The Process of Writing

Writing has always been something I've loved. Those who know me are familiar with the name "Mrs. Pung." She was my junior high and high school English teacher when I was in Newfield and the influence she's had on my life is indescribable. I always loved words and books and all things with letters, but my writing didn't really start to develop until she mentored me in seventh grade. I still have many of the pieces I wrote; everything from poetry to Literary Magazines to essays. I loved those early pieces of writing and know they built the foundation for what was to come later in life.

Then, in college, I was exposed to freshman writing and the intense literature searches and reviews that happen for term papers. One of the greatest writing lessons came from one of my health education professors who simply "You use too many words" on the bottom of one of my papers. He had crossed out every extraneous "that" "the" "this" on my paper. I was stunned at how well my paper read without the extra words and it's a mantra when I write now. "Too many words."

As I've embarked on this crazy idea of a Ph.D. the level of writing has been intense. Course work required a large amount of writing, but completing the comprehensive exams is a whole new ball game. The time, energy, focus, and dedication that it takes is remarkable. I've learned that when I write I get in the zone - no extra noise, no cell phones, no web browser open (unless it's on google scholar or another database). I can't eat while I write and I can't be distracted. Literally, when I choose a day as a writing day I am in silence all day. All that is heard is the click clack of the keyboard. I can't have anything extra around me.

And so, if you are trying to reach me and I don't pick up or you've emailed me and I haven't answered it isn't likely that I've run off to Canada. I am probably just stuck upstairs at my massive work station writing to save my life.

Don't take it personally. Belle doesn't.