From Uncertain to Understanding

Before I came to this Reading and Writing class, I never thought of myself as a good writer. I often second-guessed my work because I didn’t feel it was good enough for others to read. Whenever it was time to write, I would always have a hard time finding things to say about the topics I chose. Reflecting on my first day of writing, I can say that our lecturer did an excellent job of outlining the proper stages of the writing process and encouraging me to take my time with each step.

One of the most important things I learnt on this journey is that every piece of writing needs proper structure and planning. Writers should use strategies, organizational patterns, or even graphic organizers in every writing piece because these tools shape HOW the writing develops. The “how” of writing refers to

- HOW a writer generates his/her ideas,

- HOW the writer develops their writing,

- HOW the writer plans to execute their writing and

- HOW each stage aligns meaningfully to the final piece.

For example, when working on one of my descriptive pieces, I used a graphic organizer in the form of a cluster or word web. My process began with first thinking of a topic I would want my piece to be about and placing it in the center of the page. From there, I branched out with different senses, listing words and phrases connected to what I could see, hear, smell, taste, and touch in the spaces that branch directly from the center. This strategy helped me brainstorm and collect vivid details that I later used in my writing.

Example #1: This is the very first brainstorming I ever attempted. It was for a short story entitled "The Bike Race".