Sondra Perl

Tapping Into Your Mind

    Sondra Perl, a professor at Lehman College, specializes in composition theory and rhetoric. She has conducted a great deal of research, and has written an impressive quantity of articles that contribute to the wealth of information in the field of theorizing the writing process. Perl pointed out that many writing teachers only focused on the finished product, paying little to no regard for the process the student used to start with a blank sheet and end with a complete assignment. She then goes on to explain that “It was not until Janet Emig (1969) used a case-study approach to observe writers during the act of writing that empirical data concerning what writers do began to be collected.” (Perl, 20)
    After a series of research studies, Perl developed her own system, titled “Sondra Perl’s Composing Guidelines.” The first of a group of three guidelines (or as she calls, “exercises”) may strike many writers (especially inexperienced ones) as strange. She writes, “Continue writing, even when you don’t know where you’re going.” (Perl, 1) It was a strange concept when my english 101 teacher proposed a free-write session where he stated something along the lines of “Your pens should not stop moving until the ten minutes is up. Write anything, even if it doesn’t seem relevant” The first time I did this, I wrote for about six or seven minutes, until I was out of material. However, I was determined to write till the end. I began writing about how I had nothing to write about, until the seeming senseless spewing of ideas began to come together and bring me back on track. I was following step 3 of Perl’s composing process without realizing it! Step three of of her composing guidelines is:
“Now ask yourself, "What's on my mind? Of all the things I know about, what might I like to write about now?" When you hear yourself answering, jot down what comes. Maybe you get one thing, maybe a list. If you feel totally blocked, you may write down "Nothing." Even this can be taken further by asking yourself, "What is this `Nothing' all about?" (Perl, 1)
    This “nothing” can seem like a strange concept to many, but the point is that it gets you to think. Engaging your mind and putting your pen to the paper or hitting the keys on your keyboard can sometimes be the most daunting task for a writer. Getting the ball rolling eases the author into the writing process, like wading into the water instead of diving in head first. Perl’s guidelines also pay close attention to relaxing the mind and body. She notes that we should “Find a way to get comfortable. Shake out your hands, take a deep breath, settle into your chair. Close your eyes if you'd like to; relax. Find a way to be quietly and comfortably aware of your inner state.” (Perl, 1)
    Perl also proposes a concept which she called the “Felt Sense.” She elaborates this idea by stating:
“Felt sense may seem a vague concept, but we get new leverage in our writing if we realize that there is always something there "in mind" before we have words for it. In one sense, of course, we don't know something till we have it in words. But in another sense we do indeed know quite a lot, and it's a question of learning to tap it better.” (Perl, 1)
    If we learn how to “tap” our ideas, by elaborating and expanding on them, we can branch off into a whole new series of ideas. Constant questioning of ourselves, our ideas, and what we know about them can take us to new places in our writing that we might not find otherwise. Thinking outside the box, as well as getting in touch with ourselves, can also make the difference between bland and intriguing writing.  In her article, “Storytelling as Research, a Writerly Approach to Research” Perl states that “The work needs to have a credible and engaging voice, one that if we heard at the party might make us want to meet the speaker, a voice or a range of voices that will pull us in rather than push us away.” (Perl, 307) Information and ideas alone are not enough to fully engage a reader. Perl’s guidelines are unique and useful in the sense that it makes us delve into our own mind, and explore not only our ideas, but ourselves as well.
    Perl’s contributions to the field of research and development of composition are immense. Her articles helped put the process of writing in the spotlight, which used to be neglected in favor of a finished product. As a result, the field of teaching writing was revolutionized and further advancements in education and writing theory were conceived.

Works Cited

"Sondra Perl's Composing Guidelines." The Focusing Institute. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. <http://www.focusing.org/perlprocess.html>.

Sondra, Perl. "The Composing Processes of Unskilled College Writers." Research in the Teaching of English 13.4 (n.d.): JSTOR SRU gateway. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2011.

Sondra, Perl. "Understanding Composing." College Composition and Communication 31.4 (n.d.): JSTOR SRU gateway. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2011.

Sondra Perl; Reba Pekala; Jack Schwartz; Anita Graves; Bill Silver; Jamie, Carter. "How Teachers Teach the Writing Process." The Elementary School Journal 84.1 (n.d.): JSTOR SRU gateway. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2011.