Warm Reflections

Dear Daniel Borzutzky,



I was so pleased to have you speak in our class yesterday. With the exception of Gabe, I do not think that I have met a writer and held discussion before. I found the time to be very interesting and encouraging. I guess I expected that as a guest speaker you would give a speech of some sort , but you didn't. I enjoyed how relaxed our discussion was. The informality of it all.

I have noticed how truly informal college is. In some of my classes we talk openly about drinking and my professors often curse. In my high school that was not acceptable. I see now that college is more free and sometimes less accountable for what goes on in class. I find that a little disappointing. On the upside though, I am constantly finding inspiration for writing here. Having to walk to class everyday gets my mind thinking about stories. This sensation is very foreign to me though because I do not consider myself creative and certainly not a writer. I can whip up a research essay with no trouble, but creative writing has never come naturally to me. It's exciting to be in a place that conjures up more creatism in me.


During our discussion I asked you in what ways do you deal with the doubts that arise concerning your writing. Having doubts in my writing abilities myself, I wanted to know how a published writer overcomes his doubts. You answered that whatever you write is a record of your life in some way. I had never thought of that before but it does make sense. I write in a journal and that is most definitely a record of my life. I appreciated your answer for it encouraged me. Whenever I have doubts again about my writing I will remember that it is documenting a certain time in my life.

I want to thank you again for taking time to come to ISU and speak with us. It was refreshing to hear about your personal life a little; the gym you go to and your time in Turkey. I feel encouraged now to start writing on my own, poems or even short stories. I have never before had the desire to write in my spare time. I think it's time to start.

Best wishes
Elise Houge