Opinion | Why I write

I started writing for The Pitt News this past fall, and all I can say is that I wish I found this incredible group of people sooner. I have had a lot of fun on the opinions desk, and I am very proud of the work I have done. I am incredibly thankful for this fulfilling experience to grow my writing skills and all those I have met along the way. Graduation looms a few weeks away, and it is a bittersweet beginning to my future in writing as a potential career and continuing hobby.

When I was scrambling through college applications during my senior year of high school, I picked English writing because I enjoy reading. I was familiar with fiction and poetry, but I had no idea that nonfiction writing was not just textbooks and biographies. Nonfiction spans many subgenres. This ability to tell truthful stories in unique and compelling ways is what drew me to it. I was also originally a theatre arts minor, but when I realized I had the room in my schedule to still graduate on time, I made it my second major. 

I enjoy writing because I love sharing and reflecting on stories about my life, or other people’s lives. My writing has guided me to be the person I want to be in the world. Currently, in my senior seminar writing class, I am writing a 20-page paper about my family — mainly my Grandma, who is from Puerto Rico, and how her life reflects mine. It’s a journey through my own identity and what it means to embrace my Puerto Rican-ness. I have learned many things about my ancestry and how I value my family. This type of writing is very different from the work I have done at The Pitt News, but I am always excited to discover new things as I write.

On the opinions desk, I was able to share my thoughts about things I notice in the world, whether it was an effort to get more people to write in cursive or express how technology is interfering with our love lives. Though this writing is less journalism-focused, I have learned how to make compelling arguments from my editors and gain insight to the process of writing for a newspaper. I am confident that these skills will aid my writing opportunities in the future. 

I have life goals for writing, too. First, I want to write a memoir one day. What about? I am not sure yet. I am also interested in fiction, though I have less experience with it, and maybe I will write a novel. With my theater background, I absolutely want to write a play. I have all these ideas of stories that are jumbled in my head, and I want to share it with the world.
I struggle to find motivation sometimes, as does every writer. The process of writing and seeing a project through until the end is daunting and difficult. I am still figuring out my perfect process for writing, and I think it will get better as I continue my passion, but I am so eager to share stories now.

When I do sit down to write and find myself zoned in, my words flow onto the page easily. I know some writers who take the time to work word by word and line by line before continuing onto the next one, which allows for a simplified editing process. But for me, I get everything out on the page in one go. I think it makes the writing sound most like my actual voice. My sister tells me that when she reads my articles, she can hear my voice through them. Then later, I take the time to go line by line to edit and change. I like to look at the larger arc of the story before being nitpicky with line edits.

I am also a writer who can never put things off until the last minute. When I have a 900-word essay due in a week, I meticulously plan out how many words I need to write a day and then leave one day to edit. It’s crazy, I know. I can’t procrastinate writing because I know it will not be my best work, and this process allows me to not get overwhelmed. 

I think everyone should write. Whether it’s short poems, journaling or just writing down things you hear people say. There are many benefits to writing, and I believe that it can do many things for a person — it definitely has for me. So what comes next after I walk across the stage at the Petersen Events Center in a few weeks? I will sharpen my pencil and write.

Abby Dobry writes primarily about life and the arts. Write to her at abd61@pitt.edu