Hagedorn 1

Final Draft (Revised)

552 University Rd
Santa Barbara, CA 93106

October 23, 2022

UCSB Writing Program Headquarters

South Hall 3400 Suite
Santa Barbara, CA 93106

To Dr. Linda Adler-Kassner and Associates of the Writing Department,

Writing can be more. When I say that, I do not mean that the current state of writing at
university is poor, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to the creativity behind writing.
When someone thinks of writing, they might consider research papers, novels, poetry, short
stories, etc. But the spectrum of writing can be expanded much further than these narratives.
Specifically, writing can be implemented into modern software development.

Software can be viewed as a complex set of instructions, data and programs used to
develop and execute a set of tasks on a computer. When it comes to the development of software,
writing is already very prominent in the cycle that is used in almost every type of computer
programming to this day. The largest issue on this topic is the scarce population of individuals
capable of performing these software writing tasks. Software companies typically hire graduates
proficient in computer programming, or writing specifically. It is rare to find someone capable of
handling both. More people are needed for a job that can be done with not only less people, but
in a more proficient manner as well.

The resolution for this issue is to implement a unique type of writing course that focuses
on video game development. It would revolve around connections between writing, video games,
and software development in a broad fashion. Modern video games and programs are a complex
sequence of systems that go through similar developments as any startup, and provide
opportunities for technical writers and communicators with all sorts of backgrounds. The
curriculum for this course would focus on exposing students to software development cycles in
addition to corresponding writing activities. It enforces the idea that good writing in the software
development cycle can lead to an improvement in the software itself. A similar course was
offered first at Case Western University, taught by Dr. Brian D. Bellentine, in 2012. This course
focused on students’ creative narratives would be embedded in software gameplay, in addition to
the role that the narrative plays in the development process. The idea of employing narrative
writing while also composing software helped to familiarize undergraduate students with the
topic, and allowed their creative mindsets to unfold in video games created by the students
themselves.

Considering that UCSB does not actively offer any course like this, it would be a unique
and promising implementation for students and faculty. The Writing Department could work on
this project cohesively with the Computer Science Department, since they have a very strong
understanding of software teaching techniques. The course would be taken into consideration by
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both of these departments, and conclusively require the combined efforts of top notch computer
science experts as well as writing professionals. If necessary, the Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering could be a possible asset to the publication of this course as well. While
this department would oversee hardware and technology in the course, both the Writing and CS
Departments would contribute to the software itself and explain how writing plays a role in this
technology cycle.

Ideas revolving around software co-existing with writing courses can lead to boundless
possibilities, not only in the undergraduate aspect, but for all professionals as well. It can
incorporate numerous factors for young adults who wish to widen their perspectives, in addition
to the creation of more well-rounded writers and developers. This can lead to the production of
graduates capable of handling an increased number of tasks, who can go straight into the field of
software development. These individuals would be characterized with the necessary prerequisites
involving the software cycle and the implementations of narrative writing.

The sooner that this unique curriculum is implemented, the more influential our
undergraduates can become. We can prepare students for impending challenges while also
improving their understanding of modern technology and the role that writing plays in.

Sincerely,

Current UCSB Undergraduate, John Hagedorn

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John Hagedorn

Bartolini

Writing 2

7 December 2022

Reflection on Writing and Game Development for Undergraduates (Revision)

Before focusing on a specific topic revolving around the first writing project, I want to

first address my passion for video game and software ideology. I have always been an avid

gamer, and finding this topic was very fun and interesting for me. My initial finding of a reliable

article seemed a little rushed and lacking in detail, but I turned out to be very satisfied with the

piece I found, considering how captivating it was surrounding a topic I love so much. It

discussed how beneficial adding a unique type of undergraduate writing course would be for not

only undergraduates, but for professionals as well. Specifically, a writing course that focused on

software development in, for example, video games. The name of this article is Writing and

Game Development in the Undergraduate Classroom, by Brian D. Bellentine.

Considering the article I chose and its format, it would likely be directed towards young

adults who are fluent with either creative writing or software/video game development, or

perhaps interested in both. The author also addressed the benefits of an undergraduate course, so

he may be speaking to current faculty and administrators who would be able to implement these

courses for the younger generations. Since I was able to transition this into my own genre, I had

a more specific audience in mind. My genre focused on the persuasion of a certain administration

group in a letter format. So rather than speaking with informational terminology, I was speaking

in a reinforcing and persuasive tone, so that my conjecture might seem more essential to

implement. “Genres take their shape in recurrent situations because the communications that
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occur in recurrent situations tend to be remarkably similar”(Bickmore). I tried to be as recurrent

as possible with my ideas to firmly get my idea across to the reader. Additionally, while the

article itself pulled strict facts from studies done in the past, I pulled ideas directly from the

article and turned it into a more meaningful tone for the audience in my translated genre.

Specific practices I took to my translated audience were the ideas presented by the author

surrounding a modern and futuristic outlook for companies and employment. The author

considers society as a whole, and how technology and software is growing more popular every

single day. He addresses the need for new courses to be implemented to better compliment this

vast growth of technology, which I made sure to mention in my letter. Additionally, there were

portions of the article where the author specifically addressed a group of people, for example,

young narrative writers and software developers, in addition to their employers. I tried to

continue his specificity, as it forces both audiences to consider something beyond themselves,

and how it can benefit society as a whole.

Considering the mass amounts of information presented in the entirety of the article, I

chose to only translate portions of the article that accurately directed my letter to writing

administrators. The article not only presented the implemented course idea, but also additional

information about software development cycles, game development, websites, and tools

available to further improve the understanding of the reader. Additionally when considering

letter formatting, you create more wiggle room for editing, as you can do countless revisions

with the focus on your specific audience. I found this particularly useful due to the presented

idea that “writing has the advantage of permitting more editing”(Elbow 1). This allowed myself

an advantage over other genres due to its ability to be as concise as the author chooses. With this

precision, I mainly focused on the course description itself, and its benefits to software
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production and overall employment efficiency. Additionally, he presented a process for

undergraduate students, and their entrypoint into the world using these types of unique courses

lying beneath creative writing. In order to further my knowledge about this concept of unique

courses and writing in game development, I did some additional research, simply to solidify my

ideas surrounding the course and its purpose.

My new choice of genre can be interpreted in many different ways, as it has its strengths

and weaknesses. One of the main reasons I chose this genre is because it fits perfectly when

addressing a certain audience. Not only does it directly address an audience, but it leaves the rest

of the letter up to interpretation for avid readers and people who are further interested in the

topic. The other reason I chose this new genre was its ability to be concise with its intentions.

Letters can be interpreted as short and sweet, as you want your reader to understand your point

fairly quickly, so that they might cooperate with your intentions. The two ideas mentioned also

create a weakness for this type of genre. One being that due to its addressment of a singular

audience, it lacks the broad interpretation for those a little farther away from the intended

audience. Additionally, due to its precision, it may be overlooked by individuals who are

searching for a more in depth discussion revolving around the topics in the letter.

Additionally when considering my choice of genre, I had a few reasons as to why I

favored the letter formatting. The main one being that I used to write letters all the time in my

younger years. This is because I had very studious grandparents, who would expect letters

following every occasion that we saw them, and we saw them a lot. They are very old fashioned

people, specifically the type that still use a landline as their main source of calling. Not only did

they expect letters from us, but my parents would make sure that my siblings and I sent them.

These letters would come after Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays, and just about every other
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holiday or event that went down with my grandparents. I had written so many letters by the time

I entered high school that it became almost a regular thing for me. I would write letters for every

occasion that I participated in, ranging from friends birthday parties, to my parents friends dinner

parties. I would always write a letter of thanks or have just a simple conversation with those who

hosted certain events; it was something about the aesthetic of writing in a ballpoint pen and

mailing to an address with a stamp and everything. I definitely used my past with letters as a bias

towards my choice of genre, considering this genre is one I am very comfortable with. I enjoyed

bringing back my memories of writing to various people, since I do not write as much nowadays.

I felt my choice of genre was the right decision, and I had a good time completing it as well.

I believe that one of the most beneficial aspects in making my final draft was the

feedback I got from a few of my peers. I am often very self centered when it comes to writing,

and I usually do not think about having another perspective on my piece. Participating in a peer

review helped me understand that many of the techniques I use in my writing can be confusing

for the reader, which was very helpful when drafting my final. The best piece of feedback I got

was that I need to remember how knowledgeable my audience is about my chosen topic. I often

used terms and quotes that made my peers confused and disoriented because of how specific they

were to my experience within the topic. The main thing that I tried to focus on was going more in

depth with the new topics I introduced, specifically the evidence portion in my letter. I am very

grateful to my peers for helping me make my writing piece more understandable for readers.

From a broad perspective, I feel like my translation went somewhat smoothly,

considering I was a little confused about certain aspects of the material. Overall though it was a

very interesting article, especially for someone like me who is involved in these topics in so

many ways. I definitely would appreciate some guidance and advice on how to improve my work
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and make it more efficient for the reader, as I am always looking for ways to better my material.

Conclusively, the project was definitely an eye opener for me, considering some of the aspects

covered in readings and the project itself were very new to me. I do feel as if my writing style

has improved in some ways, and I would love to keep pursuing it in the future.
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Works Cited

Bickmore, Lisa. “Genre in the Wild: Understanding Genre within Rhetorical (Eco)Systems.”

Open English SLCC, Open English @ SLCC, 1 Aug. 2016,

https://pressbooks.pub/openenglishatslcc/chapter/genre-in-the-wild-understanding-genre-

within-rhetorical-ecosystems/.

Freewriting by Peter Elbow Excerpted from Writing without Teachers. New ...

https://www.research.ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/RD/docs/FREEWRITING-by-Peter-Elb

ow.pdf.

Ballentine, Brian D. “Textual Adventures: Writing and Game Development in the Undergraduate

Classroom.” Computers and Composition, JAI, 14 July 2015,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8755461515000481?via%3Dihub.