Dominica Nemec

Ms. Caruso
ENG1101

Literacy Memoir Overall Reflection

I believe that the only place Ior me to start with this response to my personal
Literacy Memoir is to express my high interest in this project. Being Iorced to dissect and
examine my writing background has taught me a lot about myselI not only as a writer,
but as a person as well. I was able not only to realize what has inIluenced me in my
writing and what I truly think about it, but this assignment helped me look into that
particular view too, helping me discover the layers oI my writing experience. Having a
peer look at my work was also an eye opener, and they truly oIIered advice, which will
deIinitely help me grow. I am grateIul that this project helped me open up to myselI. I am
also very intrigued with the way the rest oI this semester will go because this Iirst project
kept me interested and excited, as opposed to bored iI we had just started with a regular
essay as in every other English class.

When I Iirst wrote my literacy response, I had a lot to write about because I
wanted to express my love Ior writing and discuss all oI my experiences. I started writing
with the thought that I wouldn`t have much to improve on this year (except Ior
procrastination) because oI my experience in the Iield, but as a continued thinking about
it, I realized I have so much room to grow into. AIter writing my memoir, I Ielt content
with where I was writing-wise, but aIter reading it over, I realized that I could deIinitely
improve on things. I Ielt as though I came oII very conIident in my original memoir,
which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I didn`t leave room Ior criticism, I didn`t even
try to Iind any negative experiences in my writing. It wasn`t until I read the response
Irom one oI my peers that I realized I could really beneIit Irom some positive criticism.
They believed that, because I have only had good experiences throughout my English
career, I had a limited scope and have never experienced the positive outcomes that can
arise Irom a negative experience. They wrote, 'Due to the good writing, the person lacks
in getting corrected, and thereIore he/she can`t improve with writing as much as other
students can. AIter reading this, I realized that this is not what I want to get out oI this
class at all. I realized that I want to grow in my writing and develop my skill even Iurther.
They suggested that I ask Ior advice and Ieedback Irom my teacher, which I completely
agree with. I deIinitely agree with their opinion oI my writing, because they helped me
realize what I need to work on.
What I would like to change about the way I view my literacy experiences is to
Iocus more on the overall picture, rather than just the good. I believe that iI I look back
into my past and Iind the negative experiences with writing, I will be able to Iind my
mistakes and truly grow Irom them. I would like to become more critical oI my writing
and work hard to improve the small details. I think the reason why I did not have my
negative experiences in my memoir is because I am not as open to criticism as I should
be, so I would like to work on that this semester as well. In order to better myselI as a
writer, I need to be able to take criticism so I will be able to correct the imperIections. I
also want to be open to taking more risks with my writing. I have a very speciIic writing
style, and even though I might Iail with the experimentation oI another, I will learn more
about myselI as a writer and add depth to my writing style, even iI I return to my comIort
zone. In liIe, when a person has a negative experience, they learn Irom it and even
become a better person Ior it, and it is the same in writing. I would like to become more
aware oI these experiences and use them to my advantage.
As I have said beIore, I am grateIul Ior this Literacy Memoir assignment, because
it allowed me to look Iurther into myselI and realize what I truly need to work on. I love
writing, and I want to be the best that I can be, so I will be open to any opportunity to
better myselI. I do not want to say that I am dissatisIied with my original memoir,
because there is plenty oI good to it; I expressed my true love Ior writing, I demonstrated
the conIidence I Ieel in myselI, and to an extent I did leave room Ior criticism, but now I
am deIinitely open to a wider scope. HopeIully, I won`t Iorget about this throughout the
semester, and iI I remember to truly open myselI up to new experiences (whatever they
may be), I know I will grow as a writer.