Hayley Burggraf

P.O. Box 252

Mannford, OK 74044
(918)804-9134

Mrs. Tamera Davis

English Professor
Northern Oklahoma College
615 N. Monroe
Stillwater, OK 74076

April 29, 2020

Dear Mrs. Davis,

I have carefully selected four writings that show who I am as a writer. I have picked writings that
I have completed for Comp II, Freshman Orientation, and senior English. My choices have an
array of different formats to show what I have been taught. I chose essays that would
demonstrate how my writing has evolved.

My first selection is a personal writing that holds a special place in my heart. I chose my first
writing because I had an opportunity to express my emotions. My second selection is a letter
about the struggle of adopted kids and the heavy workload of social workers to representative
Karen Bass. I chose my second writing because I enjoyed feeling like I could make a difference
in the world. My third selection is an assignment that I did for Freshman Orientation about my
goals. I chose my third writing because the assignment made me excited about my future. My
fourth writing is an essay I did for my senior English class. I chose my fourth piece because I
wanted to display my improvement.

My growth as a writer has improved gradually over the years. I was homeschooled from 3rd grade
to 8th grade. I never liked writing papers when I was homeschooled, but my attitude towards
writing changed when I returned to school. I have a hard time expressing my feelings. I enjoyed
the ability to be able to tell everyone my thoughts without speaking. My favorite part about
writing is editing my words and making everything perfect before someone reads what I write.

Honestly, I do not have a writing process and I do not really have a strict outline that I follow.
My semester in Comp II has helped me significantly with my writing process. Essay two
changed the way I structure my essays. The first tool I would have in my writing toolbox is time.
I always wait until the last minute to write a paper and I regret it every time. During my first
semester in college I made sure to write my papers as soon as they were assigned. I had to write
a paper weekly so it was easy for me to start on my essays immediately. During my second
semester I got lazy and I would wait to write anything.
I have always struggled with writing papers and I thought I was a terrible writer. My Comp I
professor always supported my writing and she made me feel comfortable with my writing style.
My writing has constantly improved since Comp I, but I still need help with revising my essays.
Throughout my semester in Comp II, I have been able to use different formats and strengthen my
writing. The greatest struggle I have with writing is creating sentences that flow together. I have
never been able to just sit down and write a paper. The whole process of writing takes me a few
days because I have to analyze everything. My greatest strength is sentence structure. I am not a
professional but it is easy for me to understand why I need to have a comma or period.

Finally, I intend to take all the lessons you have provided me with and continue to evolve. I
know I still need guidance when writing an essay, but I have greatly improved since high school.
My plan to further my career is to apply to the NOC nursing school. In order to apply I will need
to write an essay. Comp II has provided me with plenty of information that allows me to write an
essay confidently. I know, with the information provided to me from Comp II I can use with any
essays I will need in the future. I am very thankful that you gave me your time to make me a
better writer. I will always be grateful for the experience that college has given me.

Sincerely,

Hayley Burggraf