Blog #3 Invention Writing for Long Essay

I have been thinking about a few possibilities for my long essay. It has been a bit difficult. When we first started class I felt like I had so many ideas running through my mind, but as we continue to define and read more about CNF, I have narrowed down my thoughts and ideas. My biggest challenge is about connecting to the readers. I want to write about something in my life to which others can connect. It is the idea that we discussed, of writing with a purpose in mind, that I think about the most. As I hit a milestone birthday this weekend, I can't help but think about moments in my life, good and bad, that have shaped me. What lessons did I learn and what can I pass on to others? Can I look at these moments from different perspectives or am I blinded by my emotions to see everything one way? One point that Lott made in his piece that really resonated with me was when he spoke about E.B. White and the idea of writing about simplistic moments in our lives, the every day.

The one idea that I was thinking about, and that emerged was writing about when I was nineteen and my boyfriend died. I was afraid to go here because I felt vulnerable and didn't know if I wanted to explore this topic. Then I remembered in class that vulnerability was one of the things we discussed as a feature of CNF, and it is what I admire from so many of the readings I have read over the years. It is why I love memoirs so much. It felt ok to share a little in our last class and to hear others share similar tales of loss. I guess thinking about the purpose connected with this loss was hard. What did I learn? There was so much, but conveying it through words may be challenging. There is the thought of how we lose ourselves in grief and have to climb out of it. How we create an alternate reality about the person who died and we need to let the truth just be, and that's ok. There is also a lot around forgiveness. These are just some ideas.

Another, very different idea, is about childhood innocence and family. I have wonderful memories of playing with my brother and sister as children and making up such imaginative games in our own backyard. The best part for me was always being called back to reality when my father's car drove up the driveway and Mom called us to the dinner table. This feels very simplistic to write about, but it truly has shaped who I am. I cherish the simpler things in life, I always have and family time is the most important thing to me. The organization and structure of this piece is something I think about. How can I go from sharing a tale of frolicking children to putting forth my affirmation about life?

So far these are the two front runners. Perhaps as we continue some writing techniques in class,  some other ideas will develop. I know they are both very different from one another and I kind of like that. I can explore different areas that have spoken to who I am today, and hopefully connect with others.