Zackery Barker English 1010 05/03/2013 Concluding Self Reflection

Becoming Me
Am I a good writer? This is the question I commonly ask myself. How do I know if I'm a good writer? This is the question that usually follows. My answer: I am getting better. How do I know I am getting better? What makes me better? The easiest way to see I am becoming a better writer is to look at my writing process and my works and to see that I care that much more now than before. My works show that I have progressed and become a better writer. Now this does not mean I am a great writer, although I am better than before. During my English 1010 class at SLCC I learned much about writing and the importance of the writing process. One of the first pieces I wrote for this class was an essay on the issues that I saw around me locally. I started this work, with no outline nor brainstorm, not even a free write. I started with a rough draft. I based this work off of the simple idea that I hate the public transportation system here in Utah. I knew nothing of the system or why I hated it. I wrote my rough draft and missed the class period during which we did a peer review. The only part of the writing process I preformed was a proofread from my mother. So I went straight from a rough draft to final draft with only one proofread. I can say, this is not my best work. I received a twenty-five out of fifty on the assignment. I can agree with this grade seeing as I put no time or effort into it. I simply wrote because it was required of me. The next piece I wrote was a Strong Response Essay to David Crystal's, 2b or not 2b. I can honestly say that I actually put some time and effort in to this paper. I read Crystal's work and highlighted and critiqued. I wrote down my feelings and responses. I brainstormed pros and cons to my responses. I responded to my responses. I wrote an outline, with main points and put down citations. I found key points and marked them

down. I wasn't as passionate for this work as I was for the other, even still I put much more effort and time into this piece. Once I had my outline finished I began a rough draft, which my mother was the first to proofread. She looked for grammatical errors and spelling. I asked several questions in order to see how she felt after reading it. I got the response that I wanted. Proud of my work I brought it to class the next day so that my peers could read over it. There also I received the response I wanted from my readers. With few marks on my papers, I read over the suggestions and errors I quickly fixed those and then I read through it, at least 3 times. I continued to find more and more things that I wanted to change and fix. This is the point at which I realized a piece is never finished or perfected. I knew I would have to turn it in how it was. I fixed minor errors and was quite pleased with my work. I received 90 out of 100 on this assignment. I was quite pleased. The reason I missed the 10 points was because I did not meet the proper word count requirements which is understandable. I recognized the difference between my two works. My second piece I truly used the writing process in order to develop a well written paper. Our next assignments went hand in hand. We were to write petitions or waiver requests to the school board in order to waive a class we did not feel was important or necessary. I was a little more enthusiastic for this assignment because I was able to come up with my own ideas and express my thoughts. I struggled on the assignment before because it was on a subject I was less interested in. While as for this one, I could think of countless topics and reasoning for each one. I decided to choose a topic that I was sincerely concerned about and interested in. So before even starting my writing process this time, I took the time to find a topic I really cared about and one that I felt most sincerely about. I chose to write about waiving the Physical Education course that is required for general studies. I took time to research, and wade in the problem. I looked at the reasons they would keep it, I looked at every angle of the problem. This was a good

choice for me. I enjoyed writing; I enjoyed researching and looking deeper and deeper as to how I could express my feelings through words. I wanted this paper to be real. I made an outline. I did a free write, I developed it even more. Then I made my rough draft, I used my main points from my outline and took several ideas and sentences that I came up with from the free write and put it into my rough draft. I proofread my work several times, changed quite a bit of things. Then I went to class and presented my peer review, I received some good feedback. I was able to spot some mechanical errors thanks to my fellow students and also was able to receive a couple of good suggestions. One thing I wished I would have done was to ask Steve my professor what his thoughts were if he had any. I valued his input, but I was caught up in time and didn't seize the opportunity. Once again I fixed my grammatical and punctuation errors and proofread my paper several times, fixing minor details each time. The final draft turned out quite well and I was happy with the final piece. Responding back to my petition was quite easy because I had already evaluated what they might have said to my petition. So I took my ideas and wrote them down. Followed the writing process once again and came out with a good petition response to my original petition. My writing has not only improved, but I enjoy writing much more. This is a thought I would have never imagined possible. I used to hate writing in any form. So I would say that I truly have found me and who I am as a writer during this English 1010 class. I still wouldn't say writing is my favorite thing, but I do enjoy seeing a final piece finished, or not finished but developed. Working through the writing process and learning all the different forms of writing from arguments, to comparisons and essays. I enjoy writing much more. I can tell that my writing has bettered simply from the fact that I put more effort into it and write more sincerely. I no longer write because I have to, I write developed works. I have progressed in my writing and I still have a ways to go.