Writing Can Be Fun

College student with a deep passion for sewing little things and baking! I don't do much personal writing, but I'm hoping to change that! - C L

[stitchedcomet]

What am I most proud of with my writing process?

The design project we previously had involved imagining a specific scenario with a canceled show included making posts from the creators and from angry fan. I really connected with this project and feel like it was my best writing for the class. Writing with a narrative in mind is what I find the most engaging, and I feel I am able to make decently realistic depictions of people engaging with others. This writing process involves considering real world experiences I have witnessed and emotions I have personally felt, and I feel this personal knowledge improves my writing.

[stitchedcomet]

What do I like most about my Reflection?

The Content Learning Reflection is the final project of this Web Writing class, and it has successfully made me start thinking about my journey as a writer and student. I like having the realization that I have progressed since the start. The way I write and the way I read have been changed, I feel more aware of the small details that make up the big picture of web writing. Being aware of my awareness is probably my favorite part.

[stitchedcomet]

What do I like most about my learning?

I have a passion for learning new things, most people do! I just try to incorporate everything into everything, if that makes sense. I feel like to really understand something you need to mix it with other things. For me, this is through art. It wasn't until recently, but I have started the process of writing my own comic. I understand now that writing is more than dialogue, it is the narrative, it's the places the characters explore and how they feel. Web writing as a concept applies to visual narratives really well. Art style and text choice are part of the information architecture, the subject matter and location a work is posted will affect the discourse community, everything is connected.

[danig2601-deactivated20241226]

What are you most proud of with your writing process? 

I’m most proud of how much my writing has evolved to balance creativity and strategy. I’ve learned to approach each piece with a clear purpose, whether tailoring content to a specific audience or experimenting with new ideas to boost engagement.

I’m also proud of my consistency. I’ve developed habits that help me stay on track, like planning ahead and revising thoughtfully to ensure my work is clear and impactful. This growth has made my writing not only more effective but also more enjoyable.

[stitchedcomet]

"Balance creativity and strategy", I think that perfectly summarizes the whole purpose of this class and web writing as a whole. It sounds like you've really taken the lessons to heart, improving your approach to writing overall. Hopefully writing will stay an enjoyable part of your life moving forward!

[bramey2002]

OCW Week 15 3/3

What I like most about my CL Reflection is that it was nice to reflect on the course as a whole and although sometimes over the last couple months I may of felt stress and overwhelmed that ultimately I fought through the adversity and prevailed. There is so much stress that occurs in a semester, but it is about being able to weather the storm and in the end accomplish the goal that you have for yourself and the CL Reflection made me realize I did that and this is a lesson I hope to carry forward not only into next semester but ultimately life. Sometimes it is hard to see clearly through all the challenges and obstacles you may be facing but you just got to try and stay the course and overcome whatever may be hindering you.

[stitchedcomet]

The CL Reflection is so different from any other final project I have had so far. This semester has thrown its share of curveballs at me, and I won't pretend it hasn't been a struggle. Sitting down and reflecting on these past 15 weeks is letting me view it all through a different lens. Take pride in getting through it! You're not alone.

[seeyougatorgirl]

Learning!

The thing I like most about my learning is that it applies to more than just this class. Some things you learn in school will only apply to the class you learn them in. They won't necessarily translate to a future career. The things I learned this semester will! I learned so much about web writing, but also about writing for specific audiences. When you want to go into writing as a career, you have to know how to tailor what you are saying for different audiences. This class gave me the chance to learn how to do that!

[stitchedcomet]

Well said! There is always some way to apply things in college classes to the real world, but there are much more common occurrences. I may need to calculate what percent of my bills go to showers each year, but I will be communication with people every day of my life with very few exceptions.

[madischoolreport]

Design Project

Share a section of your Design Project content. What is the work of this sample? How can we help you revise?

This is part of the Design Project content. The sample is the movie studio responding to a few fans. I'm worried that it comes off as insincere or condescending. Is there any way to make it sound less so, or am I overthinking it? It's hard to get into the mindset and deliver news like this without sounding condescending.

[stitchedcomet]

It is tricky to find the balance in tone over text, and even more so when trying to be extremely formal! I think the post feels like it is without bias. The first sentence may be where you get this tone from, so changing that may help, but it does not feel jarring or unrealistic in any way.

[corazoncitocreative]

Week 14 - Original Content Writing #2

Share a section of your Design Project content. What is the work of this sample? How can we help you revise? 

Here are some of my Twitter posts examples:

This first post is talking about Purrlock Holmes but it is announcing when the episode will be out.

The second twitter post is an angry fan reaction to Purrlock Holmes being cancelled.

The last Twitter post is the company responding to the angry fans.

I think that some ways that would help me is do these post look real enough. Are they okay as Twitter posts. I did not know what to put as the profile pictures so I just put cats which relate to the show. Overall, I am wondering does this give off detective vibes or how could I improve this more.

[stitchedcomet]

I also think having cat profile pics is fitting! Some people in fan communities enjoy anonimity, so why not have their profile based around one of their passions? I think it connects them close to the favorite show they are losing in this project.

[huntermsexam]

Original content writing, week 14

So! My favorite show ever was actually canceled after one season... it happened about three years ago, and I'm STILL distraught. It was Netflix original "Julie and the Phantoms," and let me tell you... the cancellation of this show was WICKED. The representation in that show was absolutely amazing, it's certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, AND it won 3 Emmys. I'm still heartbroken.

[stitchedcomet]

Nothing hurts more than a show that so deeply speaks to you getting canceled. Especially when they were award winning! Shows getting cancelled after one season is such a Netflix thing too, the fact that I know people (myself included sometimes...) will avoid getting into new shows if Netflix runs them. The feeling of getting emotionally invested into something really good and only to be left to rot is really rough. Studios aren't willing to be patient with audiences and in turn audiences aren't willing to trust them.

[stitchedcomet]

Thursday Check-in: Week 15

Questions about web writing for after I have finished this course?....

I know web writing is unavoidable, especially with the fields of interest I have. My questions always feel more philosophical, so I want to know: @npfannen How do you stay dedicated to it?

Online spaces evolve and devolve so quickly, it feels impossible to keep up with. Putting the time into staying on topic along with creating the content you want seems like such a monumental task. When you get started, making your own content for something your passionate about, what is the best advice for staying on track in an environment you have complete control over?

[stitchedcomet]

The Star Wars fandom can be a bit of a mess....

I am deep in many fandom spaces, Star Wars is NOT one of them, so there are things I could be wrong about. One era of the internet I vividly remember is when the recent Star Wars Trilogy was being released. The way a select group of fans acted was so visceral and even scary at times, it made me notice things more on smaller scales.

The difference between extreme "fans" and fans who have criticism is vast, but they can get lumped together, which happens in all fan communities. Some people will see any dislike for a property to be the same as the extreme and horrible individuals, where others have a passion for a property and feel it is lacking in certain ways.

I am certainly part of the people who were frustrated that Finn was put to the sidelines for 2 of the 3 movies. A character with a lot of potential was thrown away in my eyes. I know that there are a lot of factors to why the writing team pivoted so much (I believe the writers completely changed in the middle of the project), but I don't want to give people with the power to change things more credit.

TLDR: I too get mad when shows I like, I start not liking

[stitchedcomet]

I still have not recovered from the cancelation of Our Flag Means Death. A show with such fun writing, characters, and visuals. A show with such an emotional journey and complex queer characters feels hard to come by (outside things like comedy) and its cancellation hit me like a truck. I think everyone I knew who had watched the show enjoyed it too!

The ending of season 2 felt like it could've been the end of the series, which breaks my heart even more. The writers of the show knew how this could be the end of their project, and they didn't want fans to be left on a painful cliffhanger, but we know they wanted to do a 3-season story and didn't get to.

They even managed to get me to love Izzy hands! And they made his ending really hit me, after finally gaining the trust and acceptance of others!!! 😭

[stitchedcomet]

My Design Project is one I am putting a bit of personal experience into, a show getting new writers after presenting queer themes, only to get canceled after a really bad season.

I want to know how my language sounds with these posts. I wanted theses to all feel like distinctly different people creating posts. Does the Company feel formal enough?

[stitchedcomet]

Long podcasts and their appeal

Podcasts are audio focused medium (though some include videos of the speakers), and most of what I have seen last longer than 20 minutes. I believe the appeal can come from a variety of factors; I know I use it in place of playing music when I work on personal projects. There is an informative feel to podcasts, while many of them aim to entertain. Creators will have a variety of subjects to cover and a range of individuals to discuss them with, so it makes each entry of a podcast feel unique while being under a reliable umbrella.

Podcasts are a unique way to break a silence in a room or start a conversation with the people around you, because many podcasts are conversations. Music has layers of sound and people are drawn differently; a podcast is a person's voice discussing a topic. I feel it turns the gears in a person's head in a different way, one where you can either fully engage or not engage at all.

[stitchedcomet]

I am in an online art group and we have a very convoluted vernacular. We have started to use the word "griller", specifically in reference to a meme using this clip art. "Griller" is what we call someone who is apathetic to a current topic or heated conversation. The concept of "I just want to grill for gods sake" is one we have all heard before, but it has become a word used to criticize someone who cares more about keeping things calm then to dig deeper.

[cararenee652-deactivated2024123]

Original Content Writing pt3

Q: write a style rule for creating a TikTok video, how does this help attract followers?

A: Using trends on tiktok can be super helpful in gaining followers. I say this because that's how the algorithm on tiktok works: it pulls together similar videos and gives the audience that content. So trends are a good way to reach out farther than your normal audience. A museum I interned for does this on their page and it has led to gaining more followers. They also pay attention to news and if they can contribute to different medical news they do. This also pulls attention to their account. 

[stitchedcomet]

Following trends is a large part of the current state of web writing from what I understand. Finding a balance between riding trends and creating from interest is an important balance to find. In some art communities they say there's a rule of three:

Fanart (for exposure)

Commissions (for income)

Personal art (for the spirit)

Creation is all about balance

[stitchedcomet]

Appeal of long Youtube videos?

I am the type of person who is unlikely to watch a youtube video under 10 minutes. I find longer youtube videos appealing because it lets you become more comfortable with a piece of content and I know my interest will be held for longer than a tiktok or tumblr post.

I even enjoy extremely long videos, over an hour, because it feels like an immense amount of effort and care was put into a subject that I might find interesting. I may not know a video game that a video is about, but someone cared enough about it to write a 2 hour research and analysis video of it, and I find that fascinating.

Longer Youtube videos feel like more accessible TV. A piece of content with a beginning, middle, and end. There is less focus on instant gratification, because the intended audience is one that is interested in the longer haul. Creators invite a viewer to experience a whole narrative by staying for the whole video.