Dear Eugene,

I have had an amazing time taking this class, you had the class really fun and engaging. You

made us do a lot of group work and discussions which I enjoyed. This made the assignment and

activities not boring and it was lovely to hear input from my classmates. An activity I enjoyed as

well is the freewrites. One of the most important things I've learned is the process of freewriting.

I've discovered how to just let the words flow without getting blocked. The free writing helped

me flow out my thoughts better. I must admit that I struggle when it comes to starting my writing.

I tend to get stuck and lose my flow. This often leaves me feeling discouraged, making it difficult

to continue. I'm really excited about the progress I've made as a writer this quarter. I feel like I've

learned a lot and have grown in my abilities. It's been a liberating experience and has helped

me become a better writer.

Reflecting on my growth as a writer, I am grateful for the opportunity to have taken this

course. I have learned a great deal about the craft of writing, and how it can be used to

effectively communicate ideas and emotions to others. My growth as a writer is a result of

various activities and readings, which have helped me to develop my skills. One of the most

significant factors contributing to my growth as a writer has been the feedback provided by my

instructor and peers. Their constructive criticism has allowed me to identify my strengths and

weaknesses as a writer, and to work on improving my writing style. Additionally, the various

writing exercises and assignments that we were tasked with have helped me to explore different

writing techniques and genres, which has broadened my writing repertoire.

In terms of my strengths as a writer, I believe that I have a strong sense of rough drafts

and the revision process. One of the readings that helped me a lot with starting a rough draft is

Shitty First Drafts. Anne Lamott expresses that most writers start off with “shitty first drafts” (21).

This made me realize that my drafts do not have to be notch in the first try. It is called a first

draft for a reason. This and the free write activity helped me get my ideas flowing and worry
about the rest after. This was a huge help since I struggle a lot with getting my ideas to flow.

The hardest part is getting started but this helped me an enormous amount.

Another reading that guided me through my writing process is Revision is central to

developing writing. Doug Downs states that “ the revision implied in this process… is central to

developing writing.” (66) Most of the time I do not revise my papers and just try to make it as

perfect as it can be in my first draft. I soon realized that is not the case and revision is a

necessary part of writing. This put together with the Shitty First Draft made me realize most

people cannot write perfect in their first draft and revision is very much needed.

Throughout my high school writing career I was taught to not use the word “I” in my

writing because it makes the writing look informal. I always thought about why we should not

use “I” in writing but in the reading I-need-you-to-say-I explain why and when you should use it.

The author articulates that “the key is making sure that your choices are appropriate for the

context of your paper” (181). The author makes it clear when it is fine to use the word “I”, for

example using “I” during a personal narrative is completely fine but not in a scientific research

paper.

For writing project one I have revised and edited several inputs on my Journal entries genre. I

added some time slots to show the entries and give the reader some type of sense of time. I

am happy with the final presentation of it, and I feel like I have improved it. For writing project

two the process was easier compared to project just because I have already grown as a writer.

The challenging part was making it into a conversation between a discourse community.

As I look back on my writing journey, I realize that I have come a long way. I've had the

opportunity to explore different styles and techniques, and each experience has taught me

something valuable. By practicing and exposing myself to various writing styles, I've learned

how to create engaging and impactful pieces. Overall, my sense of my abilities as a writer has

changed significantly since the first day of class. I am more confident in my writing, and I am

able to articulate my ideas in a more concise and persuasive manner.

 Work cited

Lamott, Anne. “Shitty First Drafts.” Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New
York, Pantheon, 1994

Maddalena, Kate McKinney. “ “I need you to say ‘I’”: Why First Person Is Important in College
Writing.” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1, edited by Charles Lowe and Pavel
Zemliansky, Anderson, South Carolina, Parlor Press, 2010.

Downs, Doug. “Revision is central to developing writing”