I've got this huge paper I'm writing at the moment, my goal is to have it be at least 14 pages long (the minimum is 10). I'm uncertain about the paper's future, I'm enjoying the process of writing it, the subjects involve language and human history--the two topics I tend to find myself most interested in. My class has been working on this for quite a long time, I originally told my teacher that I was going to write a paper on "The Media." It didn't take long for me to realize that the topic was far too broad. There was little I could focus on without bringing everything else in the picture. Was I going to focus on corporations, on propaganda, on cheating and deceit, on viewpoints, on its different forms...what? I was screwed. So last night I thought up my topic. My teacher doesn't know about it, in fact I haven't spoken to him in almost two weeks (we've had a big vacation). I feel that I'm writing a really good paper, even though I lack the rubric required. The first draft is due on monday, and one of my friends (who may have been lying to mess with my head) said that the first draft itself was a quarter of our entire grade. If my teacher rejects it, I'll be in serious serious serious trouble. What doth thou thinketh will happen?
you stated that you have a rough draft prepared? just turn it in. everyone knows that the whole point of rough drafts are for them to be tweaked here and there. ..fact, a final draft vaguely ends up reflecting your very first rough draft. have you noticed? further fact...that first draft is usually always highly laughable when placed side by side with a final draft. have you noticed? anyways..you're not screwed. you're a good writer and you probably just make your teacher nervous.
ok. and lest you misunderstand..i mean you make your teacher nervous because you probably rival his writing. you might actually be a better writer than him, and, that might bug him a bit. being that you're a teen and he's ..well, i don't know what he is...but, you get the gist.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
In Canada, Pollux, the first draft cannot be marked by the rubric. In all my experience, teachers tend to just want to see progress and clear steps between first drafts and the end product. And if you do loose marks, my philosophy is who cares? You wrote a good paper? Be happy about it. I wrote a paper on Plato having an Oedipus Complex towards Socrates in relation to philosophy and my history teacher gave me a 60% for writing something "so offensive to one of the greatest minds in history". Was I angry? Fuck no. I wrote a damn interesting paper with an original idea.
Schwartz- Don't stress. Mr Rush is a cool guy, he'll understand that you changed ideas. Also, i don't remember the rough draft being 1/4 of the grade. You'll do fine. Stop doubting yourself!
one final bit of advice on your writing.. don't be like Proust and write a novel where he spends 17 pages devoted to the description of the mere act of turning over in bed. he thought that the narrator of his story's turning over in bed was THAT interesting. he did that, you know. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! just say no!
Thanks for the help everyone...it is definitely much appreciated. I haven't been able to work on it for the past few hours because me mum has been on the phone...with the lack of an internet connection no further research could be accomplished. *voice turns to that of a god* The compliments...the advice...is indeed USEFUL! This is going to sound corny and vague [Tyler]but the paper sounded interesting. So far it's been my experience that I've never written a paper that I've truly been "in love" with. This tended to be because I was always writing what someone else was telling me to, the subjects tended to revolve around science, for the most part, and my only sociology class of freshman year could have been taught to second graders with no trouble at all (it's impossible to advance to higher classes when being a freshman here). Anything that I've written so far I'll always look at a year later and wonder How could I think that was good? I'm referring to the creative writing I've been doing...hopefully everything except what's been recent. This is the first paper for school that I love.
That's awsome pollux. I remember when I started writing more for myself than for the teachers. It becomes much more rewarding. Interestingly enough, it only leads to two results for me: on the projects/assignments with a wide base or with a great teacher I get perfect or near so; on the projects with actual guidelines and 7 out of 8 of my teachers I get a terrible mark (tests pull those marks back up to an A, though). I get a lot of "this is not what was asked for" while people who do no actual thinking get perfects. Example; in one test we had to write an essay answering the question "has the progress of societies aided mankind or been a detriment?". People got perfect all around the class for basically saying "It has been helpful and detrimental because it has both given us medicine and given us war". I talked about evolutionary purpose, psychology in the society and the value or art and I was told I did not answer the question productively (though my teacher could not point out what was unproductive about my essay). In English I got told I didn't link Macbeth to my essay well enough because I tried to incorporate Nietzsche and Kant. Such will be your perils as you write more for yourself than for your elders.
I've been assigned nothing like what you've told me about, Tyler. That applies to both tests and written work. So far the only tough essays I've had to write on exams have been in science, and they not surprisingly offer little leniency. I've got a great social studies teacher all year, though, I can't wait for the big, important class with him to start (I've had him with little electives all year, of which I've scored nothing but A's). I've heard stuff about Plato being done their as well...I'll make sure to look for signs of his life-threatening fatherly position towards his buddy.
Good work!!!Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Now, Ive been meaning to tell you this, your avatar really creeps me out... It's cool though.
pumpkinsaren'torange I think Proust did that so the reader could almost experience eating the Madelaine or whatever the narrator was doing at the moment. It took a long time so you could feel and live with the narrator, kind of. Another one who did that was Thomas Mann in the Magic Mountain. It was very hard to get into at first (as is Proust) but when you realize that Mann has slowed time down for you just by the way he describes things, it is very trippy. It does not actually take more time, it just seems like it. Very weird and pleasant, as long as you don't mind the initial feeling of tedium. Pollux V I was wondering, do you go to a private school? You have such good writing skills and such a wide knowledge base that I cannot imagine you have acquired that in a public school. If so, maybe we should mass-manufacture the school so we can spit out more Pollux clones for the future welfare of America.
I'm flattered Evalina. I don't go to a writing school, but I want to go to one, if I can find a really good one that accepts juniors. The public schools up where I live tend to be above average because they have a huge tax base to draw upon, I live shoulder to shoulder with the filthy rich every random weekend or soPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Counsler...my avatar is damn creepy isn't it...somehow I find it funny, my title is "Elephant in Disguise" and then below it there's this grimacing old guy ready to "go in with all guns blazing." Ah, such an inspirationPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Yes, very creepy. What search engine did you use? What did you type in for that matter? Im just curious, I want to go on a quest to find out who that guy is.
Go to google, click on images, and type the following exactly: "admiral" He should be on either the first, second, or third page. I think:bugeye:
My suggestion is, decorate your rough draft with pictures from Playboy magazine. (or Playgirl, as the case may be...) A little jiggle can go a long way... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Evealina yeah, but...jeeze....i mean, i want to bond with him and all while i'm reading his novel, but...i don't want to marry him and become soul mates with him. the man is wordy... succint, but wordy.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! seriously though, i prefer reading him to Conrad. errrrrrrrrrrrgggh...don't even get me started on Conrad.
