Final Reflection: Ten Weeks Later.
Ten weeks ago I stepped into a classroom, a classroom with people like myself who were student writers, who just like me were trying to make sense of their writing. I myself was retaking the course due to not being able to finish the course last quarter. I soon found myself suffering from lack of confidence but over the course even though it was not so easy for me, I soon realize how much more depth writing had and how my voice determined how my product would end up being. This course has taught me so much over the assignments and pieces I have done for the class.
In my reflective piece, I wrote about how I liked to hold all work till the last minute and how my work usually shined during that time. I completely disagree with that now. It may sound hypocritical for turning in late assignments and not living to my full duties as a student of the class but I strongly believe that the work should no longer be put off, especially when it comes to writing. Writing is full of ideas, thoughts and revision.
We write to make relevance of subjects as well to make relevant to ourselves. I myself own a personal blog, not for writing but for my personal amusement, every now and then I would write an entry and publish it. I managed to look back at some of the pieces I wrote and realized that even though my writing to me was good, it was merely acceptable. This course Advanced Expository Writing allowed me to open my mind to the bigger picture. I enjoyed the space given for my writing; I did not feel suffocated and felt as though I couldn’t be judged by others because they couldn’t see me but only hear my voice.
I soon began learning to write in a business format. Something that was not only interesting to learn but also something that could be used in a professional setting sometime in the future. It was one of the first assignments that made me write in a different way, a style in which I was able to think outside of the box. Even before this assignment, I read an article from the New Yorker titled The Running Novelist by the author Murakmi. I usually don’t read articles that are not relevant but this spoke to me. It spoke to me and awakened something that I had never felt in a long time. Determination. The article was about how the author Murakami left his life to become a writer and though he never mentions everything about his experience, he says how becoming a writer was something he did not plan but it just happened. This article though not saying a lot spoke volumes. It was something that said “hey, you never know what you will end up doing… things just happen.” I have this articled downloaded onto my happy laptop now. The class discussion on Murkami and the business template were extremely helpful in me growing and understanding what else I could do if I just looked outside of the box.
I believe that out of all the beneficial assignments, the most difficult assignment would probably be the rhetorical analysis. I understood the Aristotelian Appeals; Ethos, Pathos, & Logos, but I was not quite sure if my analysis would be understood. It is something I have never ever had to do and found it quite fun as much as frustrated by amount of thought I was trying to give it. Being able to analyze a piece of text old or new is a great way of giving insight to the audience about what the piece is trying to say. To see between the lines and expose the truth behind it and the meaning is what the rhetorical analysis assignment was meant to do.
Now even though this course was helpful, I couldn’t have done it without the books. They were, Performing Prose: The Study and Practice of Style in Composition by Chris Holcomb and M. Jimmie Killingsworth and Rewriting: How to Do Things with Texts by Joseph Harris. They seemed like regular textbooks at the time, something that could be looked in class and then put aside to collect dust. However to a writer it is gold. The books were extremely helpful because it helped the reader how to approach the style of writing in different ways. It is highly recommended to take a look at these by books for aspiring student writers who are trying their best to make expand their writing style. It has helped me look at writing and structure in a different way from hooking an audience to trying to reach to the audience. I admit that did not always read the reading assignments but when I did; they were extremely insightful and helpful nonetheless. Perhaps I should take a look back after finals, if procrastination does not ensue.
I enjoyed the blog because it helped me be able to publish my work without worrying about others. I fear face to face critiques with someone who may be trying to be helpful, bashes you and your style. This is what kept me from writing and keeping my writing off the bar, WordPress and even my own personal blog has now shown me that I do not have to live in fear and that I shouldn’t be ashamed of my writing. This is something that is to be shared with the world and if a worldwide audience is what I can reach the sky is the limit. I hope to continue writing in this blog, even perhaps doing other reviews, analysis, or even research. As a writer with so much to share, why limit myself to a notebook or journal in where no one can see. I could use WordPress as a platform to propel my writing and gain an audience, even if it is only a few. I plan to use this blog as a “portfolio” of sorts to display my writing and let future employers see that I am more than capable of writing and thinking outside the box.
Before this blog is closed, I would like to thank Dr. Edlund. Dr. Edlund is a professor at Cal Poly Pomona and probably one of the most knowledgeable when it comes to rhetoric. Even though I struggled and did not do so well, he did not put me down but instead was patient because he believed that I could get the work done (even if he seemed to think I wouldn’t do it). I cannot express how thankful that I was able to take this class with him and I have learned much more about myself as a writer ten weeks later, than I was ten weeks before. I thank everyone who took their time to read this. Have a good night!
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