Annie Dillard Discussion Questions

1) I feel like my writing process is much like Dillard’s in a way. There are many rituals that I have to complete before I sit down and start writing. The first thing I have to do is clean up everything in sight around me; it is impossible for me to write in a cluttered area. I also have to change in to some comfortable clothes such as gym shorts or sweats. If I’m not comfortable I’ll be fidgeting the whole time and unable to concentrate on writing. I will also have to get a cold bottle of water to keep from having to stop. My physical position impacts my ability to write greatly. I have to be sitting in a comfortable place that is quiet with no distractions. Most of the time I usually end up going to the library to force myself to get in the right frame of mind. I don’t have any pre-writing rituals, but I think that it would be good for me to develop some such as brainstorming before I write. I think this would help the writing process flow easier and help avoid writer’s block.

2) I’m on the same page as Dillard when she talks about knocking down walls. I too feel that writing is a process that is never correct the first time. There are always words and sentences (bearing walls) that don’t always fit. As the rewriting occurs these sentences are knocked out and replaced with others with better structure. I find myself constantly knocking down these walls as I write. It is hard for me to say how often these walls are knocked down; I believe it depends on the day sometimes your words just flow together nicely and other times you just can’t get it on paper. I personally write something in a paper which I think sounds good the first couple times I read it, then as I read through it again I found myself making changes. I think sometimes you can knock down the walls up to ten times before you get it right. Dillard describes how the limitations are in a way set by the writer because you can be blindfolded to what you are reading because it is in your writing style and is easy for you to understand; however a person on the outside may not comprehend it the same way you do and may have a better way to word things for an outside reader to understand. It is also hard for a person to destroy the work they have. She described it as poetry the person has written.

3) Yes I can somewhat relate to the metaphors she uses in her writing; such as building a house I feel like my writing process has to be long and precise—laying one brick at a time. When I build though I feel like it is building a house without a blueprint—therefore many bricks are out of place as far as size, color, and positioning. I think that relates to using an outline as my blueprint to get everything organized before the building begins, that way I know how everything comes together. I feel metaphors are useful in this sense because it helps you implant a mental picture to easier understand; at least it does for me because I am such a visual learner. I also think that using metaphors will help you think about your own writing style and recognize where you can improve.

4) Yes I do share her sense of mysticism. I have to paint a picture in my head to better understand and continue the flow of the writing I’m working on. I also have to do the same when I am reading or else my mind starts to wander off and I’ll read an entire page without knowing what I read. I think that is one reason people may enjoy writing so much because they are able to create their own world with whatever they want and having no boundaries or rules of what goes on in that world.

5) I think at times she does use metaphors to entertain the audience. She uses quite a bit and sometimes they are one after the other. However the use of these metaphors does help explain some of her ideas and suggestions in a different way; which actually helped me. She definitely is determined to maintain the vagueness throughout her writings. I think the use of metaphors and mystical descriptions is just part of her writing style. She lays out the picture for the reader, but each reader may view it in their own personal way. I think her style of writing is an art and I wonder if she repeats metaphors in other writings. I do like how descriptive she is throughout the book; she doesn’t skip around a lot. I also think she uses metaphors to get the readers minds wondering to rethink and ponder the point she is trying to get across.