Week 1_1/15/2016_A (Mostly) Fine Writing Experience

            I have actually never participated in a class that focused solely on writing, so it is exciting that this is the first semester I will have not one, but two. In the past, my English and Language Arts classes have primarily focused on the literature and the students’ ability to interpret and analyze what we were reading. While I always enjoyed that aspect of the classes, I always felt that I was not being challenged as a writer, and that my teachers were expecting the same level of work that I had always given them. It was because of this that I often did not do the quality work on essays and writing assignments that I knew I was capable of, especially since I knew that I was already considered to be a 'higher level student.' I never felt the need to go above and beyond when I was already passing the class – and that was really my school’s only goal.

            Personally, I believe the largest problem that my writing faces has always been cohesiveness. I always feel that my writing strays from either the prompt or my own points. I have never been very good at putting together a paper that has different arguments that both support my original claims and flow together to form a clear and understandable composition. This might have something to do with my confusion in regards to outlining a paper. I always find that I have no real idea how to begin, and so often start with a large mass of text – more a dumping of ideas onto the paper than anything else. So, I feel like a class that is focused on writing as a skill instead of writing about what a text has taught you might help me to narrow down and concentrate on different aspects of my writing that need fine tuning.

           In my first semester here at St. Louis University, I took a higher level English course, and I remember how terrified I was to turn in my first essays, as the class was a particularly thought based one. I knew then as I do now that college expectations for writing are drastically different than the stagnant anticipations I faced from my high school teachers. Although I am sure I was capable, I never tried taking higher level composition or literature courses, so I have very little experience with intensely formal writing. As I was so afraid, I took the extra day to write the paper that the professor offered the class, and handed in my two midterm papers with fear. However, after he read through my first papers – and all subsequent ones – he showed me exactly where I really needed to work on my writing and what I was doing particularly well. It also helped that he actually acknowledged my interest in his class – as I love most English courses – and suggested I look into completing an English major or minor. That class in particular really helped me with my writing, along with my other classes. It was also helpful that I knew more was expected of me, and so I put in a lot more effort.

            I am not familiar with how a rhetoric based class works as I have not ever taken any very intensive writing courses, so I do not want to speak to the effectiveness of my other classes in that regard. I will say, however, that the classes I have taken this year have only served to help me as a writer, and that I am looking forward to the two I am taking now. Being able to grow in my writing skills has always been exciting, and I will do my best to gain as much knowledge from this course – and others – as I can.