On writing

I am currently working on a presentation that is required of me for my Sociology class. The students were asked to come up with their own topic of interest, relating to any sociatal issue, and perform a presentation based on research and analysis. I always love the opportunity to choose my own topic because then I get the chance to really look into and research something that actually interests me. I strongly feel that when you are asked to write about a topic, the end result is always better when you are passionate about the subject. This doesn't necessarily mean that you can't write a good paper about something you aren't interested in, but it makes it all the more difficult. I get excited about writing when I can take my own path and have fun doing it. I hate when I am pressured to produce a paper on the spot or when I am being tested on my writing with time constraints. I firmly believe my best writing is created when I want to sit down and do it or when I have a strong urge to express a certain emotion or opinion. I'm sure that this is the common consensius in this matter, but some must have it easier than others. In my opinion, your writing is at it's best when it is not forced but rather inspired.

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne