In 100-150 words, respond to two peers’ main posts. Examine whether the post clearly supports the peers ideas about what the chosen prompts are asking, if the chosen rhetorical modes are correct, and if the ideas presented are properly supported.
Peer 1
Good Evening Everyone,
Writing is Easy by Steve Martin was very delightful to read. However, I did disagree with most of his statements. Location, Location, Location was one of his paragraphs in the essay, Steve Martin suggested that writers should live in California to get the most ideas for a great story. I believe stories comes from within no matter where you are located. Writing should be creative and come from an imagination. Most writers use their stories to help their readers escape from the real world and you cant do that just living in California.
I used Narrator rhetoric mode to identify my prompt because I was able to connect my argument with personal examples. When Steve Martin stated, I would like to recommend that all writers live in California (pg. 114), I instantly disagreed because there are plenty of beautiful places other than California. For example, if I was to right an essay my favorite place would be my kitchen table where I could have access to the fridge. Sitting at the kitchen table helps me think more about what Im writing about than what I want to snack on because my snacks would be right there in front of me.
Another thing I disagree about in Steve Martins essay was when he suggested that writers block was a myth. In my opinion I feel like he contradicted himself a little by saying there was such thing as writers block and that it was an excuse to take a break but turned around and suggested a trick for if writers block was to happen. Steve Martins trick was to go through another authors book and copy down a sentence which should lead to a new sentence and let the rest flow. you can safely use up to three sentences of someone elses work, unless youre friends, then two (pg. 115), to me thats still plagiarism
Peer 2Jerry Sharp
Writing is Easy
Collapse
Writing is easy
I have been a fan of Steve Martin since he appeared on Saturday Night Live in the late 70s. I was a young kid staying up way past my bedtime to watch. I agree with his idea that the best writing or the happiest writing comes from being in the ideal location. I understand that because if I am trying to write and the location is not ideal, I feel as though my writing does not make sense, like I am freewriting. If I am at Starbucks where I usually can be found, I need to have a little bit of noise and crowd movement. That comes from my upbringing in New Jersey where you never could find a quiet place, but too much noise overstimulates me and I become more fascinated about what’s going on around me than writing. Martins ideal writing location is California. He believed writers that lived in places that were cold or dank could not write about anything happy or exciting unless you consider cholera and oozing sores exciting.
I believe Martins prompt is simply that writing should be easy and painless, once you’re in the ideal location. Also, that writers block can be fixed by plagiarizing and alcohol hopefully not at the same time. Initially I believed Martin’s writing form was cause and effect, if you lived in a certain environment you’re writing was affected by the environment. As I continued to listen to the other rhetorical forms, I discovered that Martins form was narrative. Martin gave vivid descriptions and sensory details of looking deeply into a rose while sitting in his rose garden typing on his new computer and enjoying the calming blue sky (Martin, S. 2014).
I agree with Martin that the location where you do your writing is of vital importance. I have my favorite places where I get my work done. I don’t agree that writing is easy or painless writing essays and papers have always been a challenge for me. I feel as though I am a better talker than writer, probably why I was so why was so good in sales. I have been applying the idea of finding the best location to do my school work and writing by trial and error. In closing, I believe instead of looking deep into a rose in my private rose garden, typing on my new computer while looking at the calming blue sky that I’ll sit at in my corner seat at Starbucks smelling my lukewarm overpriced coffee, while typing on my 5 year old computer wondering will I ever get this paper done.
References:
Steve Martin, Writing is Easy pg.114-117
