A Letter
This year, I was challenged in my writing in ways I had never even thought of before. My classes taught me new ways to approach writing and helped me think more heavily upon the revision process. I even learned about new types of writing altogether. These experiences allowed me to really stretch myself and test my skill -- whether it be successful or not -- with opportunities I otherwise wouldnât have or give myself. So Iâm thankful for being able to have experienced that opportunity.
My first essay, the personal narrative, was a struggle from the beginning to even put onto paper. It was hard for me to translate my raw emotions and feelings into a language that wouldnât come off as cheesy. I was so afraid that my piece wouldnât be taken seriously by my peers. Nonetheless I did it anyways because it was a topic I was passionate about. In terms of revision, this was the largest amount of editing I had done on anything Iâd written this year. I was really focused on making it a real, true story, and for me the best stories have good connections and strong emotional appeals. Iâm still not sure if my essay was appealing to anyone else but me, but I was satisfied with myself at what I was able to strengthen and add from my first draft to the final version. I felt incredibly vulnerable putting that story onto paper. Which is funny to me, considering I have written and shared much darker moments of my life without much hesitation. But I think that my additions and changes to my piece helped to create into a narrative, instead of just a personal account of my life.
The creative translation was something I was initially excited about, but then soon became the root of my distress. The concept itself was something incredibly fun and I really felt a drive to create a great piece of writing that I was proud of. Soon, however, that pressure is what caused a lot of writerâs block. I felt I had so much freedom I didnât even know where to begin. I was also so afraid of creating something that âwasnât creative enoughâ that I didnât want to settle for the first ideas that popped into my head. There was a push within me to really come up with something unique and original, but it seemed the farther I pushed for a creative concept the weaker my writing got. I donât want to say that I settled for my finished idea, but it was something that I didnât have to think super hard about, but I still produced writing that I was proud of. Perhaps it wasnât the most unique and profound thing, but I enjoyed writing my collection of poems, and I think it brought a new perspective to an old classic.
Overall I enjoyed the experience of this class. It made me think about writing and reading in ways I had never done before. I slowly realized that I picked up new reading skills as well, and now I can find things like the use of images within a piece and try and practice those ideas for my own writing. I enjoyed workshopping with my peers and learning about them and their pieces as well. I thought the class had a very supportive and creative environment as well. I was never afraid to ask questions or express my ideas and brainstorm with others. This was my favorite writing class I took this semester, and the skills and techniques I learned I want to keep practicing so they can enhance my writing even more.