Talk it Out - by Brandon Y.

Talk it Out

Talking to Yourself to Improve your Writing

            There you are. Writing your paper. Oh man, it’s looking good. Words are flowing out of your head like stupidity from Jersey Shore, like babies out of Kate Goslin. As Justin Beiber is to 10-14 year old girls, so you are to words on a page. But, then with no warning, BAM! You can’t think of the right word! What’s that word?! You know, the word for... Darn! Your life changing essay has just become a distrait disaster! 

            Finally, when you know you’re not going to think of the right word to say, you turn to the person closest (or yell across the house to your little brother), “What’s a word for…got it!” Wait, what just happened? You didn’t have the word. Now you have the word. What went on in between? Answer: You talked it out. But, why did saying it out loud help?

The reason talking it out helps your writing is because the majority of your communicate is verbal, so when you speak out loud about what you’re trying to say on the paper your mind can make the connection easier. So, though you may feel like a crazy person, talking to yourself isn’t a bad idea if you get stuck easily when writing. Here is a little chart to help you see the process:

Now, let me explain how this might work in reality. Thinking involves the cognitive process of generating ideas that you want to write about. You can be thinking about your science report, history assignment, essay question, how to word your thesis statement, or how to conclude your paper. Eventually, no matter how much you think about our topic, you’re going to need to put the pen to the paper or fingers to the keypad. But, sometimes you just can’t think of how to write what you’re thinking. It just doesn’t seem to come out correctly on the page. Or you just can’t think of anything else to say. That’s where talking comes in. Talking involves the use of vocal chords to express, usually through words, what you wish to communicate. You can turn to a friend and start telling them what you’re trying to say. Or, if no friend can be found, just start talking like someone else is there. Try to explain to your invisible audience what you want to say. You will be surprised how clearly and eloquently the words come out. You may feel a funny pulling a Russell Crowe from A Beautiful Mind, but if you get past your insecurity about sanity you will produce some truly beautiful writing.

            I want to leave you with steps you can take next time you get stuck on your paper and can’t seem to write anything else:

·         Think about what you want to say

·         Turn to the closest person to you, and say out loud what you’re thinking

·         Or, if no one is available, imagine someone(s), and tell them what you’re thinking

·         Write down what you just said. If you forgot what you said, say it again!

So, if you get stuck writing a paper this semester, give this process a try. This isn’t a rule

to be obeyed, but a guide that you can follow. Trying including talking in your writing process, and let us know if it helps!