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You Are Intellectual? Write
Muhammad Sukrianto A. Introduction
The book “Pokoknya Menulis” invites the students as the intellectual candidates and the intellectuals in general to be able to write. The main thing
stressed by the writers in this book is that every ones may be able to write or can express their ideas through writing. However, the capability of writing can not be
handily had by every ones, it need practice. Indonesian proverb says: “alah bisa karena biasa.” It means that writing ability can be developed by accustoming to
expressing the ideas through writing.
This book is interesting since it gives solution for them who want to practice and have a strong ambition to be a good writer. The valuable of this book is the
writers provide the opportunities to the readers to practice directly with the guidance given in this book. The writers believe that practice is more important than
discussing theories and process is more valuable than product.
According to the writers, what make the students reluctant to write is that they didn’t get a good learning in writing at school. Most of Indonesian students feel
that writing is difficult and speaking is easier than writing. This phenomenon can be solved through seriously redesigning the system of education that supports the
subject of writing at schools. In this book the writers provide the strategies and techniques of writing, theoretically and practically that can help the students to learn
and practice writing.
B. Learning from Past Experience in Facing Future Time
In the first chapter of this book, the writers tell the reader that this book is written to give solution how to be success becomes a good writer. This book does
not only give how to write theoretically but also give how to write practically. He believes that after reading and understanding this book, the reader can get a new
inspiration to be a new writer in the future.
The writers also give the guidance how to create a critical thinking. Based on the phenomena happened in their environment, the students may analyze the
problems and give the solution. By critical thinking concept, the students will be able to read critically or what we called critical reading. Critical thinking is the
basic of writing. Writing need reading, especially in academic reading because without reading a lot ones can not write. Critical thinking, as the core of critical
writing, helps students in producing a meaningful written text appropriate to audience and situationSchafersman, 1991.
I think that what the writers writes in this chapter is interesting. Learning from the system of education in the past that didn’t support the students able to
write, it makes us realize the problems that we have to plan the real way to improve our educational system. It is right that most of students are reluctant to write and
they are shame if what they write is read by his or her friends. It is also my experience when I teach my students writing. Although it is just writing their daily
activities, they feel difficult to write and what they write is not allowed to read by others.
In this chapter the writers gives a solution how to write collaboratively collaborative writing. Using this technique may help the students to practice
41 writing. In my opinion, I agree with the whole ideas of the writers written in this
chapter. One thing that I would like to say, actually not every body is able to be a writers. But every body has to do the endeavor to be a writer, especially the
intellectuals.
C. Writing is collaborating
