Words and expressions
1. This fixation on the finished article causes writers a lot of trouble, deflecting them from all the earlier decisions that have to be made todetermine its shape and voice and content.
fixation: a very strong interest in or love for someone or something, that is not natural or healthy
仿写: Carlo has an absolute fixation with the royal family.
2. I said I was reluctant to suggest one because the idea of the course was to think our way collectively to possible solutions.
reluctant: slow and unwilling
仿写: She was reluctant to talk about it.
3. The texture of the sport he remembered had been eroded by social change.
erode: to gradually reduce something such as someone’s power or confidence
仿写: Repeated exam failure had eroded her confidence.
Reflection
作者提到，在写作中要从大量繁杂、凌乱的信息中提炼出关键和核心的写作内容，并且要条理清晰地表述出来。这就需要写作的人想清楚写作内容，要知道自己想写什么和怎么写，传达正确的价值观。
Writing is related to character. If your values are sound, your writing will be sound. It all begins with intention. Figure out what you want to doand how you want to do it, and work your way with humanity and integrity to the completed article.
作者还提到了写作中尤其重要的两点思想One is quest, the other is intention.The quest is one of the oldest themes in storytelling, an act of faith we never get tired of hearing about.
Intention is what we wish to accomplish with our writing. Call it the writer’s soul. We can write to affirm and to celebrate, or we can write todebunk and to destroy; the choice is ours. 我们的作品既要表达相应的主题，更要传递思想，这是作者的灵魂，文章要形神一体，至于具体要表现的东西，这就是作者自己的选择了，这也是写作中必不可少的思考的过程。
