FINALE

7. What have you learned from your struggles with writer's block? Why do you tend to get stuck? How do you tend to get unstuck? Notice any progress?

When I first heard that we were going to blog 300 words (minimum)a week I felt really excited. It was a chance for me to get ideas flowing through my brain. I have already considered myself an amateur author since I began writing my own book a few years ago. Sadly I have not written any new material since 8th grade. I blamed writer’s block, this so called being that stopped one from writing! After thinking about I've come up with a new belief that writer’s block is something that your brain subconsciously creates for you. Not some being that travels from writer to writer picking random victims to torture.
Writer’s block is your mind telling you to double think about your writing. Maybe you could be writing in more detail and something is making you hesitate until you notice it. Once you catch on you would get into a better rhythm and write at a nice steady speed. Sometimes I would be on a very good rhythm thinking and writing all working together, when suddenly my brain just stops. In a situation like this I would follow your (Mr. Sutherland's) advice. Even if your brain has stopped thinking don't let your hands stop typing or writing. I found it's better when this happens to write on a different piece of paper then once your mind starts getting back in gear continue with your original work. This seems to be especially helpful if you are writing on a topic that doesn't particularly interest you or just seems to take forever. It lets your brain take a slight rest on the subject while keeping your hands ready for the work ahead. I also get stuck when another person talking sidetracks me. The best way to prevent this block is to take a preemptive strike, and make sure that you are in an environment where people won't bother you. One way that probably won't work for a lot of people, but works for me is to listen to music. Most people, like we talked about in that one quick write (multitasking), say that they would get too distracted when music is in the background while trying to work. For me I get really inspired when I hear music I am really into. All the different instruments playing together to make one solid being makes me want to replicate their work, and write more fluidly.
Really obvious patterns I notice is when I write on a subject I’m not interested or dedicated in. When it’s a lame subject my mind wanders on it’s own looking for a way to save itself from wasting time on the work. Another pattern I see is when I’m trying to get writing done in front of my friends or the TV. The smallest break in the rhythm or my writing is moment something can distract me. With friends or the TV talking in the background it’s like a constant attack on your attention. It’s better to spend your time working in a nice safe environment free from known things that will ultimately distract you.

8. How do you like having a blog? How has blogging changed the way you write, the way you think, or the way you think about writing?

Blogging is a great thing in my life right now. In the past I used to really despise bloggers thinking that they were just ego maniacal attention grabbers. I was obviously wrong. I learned that there are some really interesting and thought provoking blogs out there, you just have to give the time to look for them. Blogging has given me a special time frame where I can take a break from the hectic school focused week to type about stuff I am really interested in. Being able to talk to friends about these things have really made my weeks more survivable. I also owe a great deal to these blog posts since they allowed me to peek into the minds of my not so close friends and class mates to see what they are interested in. I also enjoyed it since I’m one of those people who can say more through typing/writing then actually talking. There’s something that just seems more natural to me by typing, and when I talk I sometimes get so nervous I just decide to not share what I am thinking. Blogging has definitely been an experience I thought would be horrible, but turned out to be for the better.
I believe writing on a blog has drastically changed the way I write. The blog style is more straight forward for me. I’m more used to writing in complete detail, but when I blog it seems like I’m talking straight to friends so I just cut back on all the useless details. I was always a novel writer trying to add as many describing words as possible to paint a picture in the reader’s head. Instead my new way of writing for class was like trying to get something straight across. To allow a discussion to start was another great feature I wasn’t used to. Writing in this new way allowed for faster conversations that went straight to the point. I think this type of typing is a lot more social.
When I blog I have to change my mindset to a certain degree. I think. “What can I write about that will have enough substance to interest my friends, classmates, and Sutherland?” I admit that sometimes I rush through my blog post and just tell my day out of haste. I get disappointed with those posts. I’m happy when I get to think really hard on a certain subject to hook my readers and engage them to think in the I do, even if its just for the short period of time they are reading. When I blog my thinking pattern has to always be different. I prefer to write about different subjects rather then stick to one. It lets me explore on my own interests and improve my variety of knowledge (in my opinion). I’ve always liked writing and starting this blog has done nothing but improve my view on writing. You get to shout to the world the stuff you are into as a significant being. I think that’s the most special thing about blogging with a class or on your own.

10. Where do you get your ideas for blog post topics? What inspires you to write?

Most of my ideas come straight from my imagining in my own fantasy then trying to connect it to the closest thing I can in reality. My favorite blog idea that I posted was probably on replacing human body parts with robotic ones. I’ve often dreamt of being able to replace the frail sensitive human parts with more efficient technological ones. I blame it on all the anime where you get all of these amazing powers. To replace your body with certain parts is the closest that will I will ever reach in trying to control fire. Typical daily things can spark ideas for my blog posts. Even the whole day itself could become the subject of a post if I decide that it’s interesting enough. My friends influence me a lot, sometimes during a conversation one sentence could spark a whole idea for a blog later that night. The quick writes we do in English class assist me immensely by giving me topics I wouldn’t normally think of, but in the end it turns out to be an amazing subject.
When I read novels, books, poems, or any other form of writing it inspires me to create a writing that would make another reader glued to every word. When I understand a certain type of writing I’m over overwhelmed with joy that I have a new writing style in my arsenal. Sometimes certain people who accomplish such ridiculously hard tasks given their environment inspires me to write about them, and how my own opinions on what they accomplished. My friends inspire me all the time in the form of competition. Creating the more interesting and convincing blog is always a fun thing to do. Technological advances in humans inspire me with the idea, “ If humans as a species can advance so much with tools, then I should be able to advance my writing to capture more readers!”

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comcast is screwin with my interent =(