Themewriters Anonymous :: Creative Writing Essays

Themewriters Anonymous Hi. My name is Ben and I am a themewriter. I should have a Ph.D. in "Black Rot" There I said it. Is there some clinic for themewriters where I can check myself in. The first step is admitting that you have a problem. Judging from some of the discussion that has gone on, I feel good because I realize that I am not alone. I think we have to realize that we are all themewriters to a certain extent. Once we realize this, we can try to move beyond that theme. I am trying to move beyond the theme one step at a time. Was I doing it again? Sorry, it's a difficult habit to break. What does it mean to move beyond the theme? I don't know. That is why I have come here tonight. When we first started talking about themewriting I looked at themewriters with disdain. There is no way that I could be one of those robots. I didn't want to accept the fact that I was a themewriter because I had always been successful in classes. I was super at sitting down the night before a paper was due, whipping out a theme and receiving an "A" on a "well-organized, coherent paper." I would give myself a pat on the back, get drunk and celebrate my genius. Looking back, I am not completely devastated to find out that I'm a themewriter. After all, that was the only way I knew how to write. Themes don\'92t contribute to the understanding of the reader. They only communicate on the surface. You can get your one main point across and beat it to death in the five paragraph format. For a longer paper, just add paragraphs to the body. My question is, once we get beyond the theme where do we go? I have used the theme as a crutch- an excuse not to do any real thinking or contemplation on a subject. I just puke back what the instructor has already told me in an attractive, organized manner. This method is easier for a teacher to grade but I don't think it contributes to the understanding of everyone involved. By communicating in themes, we learn facts- not understanding or deeper meaning. In the handout written by Laib, we can see that organization is one of the keys to enhancing the understanding of both the reader and the writer.