Please Don’t Make Me Write About Writing.
I genuinely have no idea what I’m doing.
I don’t do homework.
Seriously, in high school, my teachers all got together and called me and my mom in for an intervention because I just flat out wouldn’t do my homework. I got straight A’s on my tests, I read all of the material, and if we had a major project or essay I was always at the top of the class. But I just didn’t do homework.
Writing about writing to me is like outlining a chapter of a book that I read and can retain until the next morning’s English class discussion. It’s pointless. If I know what I’m doing, then I’m just going to do it. If I don’t know what I’m doing, I’ll just baffle them with bullshit and see what ends up sticking.
I don’t want to do a workbook page on the French conjugations for the verb we’re learning that week. I just spent 42 minutes in class today using every variation on repeat. I read the chapter where they’re used in multiple examples. We’re literally just going to do the same exact thing tomorrow. I’ve got this, just give me the quiz and I’ll be fine.
Writing about writing is just extra busy work that gets between me and the thing I actually want to do. I want to learn French, so why do I have to fill out a workbook that looks like it was designed for 9-year-olds? I want to write, so why do I need to do more writing about the thing that I’m already doing anyway?
I’m not doing the chemistry homework. I hate math, and anyway, all of the problems are the same thing with different variables. I did the experiment in class, I filled out the report, why do I have to calculate the mass of a Calcium atom, or whatever? I don’t want to be a chemist, I want to write, so there’s really no point in doing this anyway. Give me the chemicals to mix and I’ll make sure my lab partner doesn’t blow up our station… Okay this one was mostly about how much I hate math.
Do you see what I’m getting at here? Writing about writing isn’t my deal. I have no new insights to give that haven’t already been drilled into your head. There are no arguments that haven’t been deconstructed, no fresh tips nor tricks that haven’t already been listicled to death. If my overall grade as a writer depends on having written about writing, I’d rather just skip it and take the B+. I got through high school and college this way, and it’s not going to change now that I’m a real life grown up.
Unless there’s money involved. In that case, please disregard this story.
Bre is a part-time writer with a day job in the fitness industry. She is based in Orlando, FL along with her handsome fella and two cats. She enjoys writing about social issues, politics, spirituality, mental health, gaming, and, every so often, fiction. She’s still working on her personal website, but you can find her anytime on Twitter or Instagram.