Now that we’re back from last week’s holiday, please check that you have:
– Completed the Intro Survey.
– Read the syllabus, schedule, and navigated through the website.
– Activated your Baruch college account, especially your email.
– Purchased the textbook Join the Conversation (JTC).
Here’s what you need to do this week, by Thursday night (this module should take about 1 hour to complete):
– Read the following from the JTC:
> “Writing in your Courses at Baruch” (p.8);
> Introduction to Section 2, by Lisa Blankenship and Seth Graves (pp. 13-15).
– In the comments below, please answer the following questions:
1. Do the introductory sections to the textbook describe a first-year writing course that matches your expectations? Whether you answer yes or no, please explain why.
2. Had you thought of writing as a process before? If not, does this notion appeal to you now? Why?
3. When you set out to write something, whether for school or not, do you find that you want it to be perfect from the start? Do you get anxious about having what Anne Lamott calls “a shitty first draft”?
4. Please comment on someone else’s response.
Remember: All comments are to be posted by 11:59 pm on Thursday nights, so that folks have time to read them and comment on them by every Friday meeting.
What we’ll do in our Friday meeting (Friday, September 17th, 10:30 am, Zoom link in syllabus):
– We will discuss the readings and your responses about writing as a process.
– I will answer any questions you may have.
– We will form groups of 3 for next week’s activity.
Well to be honest, yeah when they talk about, when you are writing a draft , every piece of writing allows for you to learn something new as you go. Like when your writing your first draft, it’s usually messy and very bad. However when you go back and revise it you seem to pick up new things on how to improve and what to use next time. Not really I thought writing as more of a chore rather than a process (probably due to my general dislike of writing), however now I see when you write it’s not just words on a paper, there is meaning to that paper. As I said earlier first draft are always terrible, it’s not like a ship builder could build a ship perfectly without experience and a revision same thing applies to writing. It goes on to this concept of trial and error the more you fail the better you do the next time. When she states “Shitty first draft” it more relatable than making someone anxious because I’m sure a lot of people can relate to this.
well I do quite agree with myself, very much :p
Haha, thanks for your post Michael! I’m glad your writing process allowed you to see the meaning on the page, beyond the words themselves. This is a big takeaway I hope students get in this course.
PS: just try to number your answer or skip a line next time so we can all see tell them apart easily 🙂
I do agree about everything you said because I am not a fan of writing a lot.
The introduction does matches my expectations for this course because I am very focused on having a better writing and an organized form of writing. Yes, I have thought that writing is a process because we have to know how to organize what we write and know what we are expressing not just write to write. I think this is a complex process where we have to find the correct words I guess, I do like drafting because each time you get new ideas and you can edit it and make it better every time. When I have to write something, I do want it to be neat and perfect from the start, but I am aware that at it may be a draft from the beginning , its not that I get anxious about it but I like the fact that my writing can be better.
I agree with you because I also want to have organized writing as well as having a neat and perfect piece from the start
Hi Jessica. I agree with what you said about being organized when it comes to writing and having a purpose while writing a body of work. I think a lot of professional writers would say that organization is essential to the writing process in order for our writing to have a clean flow to it.
Yes Jessica, letting go of perfection is hard, but absolutely necessary! Nothing could ever be perfect from the start. If we got to read the greatest writer’s first drafts, we’d know that better…
The introduction does match the expectations I have for this first year course because I expected that the skills we learn in this class will be able to use in many different occasions and only strengthen our writing abilities. I don’t think I though about writing as a process before because I do not like doing rough drafts and revisions, but I believe the skills I learn will help me with the process and I will be able to go through the multiple steps of writing in order to finish with a piece I am proud of. When I write for the first time I want it to be perfect, but I am aware that many times when I first start writing a paper that my ideas are still unorganized and that is seen in the essay. In high school my teachers would give advice on how to improve to the essay and this would help me because after I see what needs to be fixed I can understand why and I can take a second look to see if I want to make any further changes. I do get anxious over a “shitty first essay”, but I know that the first time isn’t always going to be perfect and there is always room for improvement.
I agree with you in regards to how these skills will strengthen our writing and will help us produce a piece of writing that we take pride in.
1. The introductory sections to the textbook does describe a first-year writing course that matches my expectations because I do believe that this class will help me to become a better writer as time progresses. The introduction highlights the importance of planning, exploring, drafting, and revising when it comes to writing, which I completely agree with.
2. I always looked at writing as a very lengthy process, which would require us to put in a lot of time and effort if we expect our writing piece to be an excellent body of work. No one is able to write the best piece in a single day. Writing takes time, which is why it’s important to go through a process.
3. Sometimes I consider myself to be somewhat of a perfectionist, so when I set out to write something, I usually want it to be perfect from the start. Things don’t always go the way you want them to, so I know that I’ll probably make some mistakes in my draft. I do tend to get a little anxious about having a “shitty first essay.” I’m aware that everyone makes mistakes, but I try to get things right on the first time in order to avoid having to do it over again so many times.
I agree with you shemlla, trying to be a perfectionist is extremely damaging when writing your “shitty first essay”. It makes you feel hopeless but you’re correct in everyone makes mistakes.
Thanks, Shamella! This all makes perfect sense. I think anne Lammot’s point is that shitty first drafts are inevitable, and that they should be accepted as part of the writing process, which is necessarily lengthy, as you mention.
1. It does describe a first-year course that matches my expectations. Page 8 explicitly tells us what we will be doing such as revision, examining other peoples’ works, discussing strategies. This is what I expected to learn in a first-year writing class as these skills are the foundation of writing. Learning these skills and developing healthy writing habits will enable us to be productive and unique writers. It’ll also prepare us for real world situations pertaining to writing.
2. I have thought of writing as a process before. I’ve always knew writing wasn’t just spewing out whatever came to your mind. Whatever you were putting down had to be organized, concise and informative. To get to that spot, you have to go through many revisions and apply many strategies.
3. Yes, I do want my first draft to be the best essay I could write. I do sometimes get discouraged when I happen to write a “a shitty first draft”. It discourages me to even look at it and revise it.
I agree with you because I also aim to learn and develop writing skills that will allow me to become a more effective writer.
I agree with you, especially about viewing writing as a process because everything that we write does have to be organized and cohesive which leads to a lot of revisions.
1. The introductory sections do describe a first-year writing course that matches my expectations because it provides a detailed explanation of the areas of writing we will work on as well as the composition process. From what I have read, I hope to further improve my writing skills in this course, explore different writing methods, and learn to express myself more effectively.
2. I have always thought of writing as a process. Although it may seem as simple as writing down your thoughts and ideas, it is much more complex and by no means easy. You must be able to organize and refine your ideas into a clear and cohesive piece of writing.
3. Yes, I do find myself wanting to have a strong start to my writing, but I am aware it will be nowhere near perfect. Yes, I do worry about having a “shitty first draft” because writing a good draft can make the editing and revision process of an essay easier.
I like how you mentioned in your answer for question 2 that writing is not easy and “You must be able to organize and refine your ideas into a clear and cohesive piece of writing.”. I strongly agree with that statement
Thanks, Karla! I’m glad the course description matches your expectations. Your post reminds me to put more emphasis on exploring different writing methods. Thanks again!
1. The introductory sections to the textbook do describe a first-year writing course that matches the expectations I had for this first-year writing course mainly because I was expecting to earn skills that will increase my writing and analytical abilities.
2. Yes I’ve thought of the writing process before.i thought that writing was more about time and effort rather than ability.I believe this because if you want your piece of work to be great you have to go through a process of a lot of drafts and revisions before you get to the point where you can call it great.
3.No i don’t want it to be perfect.I like when my writing has a raw feeling, what I mean by this is you can feel the emotions that I’m trying to convey with my words.If I’m speaking to write about a sad experience i want to make the reader feel the exact emotions i had at that time. But when a writing work is perfect i feel like it takes that away and you can tell what I’m trying to convey, it’s harder for you to relate to it.
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Thanks Jason, your response to question 3 is very interesting! I like to hear that perfectionism is easily relinquished to the benefit of a “raw feeling” to writing. This is something we should all strive to do. I look forward to reading your literacy narrative, as this form especially required emotions to come through.
1. The introductory sections to the textbook does describe a first-year writing course that matches my expectations because it helps me understand that drafts are beneficial to our writing process and they’ll eventually help us grow as writers.
2. Yes, I have thought of writing as a process before because it takes time and dedication. You can be the best writer but if you rush the process you can potentially ruin your work. Writers need a strategic plan so that they can get their point across beautifully, as well as it’ll make writing much easier.
3. Yes, I do feel those emotions because of how stressful writing is. As you continue to write, you start to overthink which ruins your creativity. First drafts are important because it helps you understand what to do and what not to do, so that when you’re revising everything is flowing in symphony.
The point you made in question 2 “You can be the best writer but if you rush the process you can potentially ruin your work.”. This is so true because rushing your writing and wanted to get things over with, will definitely hurt you and the amount of points that could be hit. Strong Statement!
1.Yes, the introductory sections do meet my expectations for a first year writing course since a first year writing course should be about teaching you to write better and help advance your level and understanding of writing and reading.
2. I have thought of writing as a process before. I always knew writing isn’t something as easy as jotting down an idea and then being done with it and either submitting it for a grade or publishing it. So I knew writing involves a process, because without a process to keep it in check and make sure its good , it will end up failing. So in order to understand it a bit more I decided to read works of other people. From light novels to graphic novels to understand a bit more that the story and writing within the story wasn’t just done in one go. There was drafts, revisions, inspiration and time. Writing it complex and requires a process
3. Whenever I start a writing project wether its for school or not, I dont worry if its perfect or not becuase that will just cause more work on the brain. I like to focus on finishing my thoughts first and putting my first hand feelings into the work regardless if its perfect or not, then after reading it I will do revisions, even then I will try not to change too much since writing is about a persons feelings and thoughts in the form of a story or other arts in writing. There is no perfect writing. Only impactful. As for if I get anxious about a bad 1st draft, yes and no. It depends on if its for school or personal work and depends on how much time I have to complete the writing.
I like how you mentioned that you picked up reading other peoples works in order to understand the process behind writing and mentioned the different types of reading that you took on
“There is no perfect writing. Only impactful.” A great quote to have in mind, everyone! Thanks, Erick!
1. Yes, the introductory sections to the textbook do describe a first year writing course that matches my expections because the main goal will be to get your writing better and eventually advance both your reading and writing. Which is what I first thought this class would do!
2.I actually have thought of writing as a process before. It was never that simple to just write something down and hope it turns into what the professor is looking for. I was taught to write my ideas down and make sure to jot down everything that had to do with the topic. All the great writers and authors have gone through many drafts which is why it is important to have writing as a process.
3. Well Honestly, I do want it to be perfect from the start because I don’t like to waste time and I use to feel that writing drafts and not getting the main work done was a waste of time. However, now I understand that this is a process that will take mistakes and time so it could be done. I used to worry about it but now I don’t which is why I will be very open minded to this writing course. I only get anxious on having a “shitty first draft” is when my schedule is jam packed and I don’t have the time to have a draft at all. However, if I have enough time then I will gladly write a “shitty first draft”
1. The introduction does match my expectations for a first-year writing course because it emphasized how we will learn to enhance our analytical skills while doing the readings and applying what we observed or concluded into our future writing assignments. Also how writing first drafts will be beneficial because we can revise, receive peer feedback, and have a more cohesive outline for our final draft.
2. I do think of writing as a process because when I read the prompt, I jot down bullet points of how I want to format the essay and the evidence I would use to support the idea I want to convey. Then, I would write the hook and thesis separately before beginning to write a paragraph. I find viewing writing as a process makes it simpler for me to find what I want to say clearly.
3. I do find myself feeling anxious about the possibly of having a “shitty first draft” but, as mentioned above, thinking about writing as a process makes me feel more at ease when I breakdown the steps and write the more significant details first because it enables me to ensure that my essay is coherent. Likewise, having more practice from writing an ample amount of essays throughout high school makes me feel more confident in my writing abilities and more relaxed when writing any prompt.
For some of my essays I also format how I want to write my essay, and lay down where my evidence goes for the best organization.
1. The introductory section of the textbook that describes the first year writing course does meet my expectations. I always value having drafts done beforehand which leads to advancements in writing, which was stated in the introduction sections.
2. I have thought of writing as a process before. There is a lot that goes into writing, sometimes it flows smoothly or sometimes it doesn’t but either way it still needs refinement. It needs to be revised and reviewed to be able to flow. Through that your work grows and you learn more and more.
3. I do want my first piece of work, like an essay, to be the best piece of work. I tend to be a perfectionist at times and I would prefer to get it right on the first go. However I also like just listing my thoughts down at first at whichever order they come in and make that a draft at first. As much as I would like to make that perfect on the first go, I know theres always going to be a “shitty first draft” in which I take in the criticism and work on it. Theres always going to be anxiousness when it comes to that.
I definitely agree with perfectionism and having a sort of guideline of thoughts on the side too. Having to get used to doing messy first drafts will be a challenge.
1. Yes, it does describe a course that matches my expectations because it goes into detail about what works for us as students. Usually, some teachers make it seem like there is their way of learning but it describes how we can learn even from other students as well.
2. I have thought of writing as a process before since, in school or courses, we’ve been taught about the writing process and different ways to go about it.
3. Yes, I do get anxious about having it be perfect from the start even though we can make mistakes. I usually do not really do drafts I just go for it. “A shitty first draft” is something I definitely want to ease off my expectations.
Thanks, Dyhara! I’m glad you appreciate the acceptance of diverse methods that may work for each student in this course. This is one of the most important aspects of teaching for me. 🙂
1. Yes, I believe it did match my expectations and really went over what I would have wanted to know about the course. As we went over in the first module
2. Yes, I definitely look at it as a process. There is definitely a flow or a rhythm that I get into with writing and I think there are steps which I take in my process to make the best essay I can.
3. No I think whenever I begin writing or write a first draft I don’t really expect too much. I just try to get my ideas down and really start beginning a direction for what I want to write. I don’t focus too much on making it perfect or trying to get every point I want to get down. I think of the first draft as a basis for the rest of the essay and something I can build and develop upon later as I get more information or more ideas for what I actually want to do with it.
1. Yes, for this course I expected to approach writing from a more organized point of view. From my personal experience I would write one draft and try to fix what ever I can. And at that point my writing would become a mess. One of the courses organizing your ideas, is definitely something I needed to learn.
2. For most of the writing that I have done for high school was a one and done situation. I would rarely go back to review it. For important essays I would try to read it over and edit it. I have never really learned how to properly revise my writing. So now I do see writing definitely as a process now. It’s a process of constant fixes to perfect your writing. I also agree that first drafts are never the most pleasant to read. So a process is needed to fix it.
3. Like I said durning high school I never’d really cared much about fixing my first draft because honestly I was lazy. Even though I knew that there were a bunch of grammatical errors, I would hand it in and not think much of it. But I know my first draft were bad. The writings that I actually looked back to edit, I would find some of the evidence I used were out of context. And some of analysis I wrote didn’t come out the way I wanted. Therefore, deep inside I wish my first drafts were amazing but in reality they are awful.
I used to think the same way in high school. I never really wanted to put much effort in my writings so I never saw the process until recently.
The introduction actually does meet what I had expected going into this course. In fact, this is similar to what I had expected in my previous years in school. I always knew that courses like these will serve us in our outside life. I never really seen writing as a process until recently, when I started writing longer more intense assignments. I always look at each part individually and tried to use each part for what it was intended for. I always wanted for the project to look good in the start, but I now realize that having a good first impression is not what is important, because framework of a building never looks good, until the building is strong and finished is when it looks good.