Dillard Questions

Rachel Roller
Dillard Questions

1) I definitely have some physical rituals as I begin to write. First, I sit down crank out as much of the paper as I possibly can without any interruption. Next, I take a break, go eat something, go on a walk, and/or have a glass of wine, and then approach my paper again. If I were to eat, walk, drink before writing my paper I would just get distracted and it would take me much longer in order to get a draft done.

2) I knock down those bearing walls frequently. How many depends on the type of writing I am doing. Sometimes I will just start over completely and then return to the original draft and combine ideas. I have found that is one of the best ways for me to write a lengthier paper. I find that the limitations are created by a sort of writers block. If I step back and return to the paper later, I usually can work through the issue. However, if I try to hammer it out without pausing I end up erasing and rewriting. I think the bearing walls are mostly created by the writer but social constructions can have an affect on the writer prior.

3) I mainly think my writing is like a ticking bomb. I go and go and go as fast as I can until time runs up and I am forced to make certain grammatical and stylistic choices. The inchworm metaphor also makes a lot of sense because it takes so much time in order to turn a blank canvas into a piece of work. Metaphors are useful when describing my writing process because it gives me an outside similar perspective on how I am looking at my work.

4) I think metaphors do cause a sort of mysticism to writing however I think they also can distract the reader. It definitely depends on the type of writing. Writing is a very eye opening thing. A simple sentence could change someone’s life. It takes a great amount of skill to be an accomplished writer and I don’t think metaphors are necessary in order to achieve that.

5) Because Dillard remains so vague, she appeals to many people. It doesn’t take an exceptionally smart person to understand or become involved in her writing. I definitely think the metaphors are there to entertain people while she maintains a basic approach to writing about writing. If Dillard were to be concrete and give great detail in her writing then she may lose some readers who may need to most help when it comes to writing.