87 days and counting

Last week I got a class assignment. Four page paper about the two books we have read so far. I chuckled a little under my breath.

Four pages? Puh-lease. I can write that in my sleep.

Turns out, I CAN'T write it in my sleep. Or when I'm awake for that matter. It took me a grand total of seven hours to write that blasted paper and, frankly, I don't think it's very good.

First of all, I've really moved away from doing the analytical thing the past couple of years. I've been taking classes more on the creative side of writing and going back is difficult. My AP teachers from high school would no doubt be ashamed.

But, more to the point, I feel like I've been trained to be a marathon runner and can no longer compete in sprints (if you'll allow me to use an impressive metaphor that makes me feel like I have killer athletic talent). Seriously. There was a gradual build up over the last three years that took my four-page-paper writing skills and made them 10-15 (or 20 or 25)-page-paper writing skills.

I attempted this four page paper and had barely reached my thesis before I realized I was already two and a half pages in. *Head desk*

In the end I got it done, but I can't feel like there are holes in the argument... mostly where I literally deleted whole paragraphs.