(1/2) So, i got my grade back for one of my rhetoric essays, and i appealed to my teacher and honestly, I KNOW im taking this personally, and i KNOW i shouldnt, but im getting really annoyed. its bc im taking it personally. her feedback is true, and i DO need to hear that, in my mom's less kind words "you write like its a fanfic", but she really should say "you write like you speak". Any advice to keep your personal style while writing formally without sounding casual?
Hi, anon! Thank you so much for asking these questions because I feel like so many writers go through this struggle. As someone who writes fanfic/fiction for fun but is also a journalism student who is finishing up her thesis and about to move onto grad school, I can definitely relate to this as well. First, I think it’s important for one to acknowledge that writers wear lots of different hats. If I posted my thesis on here, you guys would never guess I was the one who wrote it, haha. I have my fiction voice, my academic voice, my non-fiction voice, and a creative non-fiction voice. They’re all connected by some elements, but they’re also distinct from each other. Sure, my thesis probably isn’t as fun to read as one of my stories, but it’s still me because I wrote about a topic that mattered deeply to me and that I genuinely wanted to dive deeper into.
Unfortunately, with academic writing, you’re always going to feel slightly as though you have a stick up your ass, lol. That’s just part of the craft. Like with fiction, there are certain standards and norms that academic writing follows, and no one will take your research paper/arguments seriously if you don’t demonstrate an understanding of the form. Always keep your audience in mind – writing for your friends and peers is a lot different from writing for scholars. It’s likely you won’t be allowed to be as creative when it comes to academic writing, and sometimes, you’re going to have to write about stuff you absolutely hate, but if your research is strong and you formulate and communicate ideas well, then your essay will stand out and won’t be boring because you’ll show you have a true grasp of the topic. My professors always stress how important “flow” is in a paper. It’s what separates the dry, boring stuff from the interesting stuff. I have to read a lot of academic journals for my classes, and I can tell who’s a good writer and who isn’t by their flow, clarity, and ability to be concise. Those skills are incredibly important in academic writing. Think “so what?” Why should anyone want to read your essay? Your reader should feel like they’ve learned something meaningful from your argument and understand why it’s meaningful, too.
As for taking criticism, this one’s tough. At first, it’s going to hurt, but even though it hurts, you have to teach yourself to take a step back, listen, and say thank you, even if you don’t totally agree – especially when you don’t totally agree. Hear the other person out. Force yourself to see things from their point of view. Your brain and heart are going to try to resist at first, but it gets easier with time. If it makes you feel any better, my thesis mentor criticizes me constantly, lol. He’s not afraid to tell me, “I really didn’t like this,” or “this part didn’t make any sense” because he knows I won’t take it personally. In fact, he recently told me the quality of my thesis “took a nosedive,” haha (which is totally true, btw). Someone saying they dislike something about your paper is not a personal attack, and they are not trying to insult your intelligence or suggest you’re a bad writer by any means. In fact, I’m flattered when my mentor is honest with me because it shows he trusts me to be able to take the hit in stride. I’m a firm believer that what separates the great writers from the decent writers is the ability to take criticism. No one is going to want to work with a writer who gets defensive and spiteful. Writers who detach themselves from their writing when taking feedback are the ones who will grow. Listen attentively, don’t try to explain your view or give any disclaimers. Just nod, thank them, and be open to edits.
Being respectful, thoughtful, and showing appreciation will demonstrate maturity and get you very far, I promise. We live in a society right now that is fueled by emotion. Everyone takes everything personally, gets heated easily, and wants to block out those whom they disagree with, but that’s the death of dialogue and free speech. There is real value in being able to approach things with a level head. Taking a step back is a skill that will help not just with your writing, but also with future jobs and decision-making. It’s also a skill that not everyone has. Self-awareness, taking feedback, self-control – these are all parts of emotional intelligence, which is honestly sometimes more important than how much you know.
Thank you again for the asks, and I hope things work out! Best of luck and stay wonderful. Have a great spring break as well! :)
