Misty+Rickerds+First+Essay

Intro to college Writing Misty Rickerd “Are you a writer?” “No…” “Well good luck with that.” When you think of writing, what do you think? There are many types of writing, Essays, News Articles, Novels, Short stories, and the list can go on. And behind the writing there is always a writer. Not all writers are the same, and they don’t write the same way. Each writer has their own unique way of writing. No writer starts out as a writer, they work at becoming one. They go through school and learn how to become better writers, and during that time they learn their style, when, and how the write best. Well that is what I’m doing now, learning to become a better writer. How and what I like to write, these are the things that I will learn during this time. And so it begins.

When someone asks you “How do you see yourself as a writer?” do you think “A writer? Me? No way.” or “I see myself becoming a top selling author.” For me I don’t see myself as a writer at all, but at the same time I don’t hate to write. The reason I don’t see myself as a writers because I don’t have a passion for writing. To be generally good at something you have to have a passion for it, and writing is the same way. I have a passion for music, not writing. When I’m playing my flute I feel complete joy, or when I’m listening to someone else play a piece I tend to get the chills. My favorite instrument to listen to would have to be the Flute and Piano. They both have a beautiful sound that just makes my heart melt. I could listen to music for hours, but if I tried to write for hours I would fall asleep after an hour.

Now everyone has a process they use when they write. Some people just sit down and write and don’t stop until they are finished. For me it might take a while, as I said before I don’t have a passion for writing. The first thing I do is get the things I need, such as a pen or pencil and paper, then I find somewhere to relax. If I’m about to sit for a long period of time, it’s going to be somewhere comfortable. I then think about what I’m writing about, and make an outline. I won’t follow this outline exactly but it gives me something to follow. When I’m done with that I start on my first draft. I follow my outline so as not to go off topic, and end up adding to what I have already written. When I’m done with my first draft I read over it and fix what needs to be fixed, and rewrite it. After I’ve rewritten that, I have someone else read over it and show me what else I could improve. When all that’s finished I write my finale.

Now when people ask “How much do you write?” you don’t think you write at all until you really start to think about it. The first thing you think of is pen on paper writing, when in reality you write all the time. When I really sat down and thought about how much I really write I was quite surprised with what I discovered. On a normal day I text at least one or two people, I don’t think of it as writing but that is exactly what I’m doing. Then when I’m online I visit websites such as Facebook, Myyearbook, and Yahoo mail. On Facebook and Myyearbook I can stay in touch with old friends and family. Then I can put up statues on what I’m doing, or even something random. On Yahoo mail I stay in touch with my professors, and even family members with emails. Now being in school I must respect my professors by not talking while they are talking. That’s when you write what you wish you could say and send it to the friend next to you. By doing this I can feel accomplished knowing I can learn and still keep in touch with friends. Then when I’m at home and I need to tell a family member something but they are not there, I write down what I need to tell them and leave it somewhere they will most likely see it, and leave. They will see it sooner or later. On top of all those notes I take notes for my classes. I write about the lesson or what homework is due, and not all notes must be written in words. I know this because I take notes in my College Algebra class. And most importantly I take notes and write Essays for my College Writing class.

Now I may write all of these things but some people don’t have college Algebra or College Writing classes, but they might have a Biology reports to write whereas I don’t. Then some people most are of older age, may not have a Facebook, let alone know how to work a computer. I’m not someone who can sit down and write a book so I don’t try. I don’t even have the endurance to write a short story! But not only authors of novels or short stories have an audience. There are people in the world who write newspaper articles. Someone had to write them because it certainly wasn’t me. There are even people out there who make shopping lists so they don’t forget something when their out shopping. I’m not in that group either, that’s why it takes me multiple trips to the store to get all the things I need. Now writing is everywhere we just don’t recognize it as writing.

Now everyone has their own way of preparing to write. Like in the book __Writing About Writing__ in Anne Lamott’s “Shitty First Drafts” she says she knows a writer who sits down every morning and tells himself “It’s not like you don’t have a choice, because you do- you can either type or kill yourself.” Personally I don’t need that kind of personal encouragement, but that’s just me. When I’m ready to write I just sit down and put my mind to the task. So all I really need to do is find a place with little noise but not enough to distract me, and write.

While I don't need anything special to get me ready to write, others may have a routine to follow so they can write their best. While others are running to clear their minds, I’m sleeping. Or while some are buying a black coffee form Starbucks I’m putting money in the bank. Then there are those writers who tell themselves write or kill themself I’m enjoying my life alive. I may not have a routine to follow to write better, it has its advantages.

When you’re writing it’s hard to know what you like to write about, especially if you don’t like to write at all. I personally like to write about topics that interest me. It doesn’t matter the topic just as long as it captures my interest. I also like to write about things I strongly believe in. If I have to write on a topic I strongly believe in, you can believe ill have something to say about it. I feel the same way with topics I strongly disagree with. If I strongly agree or disagree on a certain topic you can believe you will know why I believe the way I do when you get done reading what I have to say. The reason I like to write on the topics is because most people don’t care what others have to say. When I’m writing what I think I don’t have someone telling me to be quiet, and that they don’t want to hear what I have to say. People don’t have to read what I’ve written; they can just put the essay down and walk away. If they don’t want to know what I have to say they don’t have to read it. When you say something your words could go into empty air and land on deaf ears that don’t listen or care, but when your thoughts are written someone could read them and something you have written will stick with them, no matter what it is.

Now everyone has topics they like to write, and with those topics are the topics people don’t like to write about. For me it’s topics that bore me, the topics I don’t find interesting. If I become bored with a topic, it’s not going to be something I want to write about. If it doesn’t interest me I find no point in writing on that topic. Such as a Science recording on a new discovery, or about a new fish found at the bottom of the ocean and no one knows what it is or where it came from. It’s just not something I’m interested in. Along with topics that bore me I dread writing on something I don’t care about. If I’m writing an essay I don’t really care about the essay will most likely not be written fluently or even be interesting. When someone is writing a paper or essay or any topic at all, they should care about what they’re writing. Some writers care so much about writing they compare it to art. In __Writing About Writing__ Lavra Chester says “I type draft after draft obsessively until the first soft clay shapes itself into the poem it has to become.” Even Arnold Adoff says “over and over like….a piece of clay.” Why should I write a paper on something someone else would enjoy so much more that they feel like an artist?

Now with all that you haven’t really come down to how I write. What part of a paper is hardest or easiest to write? For most it may be the beginning, but for me it’s the conclusion. Like most people I find the body the easiest to write. The beginning is hard but it’s easier when I have an outline to follow. The beginning is just a matter of how you will make it to the body. Not how you will start a life’s story, not knowing where to begin because there are so many places to start. The beginning is just the beginning for me. The middle is the easiest because I’ve already made a path now I just have to follow it, that’s when the outline comes in handy, but even with the outline the ending is the hardest for me. The reason is I don’t know when or how to stop. After I’ve just given so much information and written so much, I have to close. For me that’s the hardest part.

With all this information, from how I see myself as a writer to what part of an essay is the easiest, you and I know more about me as a writer. Not only did you learn my type and style of writing, but I have al well. I never really thought about how much I write in a day or even what I like or dislike writing about. People including myself, take the fact that they can read and write for granted, and by doing this essay I have learned not to. I wouldn’t be able to read the text messages I get from my friends and family, or read or put up statuses on Facebook or Myyearbook. Reading and writing are a part of my everyday life and I don’t want to take it for granted. I now know better than I did before I wrote this that not only do I not wish to become a writer, but how much I really write in a day.