Who I Am As a Writer
Throughout my life, and especially in high school, I heard both my parents and grandparents stress the importance of being a good writer. I recall them saying, “no matter what job you have, or what you do later in life, being able to write well is one of the best things you can know how to do.” As much as I had ingrained this in my head, I wasn’t sure if I was capable of it. I have always liked the idea of becoming a writer; I just didn’t think I was very good at writing. I managed to get through AP English Language and AP Literature, but I still doubted my writing abilities. Before coming to Wake Forest, I was extremely nervous that I lacked the writing skills vital to success at this highly rigorous institution.
During my first semester in college, I took WRI 111 with Professor Elizabeth Whitehead. This class challenged my understanding of what it means to be a writer. I realized that I didn’t have to be a natural-born writer to produce good writing. Professor Whitehead taught me about the writing process and helped me see my potential as a writer. For that, I am forever grateful. Our final assignment in this class was a reflection. While writing this paper, I discovered how much I had developed in just one semester. I imagined how much I could grow in four years. I became determined to overcome my self-doubt and improve my writing skills as much as possible. I figured the best way to get better at something is to practice, so I declared an interdisciplinary writing minor.
Now, as I reflect over the past four years, I recognize my growth as a writer has not only developed through my writing courses, but through every course I have taken at Wake Forest. I have taken classes in communication, psychology, sociology, women and gender studies, religion, English, chemistry, art history, and more. Each one of these classes required me to write for a different purpose and a different audience. Through this practice, I have discovered how and why I write. My examination of my writing development identifies how I have enhanced my writing skills, and what I have learned about writing and through writing.
This is what I know now:
Good writing takes time and effort. My writing process is not linear and requires multiple deadlines, a little bit of time pressure, and a lot of revision. I find getting started to be the most challenging part, but I have learned that I have to get words on paper. I am a true believer in Anne Lamott’s concept of “shitty first drafts,“ which states that “almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You just need to start somewhere.” My paper doesn’t have to look pretty right away; the good stuff can come later. Once I have the first draft I continue through a recursive process of deleting the bad and keeping the good.
I always make an assertive effort to have at least one, if not two, peer reviewers. In my WRI 111 course, Professor Whitehead introduced me to the concept of workshopping. Workshopping is an in-depth peer review process that requires students to read their work aloud and provide feedback to their partners. When I first learned I would be participating in workshops, I was extremely nervous. The idea of my classmates, whom I barely knew, critiquing my work terrified me. However, I quickly developed a tremendous appreciation for these workshops and the peer review process. By editing my classmates' work, I learned how to recognize effective writing strategies and techniques. I then thought about how I could use the same moves to strengthen my own work as well as identify similar weaknesses. This process helped me realize we all do things well, and we all have things we can improve on in our writing. There was no judgement from my peers or professor. I realized the purpose of our presence in that classroom was to help each other grow as writers.
For me, the true joy of writing is seeing the transformation of a shitty rough draft turning into a beautifully constructed, polished piece of writing. This transformation is what excites me and motivates me to write.
I am proud to say that I am a much more confident writer than I was four years ago. Sure, I still have self-doubt about my writing and get nervous when my peers read my work, but I also know that I am capable of producing good writing and have the skills and techniques to overcome writing challenges. Confidence plays a crucial role in my writing. When I am not confident in what I say or how I am saying it, my feelings of uncertainty or insecurity reflect in my words.
I have also developed an appreciation for writing about topics I am passionate about. When I truly care about my message, my passion shines through in what I put on paper. This is especially evident in my writing assignments for my travel writing course and magazine writing. In both of these classes, my writing shares the stories of interesting individuals and experiences I have had during my four years in college.
Even as a senior, I often hear my peers say “I am not a good writer.” Although I used to be someone who repeatedly said this statement, it now has a completely new meaning for me. In many ways, I think this talk is toxic. I do not believe that we should confine ourselves to identify either being a “good” writer or a “bad” writer. I learned this through the work of Joan Didion. In her essay, “Why I Write,” Didion describes that a writer does not mean a “good” writer or a “bad” writer but simply a writer, a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent rearranging words on pieces of paper.” By identifying ourselves as either a “good” writer or “bad” writer we box ourselves up and limit our possibilities for growth. We all write every single day. It may be for emails, academic papers, or scholarly journal articles, but in some way, shape, or form we are all writers, and we all have the potential to write well if we set our minds to it.
The reason I write is to understand myself, others, and the world around me. I share my inner thoughts, form opinions, and craft arguments. I shape meaning and carefully construct ideas and messages that I otherwise might not have communicated.
Through academic writing, I have enhanced my ability to identify and solve problems by gathering and researching information, evaluating evidence, discovering patterns, and creating logical reasoning. I ask myself questions such as 1. What information should be included? 2. What sources of information should I consult? 3. What is the best way to present information? 4. How should it be organized? And 5. What tone or style should I write?
The writing pieces that I have included in my portfolio are by no means perfect examples of writing, nor are they the assignments I got the best grades on. I specifically chose these writing examples because each one of them significantly impacted my development as a writer.
Writing is an integral part of my life and always will be. After I graduate, I hope to further develop as a writer by engaging in more professional and personal writing. I hope to stay curious and confident and continue to learn by and through writing. I used to think my writing was not worthy of an audience, but I know that is the case. I am proud of each one of these pieces and I hope as you explore my writing portfolio, you learn not only about me as a writer and individual, but also about topics that I am passionate about.