Life is short. That is the simple and unforgiving fact that cannot be avoided. It can often pass by as quickly as it comes when noses are buried in our cell phones instead of observing and appreciating the changing of seasons or the orange-purple sunset that concludes each day. That one idea— to pay attention— is what drives Alice Steinbach 's philosophy on writing along with a collection of other tactics taught to her by her ninth grade creative writing teacher Miss Dennis, which is showcased in her essay "The Miss Dennis School of Writing". Steinbach creates a well-rounded philosophy consisting of many elements throughout the essay. However, some components neglect the state of mind of many young writers, and even adults, who struggle with
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For example, when somebody asked her if she ever went to journalism school she responded, " 'I 'm one of the lucky ones. I am a graduate of the Miss Dennis School of Writing, '" thus emphasizing the impact Miss Dennis had on her life (Steinbach 97). This makes sense because of all the things she learned about writing from her teacher that make up the way she writes as an adult. The center of her philosophy is something Miss Dennis drilled into them early on, " '...I can tell you how to look at things, how to pay attention, '" (97). Observing and analyzing detail is what kick started her fascination with Miss Dennis, who returned the favor by encouraging them to tell their own stories. That lead to another component she was taught: " 'What lies at the heart of good writing... is the writer 's ability to find his own unique voice... '" (98). Last was something Miss Dennis personally confided to Steinbach as she was struggling to find her unique voice saying, " 'Don 't be afraid to discover what you 're saying in the act of saying it '" (99). Although she still may struggle with some, these 'rules ' that Steinbach applies to her day-to-day and professional writing as best she can show the awe-inspiring effect one teacher had on the rest of her life and proves how true these words turned out to
For example, when somebody asked her if she ever went to journalism school she responded, " 'I 'm one of the lucky ones. I am a graduate of the Miss Dennis School of Writing, '" thus emphasizing the impact Miss Dennis had on her life (Steinbach 97). This makes sense because of all the things she learned about writing from her teacher that make up the way she writes as an adult. The center of her philosophy is something Miss Dennis drilled into them early on, " '...I can tell you how to look at things, how to pay attention, '" (97). Observing and analyzing detail is what kick started her fascination with Miss Dennis, who returned the favor by encouraging them to tell their own stories. That lead to another component she was taught: " 'What lies at the heart of good writing... is the writer 's ability to find his own unique voice... '" (98). Last was something Miss Dennis personally confided to Steinbach as she was struggling to find her unique voice saying, " 'Don 't be afraid to discover what you 're saying in the act of saying it '" (99). Although she still may struggle with some, these 'rules ' that Steinbach applies to her day-to-day and professional writing as best she can show the awe-inspiring effect one teacher had on the rest of her life and proves how true these words turned out to