Need to Create

I teach a Composition course to (mostly) seniors. As the semester wraps itself up, I have been reflecting on how the course has gone and how I can improve my teaching for the second half of the year. Writing is complex. Everyone learns differently, and that couldn't be more true with writing. The only way to become a better writer is to write… a lot. For many of my students, this is frustrating. It is especially discouraging to those that struggle with writing or don't like it at all. 

The fact is, I have always been a good writer. It has always come easy to me. I don't usually have to spend a lot of time proofreading or editing. Writing ideas seem to pop up when I least expect them. More often than not, I can't wait to write. I sit down and the words just start pouring out. I need to create. However, I need to remember that this is rare. I can't expect everyone to love writing the way I do. 

My sister is wrapping up her college finals this week. She is a talented art major. While I don't have her artistic abilities, I can relate to her need to create. She gets inspired and pulls all-nighters (literally). It's an amazing gift that continues to amaze me. To be honest, I think she amazes herself sometimes. She left her final drawing class today and sent me a sadface picture. Funny, but I totally get it because I felt the same way after some of my writing courses. I loved learning, writing, and creating. I still do. 

Art and writing are alike in the sense that they are constantly evolving. Not only are there new artists, pieces of literature, and techniques, but also, we are never finished. Artists and writers are never done learning. We are constantly producing and growing. There is no end when creating. Sure, I get in ruts where my "juices are flowing," but at some point, I am refreshed. I find new inspiration, new words. At the end of the day, I have been blessed with the need to create.