Writing and Uncovering Anxiety

Student Workshop on Writing Fiction

Writing activity that’s going along with one's life can be found from writing activities in the form of status and comments on social media, short messages, campus assignments and thesis. But there are also people who do not write anything to public for lack-confidence reason, unfamiliarity and fear. It should be understood that qualified writings come from practice and spirit not to give up easily. For this reason, Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta in collaboration with the Master Degree of Literature Team of Gadjah Mada University held a Writing Fiction Workshop (Wednesday, 1/5/2019) at Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta secretariat.

Twenty students from various regions, studying in various campuses in Yogyakarta attended the workshop. In the opening session, Trustha Rembaka, S.Th., coordinator of Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta appreciated the enthusiasm of students to improve their fiction writing skills. Everyone has his/her own life story that’s valuable lessons for others, so be assured to start writing.

Achmad Munjid, M.A., Ph.D., a lecture at Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, the workshop facilitator, was pleased to cooperate with Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta because he could interact with students from various regions in Indonesia. He began the workshop with a question: "If someone goes to swim and the trainer only gives a theory book to swim, he will be able to plunge to the pool and swim or not? He must practice how to swim, moving his hands, feet and breathing. It is the same with writing activity. Theory is not enough! He must write and continue to sharpen his writing skills."

There are various types of writing and one of them is fiction, a literary work that contains imaginary story and not real events. Despite an imagination, fiction writer must write interestingly, so the readers will be impressed with his/her fiction. The writer needs to realize that fictional writing is actually the author's thought because there is a conflict that makes him anxious. Then, he/she should determines the plot or storyline of conflict, crisis and resolution that contains 3D, namely Drama (attract attention), Desire (enthusiasm) and Danger (challenge), so that readers are interested in reading to completion. Another important parts are describing places, figures, events or things specifically and real that make the readers feel ‘as if’ they enter the story and meet directly with the characters. The author cannot write just "this food is delicious" because delicious is so relative. So, the writer must 'tell' the food, what the ingredients are, how they look, taste and flavour of the ingredients. If the reader feels like 'tasting' the food, it means that the writer is successful.

As an exercise, participants were asked to observe the painting and describe it in words and try to 'enter' into the readers' feelings. The facilitator revealed that writing is like someone digging a well with a needle, slowly digging the ground. It is the same case with writing that arranges letter by letter, word by word and sentence by sentence that finally becomes one complete writing.

"At first I liked writing diaries about my hearts and children stories, but I was shy and not confident when other people read them. However, in this workshop I got the answer that an author does not need to think about it. The important thing is writing down what is on my mind, telling the emotions and feelings, and  ignoring reader comments. Now I am confident enough to write," said Marina, a student of Mercu Buana University, coming from Riung, Flores Island.

Because this is just the beginning of writing fiction and still a learning process, it is necessary to write immediately and to train yourself. So, start writing, express everything that disturbs your heart! (TRU).