Writing is a means of expressing oneself through the use of words. Writing is a means of communicating ideas and thoughts to a wider audience. In addition, writing allows individuals to pass along the history and culture of a race or generation. Writing is used to entertain, inform, persuade, and educate. Personally, writing is often a difficult task for me. I find writing in any form is challenging as in order to produce articles of a high standard, I have to research on the topic that is at hand. In many cases, the topics are unfamiliar and because of this I have to a lot of reading.
In addition, there are many techniques in writing that I have not master and a result it makes the writing process even more difficult. There are times that I am asked to write an argumentative essay or any formal piece, I become nervous as I am unsure of how to reason logically, and present the arguments objectively in an organized manner. However, I am more comfortable with writing stories as I have an imaginative mind. I know how to turn an idea so that it becomes entertaining.
I find that I write better at home in the comfort of my room. At this point, I am comfortable and the ideas seem to flow more freely. In order to write effectively, I have to be in a quiet zone which has little or no noise. At this point, I am able to see clearly the ideas I want to put forward in my stories. In the case where I have to write to educate or inform, I generally read materials from various sources so that I am comfortable with the topic at hand and can write freely about the required topic. In reading from other sources, I take as many notes as I can, and write points that can help me to organize my essay. Next, I write a rough draft. After completing the rough draft, I put it aside and clear my head of all the things that I wrote. Generally I wait an hour or two before rereading what I have written. I try not to procrastinate when I have to write because I like to give myself enough time to re-read the rough drafts. Sometimes, I make even two drafts as I am aware that I really am not comfortable with academic style of writing. I try to get started as soon I get a writing task because I know that am not very at writing.
The hardest part of writing is the introduction as I have to think hard about how best to grab the reader’s attention. Then there is the problem of finding the “right” words to convey the “right” meaning in the piece I am writing. The easiest part comes when I have started and then the ideas begin to flow all the way to the end of the article. As with all writers, there are times when I have a mental block where the ideas just stop flowing and I cannot move forward.
Oftentimes, it becomes frustrating. At this point, I try to ask others for ideas about what to write next. When a couple of my friends see what I already have, they point out the errors in transition, vocabulary, organization, and creating the ideal introduction. I realize that these areas are difficult for me to master, but I have every intention of fixing them through reading widely. Also, I realize that I have to read related articles so that I can develop my personal style of writing.
There are many times when I write, that I am unsure of when to stop. I cannot tell when the article is finished, and I simple add a conclusion if it is required for the essays. On the other hand, I know that the end of the story comes when the problem is resolved. I try to edit my own work even though I know that I have difficulties with writing styles and organizing the details. I am bit nervous to show my work to others because I know that I am not very good at writing.
Good writing means that the piece is well-organized and is present without or with limited vocabulary errors. The language is easily read and straight forward. I hope to reach this stage during college so that when I become a working adult, I do not have to rely on others to write letters for me or to organize my thoughts on any given topic. I know that the college courses aim at helping students to improve on their skills as a writer and I know that I can benefit from these courses. One example of good writing is a scholarly journal. The writers use research material from various sources and connect them to their personal works and ideas. I hope that one day I will master the different styles and types of writing.
