Oh Boy… Another Paper Is Due Whether in English or in History, in college or in high school, we have all faced the daunting moment when we are assigned the dreaded multi-page paper. For most, this assignment is challenging from the get-go, because from the start, our only aspiration is to get it done and get a good grade. At least, this is my mindset when approaching a paper. However, is it necessary for writing to be such a challenge? Fortunately, there are many professionals who have felt the exact way we have, including procrastination and the ever-asked “can I triple space my lines?” By using their insights and analyzing my own writing process, we will get a clearer picture about the challenges of writing, how to begin and finish a writing
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When I first have a topic to write about, I have a generally good idea of my past experiences and the information I know about the topic. Once I get around the grumbling and complaining, I formulate ideas and develop processes on how to relay that information to others. Yet, therein lies my first issue: my mindset is purely internal, or how I can get out what I know. Instead, as a writer, my focus should be concerned with my audience and how I might relate the topic to them. As Linda Flower, professor of rhetoric at Carnegie Mellon University writes, “The goal of the writer is to create a momentary common ground between the reader and the writer. You want the reader to share your knowledge and your attitude toward that knowledge,” (Flower 184). In other words, as a writer, it is never my responsibility to merely spew out information that looks good and impresses a teacher, it is instead my privilege to have the opportunity to share my worldview, and in the meantime teach others how I think and feel. This in and of itself transforms writing from a drab assignment into a purposeful, and possibly powerful, …show more content…
However, I do not merely mean the conclusion of the paper, but rather the final steps of the writing process: revising and proofreading. As a writer myself, once I have finally finished the dreadful body paragraphs and wrapped up my thesis and arguments through my conclusion, the very last thing I want to do is literally go all the way back to the beginning. Essentially, my first draft is also my last. I am ready to do spellcheck, and turn it into my professor. However, Donald M. Murray, who once taught at the University of New Hampshire, thinks otherwise. “When professional writers complete a first draft,” says Murray, “they usually feel that they are at the start of the writing process,” (Murray 194). Even as I write this, my skin crawls. Yet, to be a prolific writer, it is imperative to be willing to go back, search out flaws, and fix
When I first have a topic to write about, I have a generally good idea of my past experiences and the information I know about the topic. Once I get around the grumbling and complaining, I formulate ideas and develop processes on how to relay that information to others. Yet, therein lies my first issue: my mindset is purely internal, or how I can get out what I know. Instead, as a writer, my focus should be concerned with my audience and how I might relate the topic to them. As Linda Flower, professor of rhetoric at Carnegie Mellon University writes, “The goal of the writer is to create a momentary common ground between the reader and the writer. You want the reader to share your knowledge and your attitude toward that knowledge,” (Flower 184). In other words, as a writer, it is never my responsibility to merely spew out information that looks good and impresses a teacher, it is instead my privilege to have the opportunity to share my worldview, and in the meantime teach others how I think and feel. This in and of itself transforms writing from a drab assignment into a purposeful, and possibly powerful, …show more content…
However, I do not merely mean the conclusion of the paper, but rather the final steps of the writing process: revising and proofreading. As a writer myself, once I have finally finished the dreadful body paragraphs and wrapped up my thesis and arguments through my conclusion, the very last thing I want to do is literally go all the way back to the beginning. Essentially, my first draft is also my last. I am ready to do spellcheck, and turn it into my professor. However, Donald M. Murray, who once taught at the University of New Hampshire, thinks otherwise. “When professional writers complete a first draft,” says Murray, “they usually feel that they are at the start of the writing process,” (Murray 194). Even as I write this, my skin crawls. Yet, to be a prolific writer, it is imperative to be willing to go back, search out flaws, and fix