Haley Dwyer 1 Writing At Its Finest Writing At Its Finest

Writing At Its Finest

As a writer, throughout the years, I have come to realize that I have a specific technique when writing certain passages, essays or short responses. I always have certain questions in the back of my head when putting my thoughts down. What does the teacher want, is it close to the topic questions and is this considered a bad draft? As a freshman in college I have finally found the answer to what is believed as good writing. The preconceptions of good writing have come from past educational experiences, and if I wereas a writer, I would conceive the idea of good writing maybe somewhat differently of others. Due to the fact that my previous educators all throughout my life have basically engrained into my head what is expected of me in college, they all tried to give my peers and meI tips and facts of what college professors expect as a strategic way of writing and what they believe is the right way to write an essay. Now that I have almost completed my first semes ter at UNC Charlotte I have realized that I should not have to remember so many examples of writing textiles to help me along my way. In this writing class, it is obvious due to Stephen Kings, On Writing, many of my classmates and I were relieved that there is no such thing as good writing.

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Comment [AP1]: Okay, so I think this is a good place to define what you mean by good writing. In other words, this would be a good place to write a clear thesis.

Comment [AP2]: This is an interesting word choice.

Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching

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your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. Stephen King, On Writing.
Comment [AP3]: Nice quote you found :)

Due to King in this excerpt, it is clearly stated that in someones writing they should write however they want and to make it real for others to relate to. You dont write for anyone but yourself, and I believe in this as a young writer. I have been mislead that I had so much expected of me to impress the reader of my work, to keep him/ her entertained with a fluffed story using metaphors and similes. In reality, your writing is meant to get your opinions down and to also give the impression you have a purpose to write your emotions or feelings. The two rules I abide by while writing papers in college will always be to use correct grammar and to also write everything that is me. This being said that in any form of writing you should use experiences, opinions and certain wording to get the readers attention that maybe they agree or disagree but read anyways because they are interested in how you may think. As I stated before, most of my thoughts and techniques came from my teachers in middle school and high school. I cant really complain about my elementary teachers because they only taught me how to spell correctly and what grammar actually is. But from the age of 11 and up I was honestly lied to and pressured to write in certain ways when really I should have rebelled and wrote the way that I wanted to. In college Ive noticed that professors are more about you finding what works best for you and then going from there. They may give you a summary on what they are looking for but the rest is up to you when finding how to write and what you like to talk about. Rules such as using two spaces after a period, always make your thesis known at the beginning of your essay and to also always use rhetoric are some of the unnecessary rules I

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Comment [AP4]: Interesting idea here. so what role does the reader play then? Comment [AP5]: I wonder what you mean by impress the reader. What does that look like?

Comment [AP6]: I dont know what this means either. I assume youll be explaining this a little later. Comment [AP7]: Reconsider the structure here. sounds too conversational/casual.

Comment [AP8]: Okay, so these ideas are all really interesting. The ideas of being lied to and that in college the expectations are slightly different from what you were taught before. But I guess I want to see more specificity with respect to these lies and what college is expecting. It seems like you are talking largely in generalities and Id like to see more specificity.

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have learned from my past as a student. I never use two spaces when writing, although my mother does and seemed to always double space after each sentence when I would watch her type different papers for work. In my essays, I always make my thesis known somewhere in my writing, it may not be right at the beginning but the reader should be able to determine what my argument or opinion is that Im about to express to them. Also, I learned rhetoric my junior year of high school in AP English 3 by Mrs. Roxby. She expected us to use ethos, pathos and logos in every one of our essays. I rarely use rhetoric now in college unless it is expected of me or I think it would make me writing more understandable. If I was a well- known writer for being able to produce great work and thinking that my writing was good writing, I would never brag or gloat saying that the way I write is best but I would behave in a well good manner, giving other writers different options on what fits with their writing styles. A writer that I seem to always go toward is the typical romance novel man, Nicholas Sparks. Now, Stop. I know what youre thinking already. This girl is a hopeless romantic who doesnt know anything from Shakespeare or Leo Tolstoy. Well, you would be wrong but I am a sucker from a great love story. Nicholas Sparks in my opinion is a genius. He is capable of writing such an amazing story pulling at millions of girls heartstrings and drawing them into the characters lives making them want to be just like them. Almost all of Sparks books have been turned into movies, which goes to show that he has created an amazing piece if producers want to be part of his creation.

Comment [AP9]: Why not?

Comment [AP10]: Didnt we discuss that rhetoric is in everything? So how can you not use it?

Comment [AP11]: What does this mean?

Comment [AP12]: Interesting, because I wasnt thinking this at all.

Comment [AP13]: So is revenue a tool to measure the goodness of writing?

I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten,

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but I've loved another with all my heart and soul and to me, this has always been enough. Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook.

This Passage has always stuck out to me the most in any of Nicholas Sparks Novels. Granted these all are fiction and may be written to the standards of what women want in a man but that is the point. This passage is proof that Nicholas Sparks is a good writer. He writes stories for himself but he also writes stories for women to relate to that may have gone through the same experience as the characters of the book. I believe that is the reason behind reading. Some novels are forced upon you to read as a student but the reading you do other than school is based on what your interests are and what helps you escape for a while. In this qQuote from the novel The Notebook, sparks character Noah explains that although he is a common man who is not known for anything, the most important thing to him is that he has loved another. That is the most powerful excerpt from any book in my opinion. Something that I can relate to and that is real is my opinion of good writing from authors. Writing can never be judged as just good and bad. Everyone has their own opinions and thoughts when it comes to this topic. Learning from my college professors that they want more of my work to be flattering based on grammar and how I feel is definitely less stressful than having educators telling you what to write and how to write it. Everyone can be a good writer in my opinion. They just may have different styles than you. I know that my writing is not perfect but it is my way of expressing myself and to me that is good writing. Its different to understand what good writing is when it comes to essays or nonfiction but Ill leave that personal opinion to others and what they like and also their past experiences that help them relate to the authors type of writing.
Comment [AP19]: Isnt the point/purpose of this essay to attempt to answer this question for yourself? Comment [AP18]: In what other mediums do you express yourself through writing. Comment [AP16]: Something is off in the sentence. Comment [AP17]: This sounds like it could be an excellent thesis. Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5" Comment [AP15]: I think you do a really great job expressing your passion for this particular style of writing here. Formatted: Font: Italic Comment [AP14]: Okay, so now you seem to be valuing the role of the reader, while earlier you seemed to be devaluing the role of the reader.

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Haley, I think youve constructed a really interesting essay here. You write with an honesty and a sincerity that really shines here, and I think is one of your greatest assets as a writer. I would, though, like to see more uniformity with respect to your thesis that is supposed to be holding this essay together. In other words, if I were to identify a particular thesis here, Im not sure could. The various paragraphs, while engaging and very interesting, seem to be too disparate and in need of an anchor here. Otherwise, I think youve done a good job here, pulling from other writers and adding your own insights.

Works Cited: On Writing by Stephen King The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Comment [AP20]: This is fine for this assignment, but in the future, be mindful of proper citation rules.