) is (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 330).  If you've ever procrastinated or had writers block, you've exhibited the symptoms of executive dysfunction.

The actual process of writing isn't painful, but getting the writing done can prove to be difficult because we constantly use excuses and distractions to put it off.  "I should vacuum before my family comes home", "I can't focus with this messy room", and "Maybe I should start cooking dinner" are all excuses that I have used when I am unsure of what to write or bored with what I am writing.

Another factor that makes writing difficult is the fact that is has no exact time limit.  An essay can take anywhere from two hours to two weeks to write.

So what is the solution when you'd rather be cleaning than writing?

• Break the project into parts.  Instead of becoming overwhelmed and thinking about the 10 page paper you have to write, divide it into more manageable parts.  Doing the work in chunks and patting yourself on the back when you finish one chunk will motivate you to continue writing.
• Set manageable goals.  Don't plan to work on your research paper on Saturday, leaving a full day to do it will just allow time for procrastination.  Instead, tell yourself that you're going to work for two hours on Saturday morning so you can really concentrate for those two hours.  If you don't know how much time the project will take, set a time goal to work rather than having an open ended commitment (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 331).
• Create a calendar.  For long term assignments, create a timeline for work and STICK TO IT.  Break the task into parts and estimate how much time each stage of the project will take you to complete (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage  331).  Then, put the tasks in the order you need to accomplish them.  Keeping track of your progress will allow you to track how you are doing on completing your project and if you are going at a good pace.
• Limit distractions.  Close your door, turn off the TV, and put your phone far away where it won't tempt you.  The more you are able to concentrate on the task at hand, the faster and easier your project will be to complete.
• Do the parts you like first.  If you write the more intriguing parts first, the rest of the paper may seem to come to you easier.  And who said you have to write a paper from intro to conclusion every single time?  Your teacher won't know the difference between you writing it in order and you writing it backwards.  Once you have the portions you like already composed, you'll be more inclined to continue the paper and it will seem more manageable (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 333)
• Write a zero draft.  A zero draft is a version of the paper composed in one sitting, basically nonstop (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 333).  This process is comparable to freewriting and once you have completed your zero draft, you may have also completed the brainstorming, reading, and research as well as created a thesis.  Now, some simple editing and detail will change your zero draft into a real paper.
• Reward yourself.  If you create an incentive for yourself, you will be more inclined to write.  For example, you've been craving a smoothie all day, but instead of just allowing yourself to go get one, how about you write the introduction first?  I guarantee that smoothie will taste 10x better with that part of your paper done.

So don't get to worried when writers block hits.  The simple solutions listed above or just giving yourself some time to think will solve the problem easily and you'll be back to typing a million miles a minute in no time.

Still having issues after trying my tips?  Check out this website.  It gives more information on some of the ideas listed above, and a few extra ideas.

High, Middle, and Low Style

Even though you may have no idea what I am talking about when I reference "high, middle, and low styles", I guarantee you use each of these weekly, or even daily.  These styles refer to the choices you make about sentence length, sentence type, vocabulary, and punctuation in order to create a distinct verbal style (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 366).  High style is considered to be formal, while low is very informal and colloquial, and middle style is obviously in the middle of the two; it is not formal writing, however it is also not considered totally informal.

High Style Writing: Formal, Scientific, Scholarly

This professional type of writing is found in legal briefs, editorials, scholarly books, professional journals, and other formal documents (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 367).  You can recognize high style writing by looking for these signs:

• Serious subjects
• Professional audiences
• Formal vocabulary
• Complex patterned sentences
• No contractions
• Standard document design

High style writing, such as that found in the Holy Bible, can be compared to dressing formally and professionally.

  


Middle Style: Personal, Argumentative, Some Academic

This style falls between the extremes of low and high style.  It is used in journalism, popular books, magazines, and manuals.  Middle style should be utilized in position papers, personal statements, and business e-mails (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 369).  Use the following signals to try to recognize middle style writing:

• Serious to humorous topics
• General audience
• Range of points of view (first person, second person)
• Human voice rather than instructional voice
• General vocabulary
• Some slang, dialogue, contractions
• Conventional grammar

Middle style writing, such as that found in People magazine, is comparable to casual but presentable type of clothing, like khakis, nice jeans, and a nice shirt.

         

Low Style: Personal, Informal, Playful

Though low style writing is usually informal and unprofessional, it should not be viewed in a negative sense.  Low style should be utilized for personal e-mails or text messages, blogs, and advertisements (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 371).  This style of writing should be used on occasions where you need to sound more at ease and open.  Here are some signs of low writing style:

• Everyday topics
• In-group readers
• Personal points of view
• Short or incomplete sentences
• Pop culture or street vocabulary
• Unconventional grammar
• No systematic acknowledgement of sources

Low style writing, like that used in advertisements, can be compared to extremely casual and informal clothing.

        

Narrative Writing

Even if you have yet to write a narrative down, we have all shared bits and pieces of our lives in writing.  By doing this, you have written a personal narrative.  Personal implies that you are telling a story from a perspective that is unique and special to you, and that you are giving details that you and only you could know (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 4).  That is the idea of a narrative, to describe events in people's lives and give the description from a personal perspective in order to add more depth to the narrative.

When you write a narrative, you should expect that it does the following:

• Tell a story.  The narrative can do something as simple as reflect on your outfit you wore today, or it can do something as complex as tell the story of your childhood.  Be careful not to ramble in narratives; your story should select specific events that are important to the plot.
• Make a point.  Some narratives will be straight to the point with little detail and only stated for a specific purpose.  Others will be more reflective and allow you to connect with your readers or audience.  Some narratives are even written for the writer as a type of therapy, to confront an issue or get a weight off their chest (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 6).
• Include details.  In order to make people remember what you said, you must try to bring your story to life by adding senses and details.  This makes the narrative credible and honest, and assures readers that you have an insiders perspective (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 6).

Finding a topic for a narrative is not a difficult task because you usually know what events you want to share or write about.  When telling your story, you also know your audience well enough to know how to tell your story (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 9).  Different audiences will expect the story in different ways, as you might swear and joke while telling your friends about a bad grade but you will probably be serious when explaining the grade to your parents.  Once in a while though, a topic may prove difficult to come up with.  If this happens, here are some strategies to find one.

• Brainstorm and build lists.  Ask others what they are writing about or look up ideas on websites and blogs. 
• Make sure it is manageable.  Though writing about a monumental event like deaths, marriages, sports games, or accomplishments may seem intriguing, you must also make sure that the topic is not too much to take on.  You must find a way to express these topics originally and from a a new and fresh angle.

Once you have decided on a topic, you have finished the easy part.  Now it is time to begin writing your narrative.  While writing, there are many objectives you must fulfill in order to make your narrative a masterpiece.  Understanding your audience, finding and developing materials, creating a structure, and choosing a style are all tasks that need to be completed in narrative writing (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 10).  Don't worry though, I will break each of these tasks down for you right now.

Understanding Your Audience

• Select events that will keep your readers interested.  Sorry, but not many people want to read about how you spent last Friday night cleaning your room.  When writing, you must consider what parts of your topic will matter to readers and which parts you can exclude.  If events have to do with the plot or are important to the story line or maybe just add a funny tidbit to the story, then go ahead and throw them in.  But you must also learn to cut other parts out that may bore your reader or cause them to lose the story line.
• Pace the story effectively.  Dragging on every minute of your day for a page and a half is probably too slow moving, so keep your narrative moving ahead.  Early on, you may need a slower pace to introduce characters and the setting, but as the action picks up, so should the pace (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 11).
• Tailor your writing to intended readers.  Before writing, consider this.  What type of people will be reading this narrative?  For informal writing, slang and brisk action might be useful (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 11).  But for an academic or formal situation, you may need to sharpen up and use neutral language.  Be careful in this circumstance, because while you want the narrative to be professional, you want it to also have texture and be intriguing (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 11).

Finding and Developing Materials

• Consult documents.  If you can't remember the sequence of events for your narrative, try retracing your steps to jog your memory or try looking through any journals, diaries, or calendars you might have.
• Look at pictures.  Not only do photographs and videos help you to remember details for your narrative, but they can also generate more ideas of what to incorporate into your narrative.
• Trust your experiences.  You must be confident in what you are writing about or your narrative will not reach full potential.  Don't underestimate your own expertise.

Creating Structure

• Write a simple sequence.  Put your events in order chronologically.  This is the natural choice for a narrative and holds only a few complications.  To write a simple sequence, all you have to do is record one event after another, like in a journal or diary (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 14).
• Build your story towards a climax.  This is a more complex narrative that presents events which lead toward a climax and not always in chronological order.
• Use images to improve your story.  Though describing events in detail can be good, using images or illustrations helps the reader to completely understand what the setting was and what was going on.  

Choosing a Style and Design

• Don't be afraid to use first person.  Since you are writing a personal narrative, a lot of times it is best to tell it in first person in order to incorporate all your own thoughts and feelings easily.  
• Use figures of speech.  Metaphors, similes, and analogies can help tell the story by comparing it to something the reader can relate to.  Using these figures of speech also ensure that your story has detail and depth (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 17).
• Incorporate strong words.  "Freezing" sounds more powerful than "very cold", so instead of using multiple weaker words, use a single strong word to make your point.  Doing this puts emphasis on the detail.
• Develop lead characters through events and dialogue.  The readers will better understand the major characters if they see how these characters act in situations, rather than are told what a character is like.  Being able to describe the character and tell of their actions will best introduce the character to the readers (Ruszkiewicz and Dolmage 19).

Western Technical College's online writing center posted several samples of narratives, as well as an online handbook with more information on writing narrative essay.  To visit this website, click here.

So now you have all the tools to make your narrative the best it can be.  By utilizing the information above and ensuring that your story does all of the these things, you can allow your narrative to reach full potential.  One final thing, don't be afraid to express yourself.  In writing, you must follow guidelines but you are also able to show your personality through voice and style and this allows you to be yourself.  Good luck!