Abigail L. Ureña
Prof. Sara Jacobson
ENGL 11000 R
10 December 2019
Theory of Writing
During this semester, my development as a writer has adapted to a more sophisticated type of writing, that me being in college now requires. In this first semester of college, I have learned many things, and this has led me to develop a specific theory of writing. This semester, I have learned to read and write more critically; I have also used rhetoric, and some rhetorical elements to adjust and modernize my theory of writing. I have learned many things throughout the semester, some of these things I have applied unconsciously to my daily routine, and others I choose to exclude from my routine. My routine of writing has changed drastically since I was in High School; the strategies I have chosen to implement in my routine act as a testament to what I have learned, and how I decided to apply these techniques in my everyday life. In this essay, I will reflect on my development as a reader, writer, and critical thinker and explain how what I have learned has led me to develop a specific theory of writing.
Before coming to this class I had a very different mind-sight and stance when approaching any type of writing. My attitude was never positive, and I almost dreaded writing anything when I was not allowed to choose the topic. I felt uninspired and unmotivated to try to create any form of writing, both for personal and scholastic reasons. One of the causes that made me feel this way, was the type of writing that I had been doing while in High School. During my time in High School, I mostly wrote argumentative essays, research essays or text-analysis essays. The mundane nature of these monotonous tasks can become very tedious after a while. I think if I had been exposed to the type of writing I am doing now, I would have found greater interest in it, and I would have worked to try to improve this skill.
This assignment has allowed me to reflect on what techniques I have implemented in my theory of writing. I believe that I have included techniques that have improved my writing, and continue to encourage me to become a better reader and writer. I think it is extremely important for me that when I write I really focus on the content of the assignment, because if I do not my work can become confusing and difficult to understand. What I think is important to know about writing, is the purpose of why you are writing that assignment, and who will be reading it. Once this step is completed it is easier for me to begin writing because I now have a purpose for which to write it for. Understanding the audience is essential to create a piece of writing, because, it will help me determine a way to approach the assignment. After the audience is identified, it then allows me to determine the language I will use and the genre that would best appeal to my audience. This technique is one that I learned while in this class, and it has helped me in writing many of the assignments. One of the assignments that depended on me using this strategy was the Composition in Two Genres. When writing the Composition in Two Genres, I relied heavily on using this strategy. This technique was very important for me to use, because for this assignment it was essential to understand the audience so that I could choose the appropriate genre and use relevant language so that my information would resonate best with the audience. The way I approached this assignment has also influenced the way I approach many other things that happen daily. For every assignment we have had in the class, my writing has changed and I think it has also slightly improved. The way I have learned to approach writing assignments in this class has also changed the way I approach many other things in life. For example, when we learned about rhetoric and reading from a rhetorical perspective, I applied that to my routine when reading an article or magazine. I had never done this before, but when reading an article, I began to notice the rhetorical elements that the author was using. I began to focus on who the audience is, and what stance and tone did the author took in trying to relay their message to the desired audience. These are things that I never noticed, and learning how to use them properly, has greatly influenced the way in which I retain and gain information now.
When I am about to begin writing an assignment, I have to prepare myself in a specific way each time. I usually leave an assignment 1-3 days before it is due, for me this works best because it gives me a chance to organize my thoughts, and collect the ideas that I want to incorporate in my writing. The day before the assignment is due, I wake up early and get ready for the day. After I shower, I get changed and eat breakfast. After breakfast, I clear the table and I get my materials ready. I always type on my laptop, then I also have a notebook, where I would have written an outline and some topics I would like to cover in my writing; I also have my phone and headphones so that I can listen to music; I will also keep a water or tea on the table to eliminate the possibility of me getting up and getting sidetracked. I sit at my dining room table, because I think this gives me the best productivity without getting too distracted. Writing the introduction for me is the most difficult part. I have struggled with this since elementary school, and it is the part I dread the most. I waste a lot of time trying to conceive the best introduction and I end up deleting many things and at some point I won’t have any writing for the hours I have been working. After I surpass the task of the introduction, I feel like I can begin writing continuously. Once I am in the groove of writing, I don’t stop because I am afraid of losing my train of thought because I think of so many things and get easily sidetracked. I like to listen to music while writing because it gets me in the zone; I don’t have any particular music I listen to every time, I usually just listen to a playlist that I have. I just try to make the process of writing enjoyable, because I believe this results in a better outcome of whatever I am writing.
The peer review assignments that we had to do this semester, were very influential to what my theory of writing has become. I had never had other people read my work, and receive direct feedback, except for teachers. It was very interesting for me to see what other people thought of my work and how they believed I could make it better or more cohesive. Now when I am writing, I try to write from an outsiders’ perspective, and try to keep my work the most organized and knowledgeable as I can without being biased. The comments I received from my peers were extremely helpful to me throughout the semester; sometimes we would help one another because there were many things that both of us didn’t understand.
This semester I have learned so much about writing. Now I have so much more respect for writing, and the way that I approach it is very different. I used to dread having to write about anything that didn’t interest me, however, using rhetoric has helped me tremendously. Using the rhetorical elements helped me find an interest in writing that I did not have before. My theory of writing is unique for me, and I think this is what works best for me. I think my theory will continue to evolve and become better suited for whatever situation that I am in. The theory of writing that I have developed can also be applied to my daily life, and the way that I approach other non-scholarly writing. This theory has encouraged me to branch out more, and find more interests in other types of writing. This semester I have accomplished many things in regards to my writing, and have become a better writer. I dedicate this to everything I learned this semester about writing, and the different ways that I can approach it so that I can find an interest in it.
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