Why is Writing So Hard?

Written by Director, Kristin Rourke

Writing is hard. It’s a complex process and producing good writing takes time, effort, and just-right conditions. We know from research studies that writing uses multiple parts of the brain. Ask any professional writer and they’ll tell you that writing is a challenging process, with lots of starts and stops, lots of ideas that go nowhere, and lots of really rough first drafts. 

Learning to write is also a complicated process and takes time and effort. It’s often especially challenging for 2e kids who may have a lot of fantastic ideas, but have trouble with the mechanics and organization of writing. As a writer and writing teacher, I’ve been able to pick up on a few solid strategies to help all students (but especially 2e kids) engage with the writing process. Here’s a few of my favorite ones to help jump start the school year with a focus on creating less pressure and stress around writing. 

1. Prompts Matter - The best prompts are the ones that offer a low bar and a high ceiling. I usually like to start with a wacky photo prompt or a photo of something a student already knows a lot of information about. For example, when I give a student who is super into horses a photo of some horses in a field, I know they’ll have something to say about it. This helps clear the “idea generation” hurdle of writing.

2. Speak first, then write - If you can explain something out loud, you can write it down. Writing is just a more organized and more permanent form of speaking. Sometimes students have no ideas, sometimes too many ideas. Before actually putting things on paper, recording the ideas can be helpful (whether it’s in a graphic organizer, using a voice recorder, or having a note-taking partner to write them down as they come). After the ideas are out, read over them and rephrase them to get something a little more polished on paper.  

3. Teach handwriting, typing, grammar, and spelling separately - The point of most writing is to answer a question or express an idea. Sometimes pesky details like messy handwriting, labored typing, or improper grammar bog down really fantastic ideas. Being able to write neatly, type quickly, and spell fluently are parts of writing, but these are all skills that take practice. A lot of times teachers and parents will focus on correcting spelling mistakes or ask a child to write more neatly when students are being asked to do creative or argumentative writing. It’s important to let students get their ideas out (however they can) and then edit later rather than interrupting the flow of writing to continuously correct a child who is trying their best and using their voice to express their ideas. I have met many, many kids and teens who stop writing entirely because they believe they type too slow, have messy handwriting, or can’t spell. I can work with them on building spelling, typing, and handwriting activities easily, but it takes much longer to build back the confidence of someone who has been repeatedly told that what they have to say doesn’t matter because they’re not saying it perfectly the first time. 

4. Understand that writing is a process - Perfectionism runs high in 2e and gifted kids. Sometimes the thought of creating something that isn’t perfect or has mistakes can make students shy away from creating any writing at all. But writing takes time. A first draft is rarely perfect, but there’s always time to rewrite, edit, and revise. You can change your words, fix your spelling, and re-organize what you want to say and how you say it. (Getting caught up in the editing process is another thing entirely and some writers will edit and edit and edit for all eternity and never be happy, including many famous ones.)

Writing is a complicated and incredibly challenging process, but it’s inherently valuable. Writing is how people can express themselves and their ideas. Writing can inspire, it can inform, it can create. It’s worth it to go through the struggle, and like any complex task, it does get easier with more practice, positive feedback, and with time. 

Further Reading:

This is Your Brain on Writing

ADHD and Graduate Writing

On Teaching Writing