Reflective Essay: The Four Types Of A Writer

This semester has impacted me and my writing abilities greatly. I feel I have improved in all aspects of writing. Throughout High school writing was never my preferred subject, but after taking this class I have developed an interest in writing and no longer look at it as a chore, but more as a method to express myself.

Writing is a practice that most of us were taught when we were young. We were taught the basics of grammar, how to form a sentence, conjunction words, how to write paragraphs and more. Although we have learned this skill while growing up and have used the skill every year after entering kindergarten, this does not mean our writing process will ensure the best work. The authors that I chose each encourage their audience to excel in the art of writing in their own way to help with the writing process.

People have many ways that they write. Some do a process of doing drafts so they can look through, edit and make the paper better. Others will just write a paper and turn it in. My process consist of starting with making a thesis. Then from the thesis I create the topic sentences for the topic at hand. The best way to write the essay in a good format and have good detail in the writing I would write a paragraph a day. By doing that process it allows me to get what is needed out on the paper so none of the paragraphs are mixing content and making the paragraphs less structured. This process not only makes writing essays less stressful while also getting the paper done quickly.

Upon entering English 111, I knew I would be writing papers. However, I did not anticipate how much room I had for improvement. Throughout this term I have been enlightened with so much knowledge that I may have forgotten or have been exposed to for the first time. Certainly, my experience with essay writing has been solidified due to newfound knowledge of proper work citing, MLA standards and the steps of planning an essay. Perhaps, my time away from a learning environment slowed me down a bit, other times I feel as though I have an advantage due to life experience. An online environment has certainly been challenging but throughout the course I have provided solid work and consistent grades commendable of an A grading.

Coming into this class, I wasn't sure what to expect. Of course,I expected to be writing a lot but was unsure of the type of writing and the style. I was looking forward to writing challenging pieces that stretching me creatively as a writer. I wanted to explore how to express myself in my writing because it had been a long time since I'd written a creative essay. One of my main hopes for this class was challenging myself to become a better editor of my own papers. I often find it a tedious and laborious process to find and edit the grammatical errors in my papers. However, this is an important skill that I need to develop for my future as a successful writer.

I totally agree with what the author is saying in the text. It takes time to get a good product out even though we think some people are deep and wonderful they still have the same struggles that we have when it comes to writing. I like this text because it is realistic it is giving an account of first drafts from common day people and shows how it is even for professional writers have problems with. This point is important because as people we sometimes feel we are not as good or capable of doing something not realizing that the people we look up to have the same problems we do. Another point that I agree with the author on is that you have to start somewhere. Many times as writers we don’t know where to start when it comes to writing. That being said we will just sit and think for ten twenty minutes when we could've just been information on the paper and then editing it later. In addition I liked that the author used examples from his professional experience when it came to writing food reviews. By him using details like how he went to the restaurant and sat down with friends and took notes of what was said. This was good to me because it helps me connect with him and the things that he does to write his reviews.

     One of the techniques I am going to use through out college is talking to

I approached this writing assignment like I do for every other essay I have to write; I have to have “The Writing Process.” Last year, I was introduced to this method and it definitely helped me to accomplish every other essay that I get assigned. With this method, I make sure that I brainstorm what my essay could be about, what’s an experience that I would like to share. I also think about what theme I could give out to the readers that are reading my story and what they could learn from it. After that, I start listing out specific concepts about my different stories that I’m choosing from like, if I chose to write about my dad, what would I tell about him and how he’s helped me. Or how my mom’s decision not to work to make sure she’s with her kids whenever we needed her (believe me, we needed her.) Then, I actually skip the free-writing because I don’t feel it’s necessary for me, so I chose what story to write about then start writing.

A writer is someone who writes in a specific way. Such as Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, Emily Dickinson and William Shakespeare. All are amazing writers who were taught to understand when to use the 3 appeals and how to use each effectively. Thus making their compositions stronger and marvelous enough to last through generations upon generation.

Written words have always been my strongpoint, but everyone has weaknesses even in where they are strong. When writing a paper I have a tendency to overuse commas, since some of my English teachers in elementary schools told me that the use of the comma was to demonstrate when a person takes a breath or pause in their speech. In normal speaking I often do that anyhow, which messed me up when it came to writing. I also have been told I often sound too informal in most of my college writing. I am actively working on both problems.

My earliest memory of writing, was in high school when I had to write my first speech. Writing a proper paper was something I have never done before, so I was pretty nervous about whether or not it would come out right, and I was also concerned about what topic to choose. The experience wasn’t good or bad, but some good things that came out of it, was that it was a start to my writing experiences. I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do, how my paper should look and sound, and I was also able to learn more about my topic. Because of the topic I chose, my paper involved many people around me as I asked them questions about what would sound right and what they would change, but as I got older my writing has become a lot better even

As long as I had read your comment, I felt so thankful that you were honest to what I wrote. I thought your comment was very helpful to my writing skill, because the haredest part of writing is to make the reader understand the passage.

The expression “practice makes perfect” could not be any truer. Writing along with any other activity or hobby, is something that can be improved. Over time the creative writing process becomes second nature, and without even realizing every essay, paper or simple paragraph will end up having the same format. Many strategies can improve a persons’ writing, but for me the act of brainstorming, outlining, and peer editing have immensely benefitted me as a writer.

Before I came to college, I felt my writing had to follow a certain pattern and be fixated around one way of thinking. What I was fortunate to learn was quite the opposite. Writing does not have to follow any certain pattern, but can rather be structured through many different possibilities. I was also told in high school that my papers either had to agree or disagree with the given topic, even if I believed otherwise. This formulated a very one-track way of thinking when it came to my papers. Now I know that I can let my mind explore new and exciting ideas. I can agree, disagree, compliment, criticize, and question the author however my heart desires, as long as I have the evidence to back myself up. Many authors in the book, Writing About Writing, explain their processes as well as the processes of others when it comes to writing. As a writer, I can draw on my own processes and relate them to the authors, as well as use their ideas and apply them to myself. Through reading, I have learned new methods of invention, planning and revising, and incubation when it comes to writing. All ways I can use to create more meaningful and creative work.

For year the only time I ever wrote more than a few sentences at a time was for English class, and it was always about the books we read for class. Each time we got assigned an essay like this I would dread the prospect of actually writing it until I sat down and wrote it. Then after I drafted it once I’d realize that it was only half as long as it should be, and I’d spend hours try to add in fluff, details, or anything I could time of get my essay to the minimum word count. This process was arduous and painful from start to finish and it taught me that writing was a drag.