Interesting Observations

I’ve noticed a change in the way I write.  The words that I use, the way I structure my ideas, and the process by which I actually go about writing have all been altered.  It’s really neat to sit back and think about the transformation; I attribute the change to English 242.  Not only do I have to think critically about how others write, but I have to hold my own work to a higher standard.
A great example of my writing progress relates to the summaries that Mike returned to us today.  I can remember getting the assignment, and starting it almost immediately.  I was fortunate in that I could start it so early, because I don’t always have that luxury.  However, I have learned that the earlier you can at least start an assignment, the more time you have to make revision.  This concept seems like common sense, but I never realized that just writing an opening paragraph and coming back to the paper later can be so beneficial.  I always thought that I would be less productive if I wrote in small increments, and would lose my train of thought.  I have learned that quite the opposite is true.  Simply getting an idea and a few sentences together, an opening paragraph, and/or a small sense of direction can be really helpful.  When I start an assignment in advance, I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders.  Just having one paragraph written down is more than I had before!  Anyways, as you now know, I started the summary very early.  After I wrote it, I printed it out and read through it several times to clear up any awkward passages, both aloud and silently.  I have always been one to read over my papers, but not with the level of scrutiny that I do now. 

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been guilty of making my sentences too complicated, and using words incorrectly.  Now when I read over my papers, I consider my audience to a greater extent, and really focus on flow and simplicity.  I owe Mike a thank-you for reading our papers very critically; it has sure helped me as a writer.

Overall, I have certainly grown as a writer.  The process by which I write has become more efficient, and I critique every sentence that I create.  I am really happy that I can physically see the good changes in my writing.  I think it is important to be able to analyze the way you write/ think, and I hope that others have felt that their writing has also improved.