That’s What She Said

Megan Wolfe

Section 57

December 8, 2008

Reflection

Reflection

                I have to admit that I went into this course with a small sense of dread.  It had been years since I had written an essay, and I was worried what the outcome of my efforts would be.  But by the end of this class, I came away with several things.  I learned that I enjoy writing more than I thought.  I grew as a writer by learning to incorporate my personal experiences into my essays.  In doing this, it caused me to open up more, which I think is essential to becoming a good writer.

                One of the first things that I noticed when I started writing in this class was that it stimulated me.  Sometimes it was hard to get going on an essay, but once I got an idea of what I was writing about, I enjoyed the challenge of putting the words together just how I wanted them.  I especially enjoyed writing a conclusion that tied up and punctuated the point of my essay.  It really gave me a sense of accomplishment when I was finished, which I didn’t expect.  It was different to me than finishing an assignment like my math homework.  I had something personally invested in this.

                Once I started receiving feedback on my essays, the critique I heard the most was that I needed more supporting details.  At first, I thought this would be difficult, but I quickly learned that using personal examples helped my writing.  For example, I learned that using a personal story in my introduction can help to grab the readers’ attention.  In two out of my five essays, I used a personal story to open the essay, and each time I received positive feedback. 

                One of the things that I thought would be difficult about incorporating personal experiences into my writing was just the fact that it makes me vulnerable.  While this is true, exposing part of me did improve my writing.  If someone writes without opening up at all, a reader cannot be expected to relate.  Adding personal experiences to my writing gave me more material to work with, and honesty to what I was talking about. 

                In conclusion, I am leaving this class with much more than I came in with.  I entered this class with uncertainty and doubt.  I left with a genuine enjoyment for writing, with better skills as a writer, and with an acceptance of the vulnerability that comes with being a writer.