My Theory of Writing
Writing as an action requires specific methodologies that may be specific from person to person. How we write and produce different kinds of text is significant to the creativity and recollection of humanity. Even the best of writers have had, in a sense, some form of “writer’s block” in which some actions can be enacted to foster an environment of more productive writing and idea generation.
Throughout this semester, I have developed my theory of writing that produces my best work from a literary perspective. Many of these ideas I learned the hard way throughout the semester. To start with, generating ideas many times requires writing and rewriting. Initially, in many cases, an assignment may look overwhelming and undoable when looking at it as a whole. I have learned that sometimes once you start writing, ideas will flow, and it’s important to foster that creative aspect instead of working on edits and literary features at the beginning. In the Introductory letter, I needed to introduce myself in a short letter that would provide an initial perspective on who I am. The task seemed daunting as I needed to figure out what to start with or what I should say on behalf of myself. To do this assignment, I began to write about anything important to me and why it was in my life; however, many of my ideas never reached the final draft, and in the letter, I was able to have material that would provide a good perspective of my character. Additionally, the public service announcement assignment required a lot of brainstorming and idea-sharing. What helped me generate ideas for the group was writing out anything I could think of and then considering my option as we finally decided to do NYC parks. Furthermore, the assignment taught us the importance of using concise and direct language. When writing anything, I would ask myself core questions: Is this innovation necessary for this document? Is what I’m saying direct and to the point? Is it easy to comprehend? Considering my audience and what I wanted to accomplish was critical in developing my writing. In that sense, I have achieved the learning objectives in that I can recognize and practice key rhetorical terms and strategies when engaged in writing situations.
In the class, I also developed other skills pertaining to writing, like the ability to Locate research sources and assess their credibility for use in my writing. In the technical innovation and the technical innovation, I had to describe individual parts and functions of components. I created subsections for what to discuss to complete this assignment most effectively. I brainstormed all the points I needed to touch on and then divided them into categories to make a more step-by-step process for writing. In the technical description, I described the parts of a stapler. Therefore, I broke up the stapler into three sections: the handle, magazine, and base. And in the technical innovation, I was tasked with doing the technical description again. To describe an object, it had to be broken down and explained. At the start of the semester, writing a full-fledged detailed description was difficult because the process I have now developed needed to be in action. I also provided diagrams and sources that needed appropriately cited in these assignments. In some areas, like the image, I had improperly cited them, as shown in the notes of my assignment feedback. Therefore, I still have some work to do in the learning outcome, practicing the systemic application of citation conventions. The rhetorical analysis of two lab assignments provided insights into writing and helped me cultivate my theory of writing. In this assignment, I found the importance of sectioning your writing. In this process, I analyzed the lab part by part. To analyze the structure of the lab, I had to recognize key rhetorical terms and strategies utilized in writing. Looking at each section of the lab and comparing through the lens of Markel’s structure required me to understand the context and language of the textbook and the lab. To write more effectively about a topic, it is necessary to take time to understand sources and the issue you are discussing to create a more free-flowing writing experience when you start writing.
Overall, through this class, I have developed a theory of writing for myself. To generate ideas, start writing. Creative writing can then be scrutinized into a specific idea you can later decide on. Additionally, to write more effectively, ask yourself questions about what you’re trying to accomplish, and in doing so, you can be more purposeful and concise in your language. Lastly, take time to understand the context of your topic; often, more than glancing over things is needed. Using these strategies, I have become a better writer because of this class.