Writing: It's a Virus

It's no Ebola or Lassa Fever, but writing is just as infectious.

Alrightly, you caught me.

Bacteriophages, a type of virus, taking over a cell.
Source: microbiologyonline.org.uk

I am in the midst of an immunology-crazed phase of my life. This is partly due to the fact that I recently watched the move Outbreak, which depicts/dramatizes the journey of Ebola, a very deadly virus, as it travels to America. After watching the movie and spending some time in my research lab, I began thinking about how writing is much like a virus.

I know. It’s an odd comparison, but just stay with me here.

 Viruses are simple and very small. They are only comprised of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and a protein coat for protection. Even better, they are one-hundredth of the size of an average bacterium. That’s really tiny! Yet these simpletons mesmerize us with their ability to wipe out their hosts quickly and efficiently. They are able to fully commandeer a healthy cell and destroy them singlehandedly in a very short amount of time.

I’m not saying writing is going to destroy you (event though it sometimes feels like it), but the act of writing is simple as well; you can string some letters together and get a word. Then put some words in the correct order and you have a sentence. It’s very humble. Yet we are so intrigued by what this process has given us: the ability to entertain, perplex, frighten and explain every possible topic and audience in existence. We even use writing to creatively sculpt new worlds from our imaginations. An act as simple as touching a pen to paper has gotten us so far during in life.

The point I’m trying to make here is that writing infects us. It takes over our minds. When we are “in the zone” while writing, it is all we can think about. The need to get our ideas on paper overwhelms us. Even while reading a good book, our minds are inundated with images, feeling and thoughts. All of these reactions can come from a single sentence or a mere word. Writing does this to you. It is infectious. It is a virus.

I, for one, am very happy there is no antiserum to this pandemic.

-Lindsay

Writing Consultant Highlight - Lindsay Faust

Writing Consultant Highlight

Lindsay Faust

 

Lindsay is a sophomore Biology and Pre-Med major. Lindsay sees writing as important in her science-based studies, since writing helps her convey her ideas that could one day benefit the community. Lindsay also has a desire to travel the world and a preference for a "thriller," (and not of Michael Jackson fame) as you'll see. 

See below for Lindsay's insights:

As a writing consultant, you know how to put a paper together, but what is your writing process like?        I try to keep things very organized. I make outlines and revise them over and over until I have a working skeleton for my paper at hand. However, as I start to write the paper, I always stay open to new ideas and concepts to incorporate into my paper. I feel that nothing is concrete until I press "Print."

Let's face it: No one is perfect. What is your biggest writing challenge?     
        I have the hardest time writing introductions and conclusions. In some of my introductions, I have a tendency to come off too strong. Yet in my conclusions, I sometimes don’t end with a strong lasting impression. It’s a mess. I know.
 
How does your major help you become a better writer? How has Cedar Crest helped you become a better writer?
      At first glance, science doesn’t seem to have many opportunities in writing. However, scientific papers on breakthrough research are written every day. Being a science major essentially pushes me to become a better writer because if I cannot express my thinking in a paper, I won’t be able to potentially make a difference in the scientific society. 
       Coming to Cedar Crest made me become a better writer by challenging me. In high school, I had always gotten praise for my writing, but when I came to Cedar Crest, I was challenged: the standards were higher, the prompts were more complex, and I constantly had to get opinions on my paper. Because of this, I am now more flexible with my writing.   
   
 What is something interesting not many people know about you?    
         I have a secret aspiration to be on the TV show The Amazing Race. I love to travel and am highly competitive. I want to travel the world!                       

 What is your favorite book? Why?
        I know it’s not a classic by any means, but I love Under the Dome by Stephen King. It’s a thriller that keeps you hanging until the last sentence. The book tells tales of corruption and greed and explores the true motives behind human life.

 What is your general advice to writers?
       When writing, always be yourself. Make your ideas come to life and write with purpose. Don’t let anyone hold you back.

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Writing Consultant Highlight - Lindsey Burke

Writing Consultant Highlight

Lindsey Burke

Lindsey is a sophomore Math major and transferred to Cedar Crest from Temple University. As you will see from Lindsey's answers, she is a "real" student; she deals with the same writing stresses as many students and manages to get through them with an eloquent paper. As for a hobby, she is anything but typical.

See below for Lindsey's insights:

As a writing consultant, you know how to put a paper together, but what is your writing process like?

Outlines truly save each and every one of my writing assignments. I used to be too lazy to use them, but I was also terrible with organization. So my first approach to a functional outline included the categories I intended to talk about, and I gave each of these sections a title. I filled in these areas with complete paragraphs, and then took the “titles” from my outline and combined them to make a thesis statement.  

For me, it was easier to make my paper appear more organized by composing the thesis statement last and basing it on what I had already written. Lastly, I would round it out with a full introduction and conclusion, and piece everything together while checking the flow and transitions. And of course, revise, revise, revise.

Let’s face it: No one is perfect. What is your biggest writing challenge?

My biggest challenge as a writer is to filter out the stress of the assignment, and keep a clear head in order to be sure that the argument is strong. When deadlines feel too close, it becomes more difficult to focus on my argument and supporting evidence. “Accidental procrastination” is my biggest hurdle because the stress it brings can keep me from concentrating.
 

How does your major help you become a better writer? How has Cedar Crest helped you become a better writer?

If I’m being honest with myself, I’m not convinced that math helps writers. Unless you’re calculating the acceptable adverb to word count ratio, there really is no correlation (although ironically the first time I heard the word “correlation,” it was in a math text book, so who knows! Maybe it helps more than I think?). Yet, Cedar Crest has been a wonderful environment to practice writing in. Almost every class requires writing samples from its students, which allows for more practice with helpful feedback.
 

What is something interesting not many people know about you?

For a hobby, I would really love to be a certified scuba diver one day.
 

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is my favorite novel because it is so beautifully crafted. I admire the setting, the intricate characters, the direction the plot takes, and how perfectly these components work with one another. The book is about an experiment with morals, and it presents the most fascinating ideas using such graceful language.  

What is your general advice to writers?

Never stop reading, because it really is the best exposure to the quality work we all aspire to produce. Published work offers readers lessons in grammar, vocabulary, sentence variation, and methods of keeping things interesting.


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