FIELDYALITLens3

__True Notebooks __, a novel about the redemptive power of writing, reminds me of my own experiences as a writer and the philosophies that I hold about the beauty of the craft. While reading the novel, I found myself pausing many times to underline passages that spoke to me. The passages related to the very reasons that I have loved writing since I was young, and the same reasons why I chose the career paths that I have over the years: writing is a pure and honest expression from the heart that allows us to feel free, make discoveries about ourselves and the world around us, and share our thoughts with others.
 * Lens 3: Reader-Response for __True Notebooks__ by Mark Salzman **

It wasn’t until college (the first time) when I studied journalism and creative non-fiction writing that I started to understand the power that writing could have. I remember someone once telling me that something I had written had made them cry. Other times, people have told me that they have learned something new or felt inspired by an article I have written. It was at these moments that I felt amazed and satisfied that my words could have such an effect. It was at these moments that I felt encouraged to write more so that I could evoke more emotions in people, or make a difference in how they viewed the word or lived their lives. I believe it was these same kinds of reactions to writing that transformed the lives of the young men in the L.A. Central Juvenile Hall in __True Notebooks__. Not only did the young men find an outlet in writing that allowed them to express and come to terms with their complex emotions and difficult lives, but they also learned that sharing experiences and wisdom could help them to make connections with others, who related to, or could learn from, their stories. The students learned that their writing was a gift to themselves, and to each other: what you give away is what you keep. As Mark said about the story Kevin wrote about his teacher helping him: “By cherishing it, he keeps the teacher’s gift to him alive, and by writing it down, he passes the gift along. It makes me feel good to hear it” ( 49-50).

I also related to the passages that were about how it does not matter if there are grammatical mistakes in writing, or if it is not perfect, because good writing is not about perfection—it’s about honesty. After Mark tells Francisco that what he’s written is exactly what he wanted, and that he’s done a nice job, Francisco looks suspicious. He says, “I know there’s gotta be plenty of mistakes in there.” Mark replies, “Don’t worry about mistakes. The important thing is being willing to write honestly. To write something genuine and important” (41). This passage particularly struck a chord with me because of experiences that I’ve had in the last year as an English major. I’ve found that as a student, I get the most frustrated and upset when I get a paper back that is filled with comments about my misuse of MLA style or my inability to correctly form sentences, instead of comments about my original ideas, the creative way in which I’ve connected thoughts, or shed new light on the subject. It seems to me that Mark Salzman’s understanding of writing, as a forum to write honestly from the heart without worrying about if a comma is misplaced, is the crux of the matter. Sure, in certain contexts  grammar or style does matter, but it should not take precedence over the exploration of ideas and the expression of genuine, original thought. If that’s the case, then something valuable is being under-appreciated.

I believe that young adults would identify with this novel because everyone has had a time in their lives when they needed someone to believe in them, which is what Mark Salzman does for the young men in the juvenile detention center. Everyone can relate to what that felt like to have gone through a tough time when one needs someone’s full support to help them through, and how that support was what enabled them to flourish and grow. The story might even inspire students to reach out to someone who needs their help, through action or the written word.

This novel could help students to understand that everyone has a voice that deserves to be heard, whether you’re a high school student or a criminal in a detention center. Everyone has an important story to share. I think that students reading this novel will be pleasantly surprised, and moved, to discover the insightful, poignant writing that the students in Mark’s writing class have.

__True Notebooks __ also teaches that writing isn’t easy, which is a common misconception about writing. It often sounds like a cinch to jot some thoughts on paper, but in reality, it’s a struggle to articulate something in a way that does your inner-feelings justice. Mark shares with his students that in working on his books, writing was “agony” for him most of the time. However, as students read the finished product of __True Notebooks__, they can see that the hard work and “agony” that Mark put in has paid off in the end. In this way, the novel can serve as a lesson that the best things in life, such as novels that inspire us, are the result of someone’s hard work and passion. It’s important to push through hardships in order to achieve a result. If writing was easy, then it wouldn’t be as meaningful.

Lastly, the novel teaches that writing is not a competition between others. Students shouldn’t compare themselves to others, or try to outdo someone else’s writing. Each person’s writing is special because it has a unique voice and point of view that no one else can duplicate. The very nature of writing is noncompetitive as it has to first and foremost be from our hearts, for ourselves, as a cathartic release or a way to explore emotions. Inspiring others is only a fringe benefit of writing—and a very good one at that! As Kevin writes in his 3-part essay: “Writing also helps me to be free. I can create anything with my imagination, pencil, and paper, and before I know it I’ve created something that was in me the whole time, my pencil and paper just helped me let it out, freely” (98). And that’s the power of __True Notebooks__.  