An Act of Expression
For as long as I have been a writer, my understanding of the act of writing was always an act of expression. Ever since I was young, I had a fascination with books and story telling. It was a way for me to get lost and absorbed in an authors world, and to enjoy the way a person has created a world for a reader to enter just by opening the pages of the book. It was like an invitation for me to go to a new place I have never been before, and allowing the author to guide me through their vision. When I would find myself seeking out more books by a particular author, it was an indication to me that what they did, they did well. It was their specific writing style and choice of words that made their work all their own. It was a way for them to express themselves with words, just as an oil painter expresses themselves with paint. Reading a diverse range of texts has influenced me to have a writing style that is my own, and I realize just as I did with the authors and writers I grew up enjoying, I also have found writing to be a way of expression for me, even at times when it is hard for me to explain exactly how to put that into words.
When I first started the class, English Composition 101, I really was unsure what to expect. Since I am older than most typical students entering this class, I felt like I have already developed a way of writing that has worked for me, and I was uncertain about what it would be like to possibly have all of these learned habits get flipped upside down by being introduced to techniques and methods that could alter what I am comfortable with. Even though I was aware I am a “creature of habit,” I approached the learning process with an open mind. In one of my early Writer’s Journals, I stated “Right now, I am starting the process of learning how to formally write, how to compose my writing, and all the processes I will gain from English Composition. I am confident I will see growth in my writing as the course goes on, discard the things I find negatively impact my writing, and embrace the tools that allow me to be successful in my writing. I feel this differs from my peers since I know everyone is not the same. What might work for me, might not be as effective for another person. Memorization, copying, and repetition may be approaches my peers use, or taking and reviewing notes. I find that when I take notes, I stop listening, and is therefore something I have to be aware of if I choose to do so when someone is teaching. It may be beneficial for me to take the notes to review later than it is to listen, and sometimes I feel I will absorb the information if I am mindfully engaged in the discussion. Having a discussion board with my classmates allow me to talk about what we are learning, and will be conducive to understanding our subject matter.” As I moved through the course, I realized my biggest struggle in writing was Drafting. I never allowed myself the time to do much preparing for a paper as that was never a way my mind worked. I would jump into writing with a mindset that it was to be written from start to completion. Growing up and seeing books, magazines, articles, and writing in almost any form, I would see it in a finished state. Readers purchasing books from their favorite authors would be purchasing someone’s finished work. You would never find an author's rough draft sitting on the shelf next to the finished product for you to read. It was almost as if the fingerprints were erased from the process, never having the opportunity to see the writing process a writer has gone through in order to produce the finished work. As a writer, I have learned that this could not be further from the truth. I gained insight that writing goes through many different phases, and just like an artist bringing a sketch to a completed painting, a writer does the same with writing a zero draft and brainstorming. This phase is where I found to have developed the most improvement in my approach. It required practice, and allowing room for “letting go.” My peers gave me great insight into how they move through rough drafting and brainstorming, and I took away a great deal of new techniques that from them that has since helped my own writing. They explained writing down your thoughts, even if they have no relation to one another, would help get the ideas down on paper to later use as you desire. Another approach was to make a list of bullet points you would like to touch on in your paper, and created a sense of planned structure.
I was most fascinated with the subject of Rhetoric and Rhetorical Knowledge. This area was where I felt most confident in, as in my profession I would always have to consider who my audience was that I was speaking to, and what situations would cause me to use purposeful shifts in voice, tone, level of formality, and structure. In Writer’s Journal #5 I noted this learned outcome and how I naturally apply this in my daily life with “I am a supervisor for Starbucks Coffee Company, and have barista’s that I supervise and teach on a daily basis. Having effective conversations and creating sustainable behaviors amongst the team is something that takes a lot of practice, and in a sense, uses a type of rhetoric. When I was faced with the challenge of engaging these same kind of conversations with my other supervisors though, I found this particular “audience” was a bit more challenging as peers, instead of me being in a superior position. One situation that was happening that needed to be addressed were the inventory counts being done at the end of the day, and how certain actions in the morning were also influencing inaccuracy in the counts, leading to high food waste. I realized in the beginning of these conversations, scolding them and just pointing out errors were not having a positive impact. My tone was very serious, and my frustration was causing me to not be understanding, or to consider other possible reasons to why this was continually happening. Reflecting on this, and contemplating why I was not getting the results I desired, I was misreading my rhetorical situation. I needed to change my rhetoric to something that would persuade them into seeing things from my point of view, and why this was a serious problem that needed to be fixed. When I lightened my tone, started showing them what I was seeing in the counts, how it was effecting our waste, what can be done to change this, and offered help if they needed it, I saw a complete change in behavior, and soon the counts were being done more carefully with the waste eventually dropping within our target range. Appealing to my audience is what I needed to get this result.” This highlights a key Habit of Mind in “Flexibility.” My ability to adapt to situations, expectations, or demands are also a major ability I use in my writing when I am considering who my audience is that I am writing for. You must be flexable as a writer in order to write for a particular audience, being that what might have worked in the past for one subject and audience, does not necessarily mean it is also going to be as affective with a completely different audience of readers. My other strengths are a combination of Engagement and Curiosity from the “Habits of Mind.” I stay in a constant investment in learning new techniques and methods for my writing, and searching for more ways I could enrich my writing for future pieces of work. Curiosity is the fuel behind this, and it is that desire to know more about the world that creates the drive to be a critical thinker.
When I first started the class, English Composition 101, I really was unsure what to expect. Since I am older than most typical students entering this class, I felt like I have already developed a way of writing that has worked for me, and I was uncertain about what it would be like to possibly have all of these learned habits get flipped upside down by being introduced to techniques and methods that could alter what I am comfortable with. Even though I was aware I am a “creature of habit,” I approached the learning process with an open mind. In one of my early Writer’s Journals, I stated “Right now, I am starting the process of learning how to formally write, how to compose my writing, and all the processes I will gain from English Composition. I am confident I will see growth in my writing as the course goes on, discard the things I find negatively impact my writing, and embrace the tools that allow me to be successful in my writing. I feel this differs from my peers since I know everyone is not the same. What might work for me, might not be as effective for another person. Memorization, copying, and repetition may be approaches my peers use, or taking and reviewing notes. I find that when I take notes, I stop listening, and is therefore something I have to be aware of if I choose to do so when someone is teaching. It may be beneficial for me to take the notes to review later than it is to listen, and sometimes I feel I will absorb the information if I am mindfully engaged in the discussion. Having a discussion board with my classmates allow me to talk about what we are learning, and will be conducive to understanding our subject matter.” As I moved through the course, I realized my biggest struggle in writing was Drafting. I never allowed myself the time to do much preparing for a paper as that was never a way my mind worked. I would jump into writing with a mindset that it was to be written from start to completion. Growing up and seeing books, magazines, articles, and writing in almost any form, I would see it in a finished state. Readers purchasing books from their favorite authors would be purchasing someone’s finished work. You would never find an author's rough draft sitting on the shelf next to the finished product for you to read. It was almost as if the fingerprints were erased from the process, never having the opportunity to see the writing process a writer has gone through in order to produce the finished work. As a writer, I have learned that this could not be further from the truth. I gained insight that writing goes through many different phases, and just like an artist bringing a sketch to a completed painting, a writer does the same with writing a zero draft and brainstorming. This phase is where I found to have developed the most improvement in my approach. It required practice, and allowing room for “letting go.” My peers gave me great insight into how they move through rough drafting and brainstorming, and I took away a great deal of new techniques that from them that has since helped my own writing. They explained writing down your thoughts, even if they have no relation to one another, would help get the ideas down on paper to later use as you desire. Another approach was to make a list of bullet points you would like to touch on in your paper, and created a sense of planned structure.
I was most fascinated with the subject of Rhetoric and Rhetorical Knowledge. This area was where I felt most confident in, as in my profession I would always have to consider who my audience was that I was speaking to, and what situations would cause me to use purposeful shifts in voice, tone, level of formality, and structure. In Writer’s Journal #5 I noted this learned outcome and how I naturally apply this in my daily life with “I am a supervisor for Starbucks Coffee Company, and have barista’s that I supervise and teach on a daily basis. Having effective conversations and creating sustainable behaviors amongst the team is something that takes a lot of practice, and in a sense, uses a type of rhetoric. When I was faced with the challenge of engaging these same kind of conversations with my other supervisors though, I found this particular “audience” was a bit more challenging as peers, instead of me being in a superior position. One situation that was happening that needed to be addressed were the inventory counts being done at the end of the day, and how certain actions in the morning were also influencing inaccuracy in the counts, leading to high food waste. I realized in the beginning of these conversations, scolding them and just pointing out errors were not having a positive impact. My tone was very serious, and my frustration was causing me to not be understanding, or to consider other possible reasons to why this was continually happening. Reflecting on this, and contemplating why I was not getting the results I desired, I was misreading my rhetorical situation. I needed to change my rhetoric to something that would persuade them into seeing things from my point of view, and why this was a serious problem that needed to be fixed. When I lightened my tone, started showing them what I was seeing in the counts, how it was effecting our waste, what can be done to change this, and offered help if they needed it, I saw a complete change in behavior, and soon the counts were being done more carefully with the waste eventually dropping within our target range. Appealing to my audience is what I needed to get this result.” This highlights a key Habit of Mind in “Flexibility.” My ability to adapt to situations, expectations, or demands are also a major ability I use in my writing when I am considering who my audience is that I am writing for. You must be flexable as a writer in order to write for a particular audience, being that what might have worked in the past for one subject and audience, does not necessarily mean it is also going to be as affective with a completely different audience of readers. My other strengths are a combination of Engagement and Curiosity from the “Habits of Mind.” I stay in a constant investment in learning new techniques and methods for my writing, and searching for more ways I could enrich my writing for future pieces of work. Curiosity is the fuel behind this, and it is that desire to know more about the world that creates the drive to be a critical thinker.
One of the most beneficial tools I have learned and incorporated into my theory of writing is paying extra close attention to feedback. Peer Review is a critical part of becoming a successful writer, and as I went through reviewing and reading other writers work, it taught me how to use a critical eye when I review and reflect on my own work. The rubric given in the class gave me a very specific criteria to use when reviewing a piece of writing, and taught me what to look for in articulating a primary insight, structured paragraphs, focal points, detailed explanations, examples, and the use of enrichment elements such as multimodal elements. Receiving feedback from peers about my work gave me a sense of encouragement when I realized I successfully delivered what I was attempting to while writing my essays, and knowing my rhetorical knowledge was benefiting my readers. It is quite reassuring to hear someone tell you they enjoyed your writing, and made me feel like what I was doing was successful. In my first writing project, I wrote about what it meant to be an avid fly fisherman, and how it shaped my identity. I large part of that writing was a form of expression to me on something I care very deeply about, and receiving positive feedback from my teacher was very rewarding and encouraging. My second writing project was about the culture and community found at Starbucks, and what it was like to be a part of this community. I received a wonderful peer review describing the flow of the paper and narrative structure to be “impeccable” “well written” “organized” and “I think overall this is one of the most well-written works I have read in a long time.” The peer also provided excellent feedback in helping me improve in certain areas with “There were a few grammatical errors such as missing punctuation or missing words” and encouraged me to give it a good proofread before submission of the final draft. I took that feedback and reviewed my work afterwards and found exactly what they were referring to, and caught key errors that would have otherwise have went unnoticed.
Finding expression in the words you write can bring a great sense of joy to the writing process as it has for me. Being able to reach a reader with your writing in the way you intended it for them can be incredibly encouraging to continue with your writing. Being able to benefit from feedback as well as learning new methods will only help strengthen the expressive voice you identify as your own in your compositions.
Finding expression in the words you write can bring a great sense of joy to the writing process as it has for me. Being able to reach a reader with your writing in the way you intended it for them can be incredibly encouraging to continue with your writing. Being able to benefit from feedback as well as learning new methods will only help strengthen the expressive voice you identify as your own in your compositions.