-William Zinsser "The Transaction"
One of my favorite books about writing is William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. It has great chapters about style, developing voice, and even different points of view regarding writing. I’ve used many chapters of the book to help supplement lectures for the past ten years. It is a great book to use in classes in conjunction with Struck and White’s Elements of Style. On Writing Well isn’t a grammar text; it is a book that reflects on valuable anecdotes of a master writer’s craft.
One of the chapters that Zinsser has is called The Transaction. This chapter, which is the first chapter of the book, recalls a time when Zinsser spoke on a panel about his views and approaches towards writing. During this discussion he was paired with a writer nicknamed “Dr. Brock”. According to the chapter, Brock was a doctor by trade and wrote as a hobby. He saw writing as a fun, relaxing pastime and only did it when the need arose. His views were laidback and carefree. Whereas, Zinsser saw writing as a job and did it whether he wanted to or not. He had set writing times and no matter if he was in the mood or not, he would write during those designated times. Dr. Brock’s approach to writing was more free-writing in nature (he would write his ideas down as he thought them and let the work flow onto the page). He would write only when he was inspired to write. Zinsser’s approach was more structured. Outlining, brainstorming, and the like were added to his prewriting stage(s).
I have used this chapter of his book in the classroom for years and asked the students to choose which writer they identified with more. An overwhelming majority of these writers chose Dr. Brock. When asked why I received many responses. “That’s what writing should be!” I was told. “You should write only when you feel the need…Otherwise, it would feel forced.” Other writers weighed in similarly on the subject. “Writing should be fun. It should be expressive, and that can be very relaxing.”
Yet, when I ask you to write an essay, you don’t see that as fun and relaxing,” I would say with a smirk.
“That’s because we have to write in your class. I don’t like writing when I have to write…I like doing it when I want to.”
“Well, when do you want to write?” Each time I asked this question, I would smile, knowing the response that I would inevitably get.
The awkward moment of silence was more uncomfortable for them than it was for me.
“Exactly!” I would exclaim in as dramatic a fashion as I could.
Unapologetically, my philosophy towards writing is similar to that of Zinsser. “He’s like an old, crotchety neighbor on the porch shaking a cane at kids who walk on his lawn,” a student laughed. I laughed along with the students, imagining myself standing on the porch of my house on Good Grammar Ln., all the while yelling at students who forget to place commas correctly or end sentences with prepositions.
Over the years several students have come to me and have told me that their dream was to become a writer. With all of the romance aside, what makes being a writer so attractive to some? Having a scheduled time/session to write, the tedious editing that is involved (even before one takes it to an editor/publisher), and having to face rejection on numerous occasions are all parts of writing (more so than the romantic aspect of publishing that novel or seeing your name in print, etc.).
I must say that I do think writing can be fun. Telling a story in almost any medium can be fun. With writing, however, not every aspect may be fun, but in the end, the true writer will work their way through the hardships and find reward at the end.
