Process Writing

Cody Howrigon

How did you discover a process for writing each piece?

My writing process is a very conscious thing for me. I have made a point over the quarter to better hone my writing/revision techniques in a way that makes sense. I used to just take a loosely formed idea and go with it. I would write without any real direction or plan, then leave the bulk of the burden for later when I would revise. I quickly learned that this doesn't work at K College, as time is much too scarce. I instead look at my creative writing assignments more like the argumentative or philosophical papers that I'm more accustomed to writing. I mean this mostly in terms of finding structure and staying more consistent with what it is I'm trying to say. I do this by spending a considerable amount of time brainstorming in the initial stages of a piece. Once I find what I think is an interesting theme or story, I try to construct a paragraph-by-paragraph outline for what I plan to say. I do tend to deviate quite a bit from my plan when first writing a piece, but I do my best to revisit my initial intentions when I revise. After my first draft is written and I share it with the class, I have found the feedback to be indispensable. Particularly with our last assignment, the perfect meal essay, I found the feedback to be especially useful. It is a nice luxury to have so many outside eyes giving careful, constructive criticism on my work. I used the comments made in class as my guideline for revision. I did not make all of the changes that were suggested, but I did make a lot. These workshop sessions are something that could possibly not be an option in future classes, and definitely won't be if I plan to write at all for a living or even for fun after graduation. I think it will be imperative to my improvement as a writer to find ways of replicating this process in the future.

What connections did you make between the texts we read and the pieces you wrote for class?

I think my intended connections between the texts we read and the pieces I wrote for class were very obvious for everyone in the class. I am a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, and I have realized that I often mimic his writing style subconsciously. My obsession with his shows and books were the primary motivation for me taking this course, and has motivated me the whole way through to try to learn and grow more as a creative writer and critical thinker. I also found an interest in the food writer Jim Harrison and his piece, "A Really Big Lunch." I think the way I wrote my last piece was influenced a great deal by him, and the lifestyle he lead. Anyone who lives a life traveling the world, meeting incredible people, and eating the greatest food around, I think has come to understand the true meaning of "carpe diem." 

What did writing for this course teach you about yourself?

To be as brutally honest as I can be, I think this course has taught me that I am not a creative writer. I have come to appreciate the art of creative non-fiction more than I ever have. I have been exposed to writers like Liebling, Kramer, Harrison, Nguyen, Tomkins and more. They have all made me much more aware of the art of food writing, and what it means to do it correctly. This class has given me a healthy disdain for Yelp, and wanna-be food writers. It has also encouraged my already burning passion to travel, by intensifying my understanding of how food and culture are intertwined, and how essential food is to understanding the grand scheme of who a group of people are and what they're about. I think I will always remember the quote we went over from the first day of class, "If you really want to understand a culture, you have to taste it."