***Warning: This post was written inside the mind of someone (very inside the mind) and then placed on paper. One may need more clarification in which case please feel free to comment and someone will respond with more coherent and understandable thoughts***

As I read through the different texts for Tuesday I found myself continuous stopping to ask myself, “would this make a good post?” Most of the time I found myself saying no. Though everything I read was interesting and important I felt that every time I tried to write a post it got boring and was rehashing the same things that were said in the text. So I’ve been sitting at my computer for the last hour writing, deleting, reading, and rewriting when I suddenly thought of what I wanted to write about. The Process. I am going to define this as: the way in which you read and think to be able to create (and for the purposes of this class create a piece of writing).

Now, this is a strange topic. And I am sure you might think that this isn’t something that has to do with literacy but I think it does. I mean it does already hold the key components of the definition of literacy: reading, writing, and thinking/understanding. For me my most success moments with literacy is during a specific process that I follow to a tee. For me (for the most part), it doesn’t change based on the type of writing I am doing. I’m a poet, so I tend to think outside of the box, but unlike the stereotype I don’t hang out in cool coffee shops with underground art hanging on the walls. So here it goes “the process” more specifically, My Process:

1) I sit in an academic setting. I can’t hang out in my comfortable bed or sit on the couch where I watch movies with my boyfriend. If I do, I run the risk of writing one of the worst pieces of my life that probably talks about either my cats or my main squeeze neither of which should be included in a good piece.

2) If I am writing a piece on a specific bit of text I can not take notes. My idea has to pop off the page and inspire me to write something. Most of us want to write something we have an actual opinion on and that is hard in academic writing because not everything we read is going to hold some deep meaning. However, if I read the text and have a moment that makes me stop for a minute and actually think instead of simply sight reading it is usually a good place to start.

2a) This doesn’t always happen unfortunately. So in the odd chance that nothing comes to me at all I do this thing where I read the text again but in the mind of my teacher or mother or someone other than me that I hold in high regards. I try my hardest to think like them while doing so and most usually something else will pop up that will be interesting to them and so I will talk to them about in hopes to have a positive reflection on the text and then write on that.

2b) Even that will sometimes fail though. Which leaves me to no other option but talking to whoever assigned said piece. Most times they work with you to help you find an interest and write the best piece you can on a not so hot topic.

2c) But if for some reason I have an unbelievable horrific experience with that said person I go to my last and final resort. I sit and take notes on an unbelievably boring topic and knock out a half-assed paper. (Sorry Professor Vee, I have full faith that I will never use this method in your class though)

3) No music. This is a rule that is unbreakable. I will not play music, do you know why? Because I play my favorite song (Giants – Bear Hands) and then three hours later I could tell you everything that has ever been written about the band and the song. It is called being sidetracked and it is the arch enemy of anyone who writes for a living.

4) One hour. I spend at least one hour reading or writing specifically on whatever it is I’m trying to accomplish. For example this post. I have done nothing but focus on the readings for Tuesday and writing this post. I didn’t check my Facebook or text my BFF’s.

5) The last step of my process is writing. I have to at least try to write and see if anything comes out worth keeping. If I don’t write anything how do I know nothing worth writing about was out there.

So for me that is usually how I end up writing a piece that I am proud of. One that I think shows my education is being put to good use. So what I am curious about is what everyone else’s process is. Some of you may not have one. All of this leads up to my bigger question. Do you think that these processes or lack there of have helped or hurt your relationship with literacy? Do you think that if we were to teach children building blocks to “writing well” it would be beneficial?

My own response to this reflects on the five paragraph essay. I grew up learning this process as a building block to writing a good essay. Guess what? I hate that method now and refrain from it as often as possible, however, my process which I described above greatly reflects that certain steps lead to better outcomes in my writing. I am driven by following rules which is why I have created this process for myself which has helped me further my relationship with literacy by creating great pieces of writing. However, others may feel differently. What do you think? Are you a law abiding citizen or an outlaw in the world of literacy.