Writing Self Study
The writing self study was the first major assignment for ENC 1101 and it allowed me to study, understand and reflect on my own writing. Having started with this assignment was the best thing that could have happened to me during this class. During high school I knew writing was a weak subject of mine but, I never understood why I struggled as much as I did. This assignment was tremendously beneficial to me because it allowed me to take time and study my own writing. I was able to see certain areas of writing that I was lacking in compared to others. These areas that I lacked in were surprising to me because I had been so oblivious to them prior to this assignment.
A major issue I discovered about my own writing was that I had a severe case of writers block. Mike Rose is an author who studies unskilled writers and their writing habits. In his article "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans and the Stifling of Language" Rose went in depth about writers block, which gave me the opportunity to connect on a personal level with the article. Rose described certain parts or rules of an essay that can block someones ability to write. He also reported on people without writers block and how they see rules heuristically. Writers who look at these rules heuristically tend to view the rules "loosely" and make the rules fit their own ideas. He also explains algorithmic writers who tend to see the rules in concrete. These type of writers tend to panic and freeze up because they believe they are suppose to follow the rules without error. While reading about these types of writers I began to realize I was a part of the algorithmic writers. I was always taught certain rules that had to be used in order to get full credit in high school. These rules were pounded in my brain day-in and day-out developing bad habits that have become hard to break. The rules still make me freeze and panic at just the thought of making an error. The stress of making an error limits me to only write what I believe fits the rules outlined for me instead of using the ideas in my head. After reading this article however, I was able to take in what Rose said and change my writing process by working on breaking some bad habits. I used some techniques that he outlined within his article to begin molding the rules to fit my personal opinions and ideas.
A major issue I discovered about my own writing was that I had a severe case of writers block. Mike Rose is an author who studies unskilled writers and their writing habits. In his article "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans and the Stifling of Language" Rose went in depth about writers block, which gave me the opportunity to connect on a personal level with the article. Rose described certain parts or rules of an essay that can block someones ability to write. He also reported on people without writers block and how they see rules heuristically. Writers who look at these rules heuristically tend to view the rules "loosely" and make the rules fit their own ideas. He also explains algorithmic writers who tend to see the rules in concrete. These type of writers tend to panic and freeze up because they believe they are suppose to follow the rules without error. While reading about these types of writers I began to realize I was a part of the algorithmic writers. I was always taught certain rules that had to be used in order to get full credit in high school. These rules were pounded in my brain day-in and day-out developing bad habits that have become hard to break. The rules still make me freeze and panic at just the thought of making an error. The stress of making an error limits me to only write what I believe fits the rules outlined for me instead of using the ideas in my head. After reading this article however, I was able to take in what Rose said and change my writing process by working on breaking some bad habits. I used some techniques that he outlined within his article to begin molding the rules to fit my personal opinions and ideas.
Mike Rose's Article
My Response to Rose's Article
*This response also includes a small reflection on Stephen Fry's video*
While I was reading Mike Rose's "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Shifting of Language" I started to finally realize all the rules and plans that hold me back as a writer. I have experienced writers block for some time now. I am always way to focused on planning my writing and following rules I was taught in high school more than just writing and fixing it later. For example, during high school I was always taught to "grab the audience" like Ruth was told again and again. Just like Ruth, this restricts my writing tremendously because I always get stuck on my first paragraph and think to myself "Is this what the audience wants to hear? Will this grab their attention?" After reading Rose's "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Shifting of Language" though I began to understand what creates writers block and what allows for writers to flow freely throughout their writings. This piece has allowed me to take a look not only at other people but also a look at myself and my struggles with writing and has given me motivation to change my writing style.
Stephan Fry's video to me showed that writing is more than just grammar and proper language but it is the emotional part of writing that allows someone to connect. There is no right or wrong writing, the only wrong is the people who judge someones writing by an apostrophe, noun or even a comma.
Fry, Stephen. "Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography" Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 30 Sep. 2010. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.
Rose, Mike. "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer's Block." College Composition and Communication 31.4 (1980): 389-401. Print.
While I was reading Mike Rose's "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Shifting of Language" I started to finally realize all the rules and plans that hold me back as a writer. I have experienced writers block for some time now. I am always way to focused on planning my writing and following rules I was taught in high school more than just writing and fixing it later. For example, during high school I was always taught to "grab the audience" like Ruth was told again and again. Just like Ruth, this restricts my writing tremendously because I always get stuck on my first paragraph and think to myself "Is this what the audience wants to hear? Will this grab their attention?" After reading Rose's "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Shifting of Language" though I began to understand what creates writers block and what allows for writers to flow freely throughout their writings. This piece has allowed me to take a look not only at other people but also a look at myself and my struggles with writing and has given me motivation to change my writing style.
Stephan Fry's video to me showed that writing is more than just grammar and proper language but it is the emotional part of writing that allows someone to connect. There is no right or wrong writing, the only wrong is the people who judge someones writing by an apostrophe, noun or even a comma.
Fry, Stephen. "Stephen Fry Kinetic Typography" Online video clip. Youtube. Youtube, 30 Sep. 2010. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.
Rose, Mike. "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer's Block." College Composition and Communication 31.4 (1980): 389-401. Print.
Peers Review on Rose's Article That Helped
Below is one of my peers reflection on Mike Rose's article. His reflection helped me a lot because it simplified his entire article into a short and very accurate summary. It allowed me to grasp the concept easier having it broken down into a compact and accurate summary.
Mike Rose’s “Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans and the Stifling of Language” has the same tone as the Lamott reading. In this piece Rose explains that the rules of writing interfere with the writing process itself. When writing a paper the thought is the most important aspect to get down first. When focused too much on the grammar, rules and overall specifics it can create hesitation in an author’s paper. Approaching a paper with the mind set of following rules to a tee can create writers block. However, mapping a paper first and allowing the rules of writing to incorporate itself into your work allows a paper to flow without interruption.
Rose, Mike. "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer's Block." Note. National Council of Teachers of English, 1 Dec. 1980. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://englishtamucc.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/45007014/Rose.pdf>.
Mike Rose’s “Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans and the Stifling of Language” has the same tone as the Lamott reading. In this piece Rose explains that the rules of writing interfere with the writing process itself. When writing a paper the thought is the most important aspect to get down first. When focused too much on the grammar, rules and overall specifics it can create hesitation in an author’s paper. Approaching a paper with the mind set of following rules to a tee can create writers block. However, mapping a paper first and allowing the rules of writing to incorporate itself into your work allows a paper to flow without interruption.
Rose, Mike. "Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer's Block." Note. National Council of Teachers of English, 1 Dec. 1980. Web. 25 Aug. 2014. <http://englishtamucc.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/45007014/Rose.pdf>.
Drafts and Finalized Work
The objective of this assignment was to observe, analyze, study and understand your own writing over the course of one week. In this assignment every student was required to choose one of either options. Option A was to record your own writing habits throughout the week and then reflect on the writing. Option B consisted of using the think aloud process to record your own thoughts while writing. The thoughts you recorded would then be made into a transcript for coding and analysis done in class. Each of the options ended in a paper, video, or blog consisting of your understanding of the assignment and the understanding of your own writing processes. I chose Option A and was surprised by the results. I used the results found and wrote the paper attached below to reflect on my own writing processes.
Writing and Reading Practices Self-Study Records
Rough Draft Including Peer Review
Final Draft
Revision
The in class peer reviews helped me tremendously on my paper. Above I attached my rough draft that I brought to class for peer review. One of my fellow classmates reviewed the paper and left some comments and suggestions listed on the paper. These comments showed concerns with my thesis, sentence structure, and clearness of my paper. I was also told verbally by her and another peer a few other areas I should work on. I took their advice and rewrote my entire paper. I fixed my thesis, organized my thoughts better to make them more clear and fixed some of the sentence structure mistakes made during the rough draft.
I believe that I did pretty well on this paper. My rough draft however, did take some major work to reorganize into a paper worthy of turning in. After going back and looking at my essay again, I can definitely see areas that I have improved in since the beginning of the semester. I have came a long way with my writing so far and do not plan on plateauing any time soon.
I believe that I did pretty well on this paper. My rough draft however, did take some major work to reorganize into a paper worthy of turning in. After going back and looking at my essay again, I can definitely see areas that I have improved in since the beginning of the semester. I have came a long way with my writing so far and do not plan on plateauing any time soon.