Elevate Your Writing by Clarifying Your Motives

[@jam8444]

The way you teach and break concepts down is genuinely so lovely and encouraging and inspires me to write. You don't gatekeep writing at all!

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks, I appreciate that (that's the goal)!

[@Islaras]

This video made me feel very emotional for some reason, especially when you talked about how readers of essays want to see a mind at work. It made me feel like all I have to do is to be myself in my writing instead of trying to deliver some vague idea in my head of a perfect work of writing.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

This makes my day--that's a great way to think of it. It's all about the human-to-human connection

[@jeremiahunderwood8448]

As a poet/writer from West Virginia, a place that frowns upon creative art, especially poetry- a place where the coal mines and Logging is the only real empolyment opportunities. I just wanted to say THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH for posting these videos. It's the closest to formal training I'll get. I've always written poetry and short prose, but only recently began to take submitting seriously. I currently have 46 declined pieces and 19 active pieces. YOUR VIDEOS HELP ME GROW AND IMPROVE.... I'm curious what's your thoughts on Jim Carroll's poetry?

[@WritingwithAndrew]

This means a lot--thank you! Congratulations on sending pieces out: even having a piece declined is a sign you're doing something (most people never even get that far)! Keep on keepin' on. I'm glad to hear my videos are helping I'll have to confess I haven't read any Carroll--I'll be sure to check it out!

[@jeremiahunderwood8448]

@@WritingwithAndrew He was associated with a lot of the beat Poets, but he himself saif he wasn't a beat poet. He was part of "the New York School of Poets." Ginsburg said he was the most talented poet he knew. I'm wondering because he's unconvential in his form and really the way he uses grammar. He's been compared to Rimbaud and O'Hara.

[@matthewharper7333]

@@jeremiahunderwood8448 Not to evesdrop, but I live in a simlar situation in North GA mountains. I like Jim Carroll alright and saw him a few times in the 90's when he went to Athens GA on various spoken word tours. There are rough and tumble masculine writers who may help you find the language, themes, and open everything up to what you can do. Harry Crews' novels and the poetry of James Dickey (and his book Deliverance) have helped me a lot. Not to provide me with something to imitate, but they show that here, in the red clay and pine trees, in all this poverty and meaniness, there is a certain kind of poetry that flows through it all. Sort of a Thomas Wolf world but harder, meaner.

[@pratzuli]

Thanks, Doc. These videos are helpful, and your delivery is quite soothing. Keep up the good work!

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks!

[@avithedreamerderemervazque885]

I had paused the video to respond the 2 questions to myself, and my writing answer was vague while my reading answer was, because I read things that feel like a warm hug and/or getting to know someone or some group. I definitely understand this concept better now.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

That's awesome--and a great reason to read, too!

[@RyuuA3]

This was so useful! Oh how lucky your students are to have you, you’re a great teacher! It’s a great advice to align why you write with why you read, since it truly does make your literary work better for your readers.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

That's very kind--thank you!

[@troyingram716]

I like that idea, I am writing because I want people to read it.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

That's it!

[@Mychannel28901]

This video is phenomenal. It made me feel like i touched myself and it took a load off my shoulders, as well as fuelling the fire of my writing

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks--glad to hear it! Go get 'em!

[@michalkocourek5401]

Hey Andrew I just recently discovered your channel and just wanted to say your videos are a delight to watch. Thank you for your work, you've revitalized my desire to write.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks--I'm really happy to hear that!

[@AsuraSantosha]

This video is also a banger! I found it insightful, inspiring, and validating. Conveying meaningful experiences is usually my goal when I write poetry, but often in poetry circles I think others find my technical skill with things like meter, sound, stress, rhyme, etc. lacking. And as you mentioned, that's still something worth developing, but it's nice to hear that the thing I'm most focused on has a really significant value. Makes me feel like I'm on the right track!

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks--and, yeah, there's so many different approaches, and different poets/writers have different priorities. It does sound like you're on a good track, though!

[@AsuraSantosha]

@@WritingwithAndrew Thanks for the encouragement!

[@SevenUnwokenDreams]

I have been writing since I was a child, but never had any guidance. Your videos are so helpful to me. I think my poetry has a lot of personal meaning, but lacks art. My essays definitely lack human warmth. I struggle with how exactly to correct the latter.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks, I'm glad to hear they're helpful! I think recognizing it is the important first step. When a piece lacks warmth, it often feels like the speaker/narrator is keeping me at a distance. Like they want to tell me what happened but don't want to let me into their deeper thoughts or feelings. That doesn't mean you'd have to take a hard turn into confessional writing (I never could!), but it does mean finding ways to let readers into the experience

[@camarotrash]

Even though I was a pretty good student, if your videos existed when I was in high school in the early 2000s, I would’ve had such a better grasp on not just what my teacher wanted from me but a better understanding of the purpose of art itself, which was a question I still had a hard time answering.

[@callmeqt1269]

I would so greatly appreciate your thoughts on Wallace Stevens. He wrote some very impersonal, cold poems and believed that the writer’s voice should not interfere with or show up in their poetry. How does this fit in with the video’s message?

[@WritingwithAndrew]

When you're as good as Stevens, different rules may apply 😆 There's a sliding scale for how present a poet is in a poem, and, even when a poet goes to pains to remove themself from the poem, it's still a version of the world according to one person's perspective--so there's still a person on the other end. I'd be willing to bet Stevens had a good concept of his readers and that his colder, more cerebral approach worked for them (even if it doesn't work for everyone). Newer writers often aren't thinking of readers much at all, so remembering that reaching readers is the goal can make a big difference early on.

[@callmeqt1269]

@@WritingwithAndrew Thank you for the wonderful and satisfying reply 🙏😁

[@robotgeorge2896]

Your videos are providing me with much needed insight in my writing and teaching journey. Keep it up! Thank you!

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thank you very much! I certainly will--don't hesitate to let me know if there's something you'd like me to talk about in the future

[@ormulyce]

A useful video. Thank you so much.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

You bet!

[@rainygreymornings]

“Title of your memoir” Skull is harsh today 💀 Don’t be so mean to Andrew, he’s a good egg 🥲

[@laytara_]

I love your videos. This is as usual, helpful and is making me reflect on my own processes 🙏🏽

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks--I'm happy to hear it!

[@PorfirioNewcomb-w2w]

This really helped clarify the subject!

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Glad to hear it!

[@rolypolypanda6332]

This surprised me. Felt like it was meant for me personally. I appreciate how you share the examples of the thought exercises you did to help the writers connect as readers. I will have to ponder on this for my own writing.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks, I'm glad to hear that--happy pondering!

[@bathos22]

"By the other day I mean a few months ago"... that's me 😂😂😂

[@WritingwithAndrew]

😆😅

[@TrickyNick79]

I'm very interested in the skull's character development.

[@kaputmortuum]

This is objectively the correct attitude to have

[@dari.robertos]

11: 47 Ouch... xD i think i really need to hear that.... thank you.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Sure thing! (The ouch notwithstanding 😆)

[@anthonycosentino463]

Uncanny amounts of joy?