Your Name: Jialin Hu

Course Name and Section: ENGL001A WINTER 2019

Due date: JAN 26 2020

Assignment: Study Guide For: Writing to Change the World by Mary Pipher

Part I: Summary

Writing to Change the World is a writing guide, written by the author Mary
Pipher, is an inspiring book that not only teaches, but also reminds writers of all
levels, how powerful our stories are, and how important we are to tell them. And
Piper made it clear that a story we write a poem, a letter to the editor, a blog post,
a book or a speech-may change only one reader. I also thought of "writing to
change the world" in another way. When we look at the world inside and around
us, we are also changing the world. We are conscious and coordinated when we
realize who we are and how we influence and be influenced by the people and
things around us. Writing change the world and provides ideas beyond books and
articles: speech, music and poetry, newspaper, and social media.

Part 2: Outline

Chapter One: Writing to Connect

I. The book named The Diary of Anne Frank that change Mary Pipher’s perspective
of writing.

II. All writing is designed to change the world.

III. Art/ Artful/ Propaganda

A. Not every writing that have influence in change is great literature, some of
the infamous writing can also change the world.

B. Many effective writers are not stylists, but they manage to convey a clear
message.

C. Good writing should have the ability to connect audience, a variety of

storytelling skills, and being openminded.

D. Writers should hold the strong believe that readers can open mind to different
source of point of view, contradictions, unresolved questions and nuance.

IV. Moral Writing

A. Socially conscious writers want authenticity and transparency to saturate

every page of their work.

B. Academics can be revolutionaries.

 C. Journalists can change the zeitgeist as well.

D. Song can be a powerful tool for connecting people to one another.

E. Films often change the world.

Chapter Three: What You Alone Can Say

V. You have your own set of life themes, habits, and ways of organizing yourself
into a coherent “I”.

VI. Voice is essence of self, distilled and offered in service to the world.

A. Finding your voice involves finding the right form of writing for yourself.

VII. Finding your voice

A. Your self-exploration is a way to pay attention to the world.

B. Stereotypes of writers fall under two categories: the Dionysian, and the quiet
and contemplative.

C. Comedic writers often reveal their flaws and quirks to connect with all the
other flawed and quirky humans of the world.

Chapter Four: Growing Our Souls

VIII. America is deeply ambivalent about its change agents.

IX. To most Americans, “radical” has negative connotation.

A. Today our culture’s dysfunctional message is that healthy people accept the
world as it is.

B. In Pipher’s opinion, true rebels are not anguished, angry individuals mired
since adolescence in their own complains and needs for individuation.

X. Pipher’s social activism began with animals.

A. She finally knew that she had the power to grant life to only one.

B. She felt like God, and she did not like it.

XI. In elementary school, Pipher had noticed the mean-spiritedness of some kids, part
of it directed at she and her siblings.

XII. Growing our souls could be defined as the steady accretion of empathy, clarity,
and passion for the good.

Part 3: Key Terminology with definitions

 Inspire- Pipher states all writing is about changing the world, even if it's a small
part. It may also change the reader's mood or appreciation of a certain beauty.
Writing to improve the world can be assessed by the author's goals and/or its
impact on the world.

Language- Language brings identity, meaning, and perspective to human beings.

Pipher explained that just as the language of power and greed could destroy us,
the language of reason and empathy has the power to save us. Writers can unite
people or divide them.

Voice- Voice is everything about us, it is our observation, our emotion. It comes
from our relationship, our ethnic background, and educational experience, it is
about our sorrows and fears, our joys and it sings out of us.

Bemoaning- Pipher explains that it is what you are unhappy about and complain
about something. She also mentioned that her therapy practice was swamped with
young women who were losing control of their eating habits in the early 90’s, that
they were “bemoaning fat things and double chins”.

Ambivalent- Pipher notes that “America is deeply ambivalent about its change
agents” and “Simply put, we tend to like them after they die.” It is to say that
America likes someone who tends to fight against the regulation after they passed
away.

Part 4: Discussion Questions

1. Pipher expresses that the writer’s job is to connect the reader with one
another. So, what are some different ways to connect the reader around the
world? What are the similarities and differences between these methods?

2. As the author mentions in chapter three, “voice is everything we are”. How do

we capture other’s voice and understand what they want to be heard?

3. In chapter four, Pipher suggests that the writer needs to tell the stories about
themselves. Then how do we explain that the novel writer can write down so
many heart-touching plot and splendid stories that never happened in real
life?

Part 5: Analysis

After reading the articles, I notice that the author delivers the idea that being
open-minded when writing our own voice is important. When we write
something that is important to us, it is that we are truly passionate and in our best
condition as writers. When someone reads it, it also affects the reader. This may
give readers a new outlook on life and change the world in a sense. Anything we
write encounters a type of reaction that may inspire one's interest, even if we are
not sincere. Nowadays, with the development of the Internet, our works can reach
many people, and our ideas are easy to be heard.
Part 6: External Source(s)

Tim Knox, Improve Your Writing: 6 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer, WRITER’S
DIGEST, Web. JAN 2018

https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/improve-my-
writing/improve-your-writing-tips-for-becoming-a-better-writer

Generally, this web source also mentions that free writing and “first thought” is
the basic skill to be a better writer. Be the self that allows us to write in our own
voice which sounds similar to Pipher’s idea of writing. Moreover, Knox also
notes that rereading is very important which reminds me of “change writing”. The
analysis of the origin of a word gives vital information on proper usage.
Therefore, the more we read, the more we will have various perspectives. With
the help of social media, we are able to reach various thoughts to lighten our
minds and broaden our horizon with more quality, but less effort.