Why did I choose my blog posts?
I chose the two blog posts for different reasons. Although each post is relatively informal, they both serve a different purpose.
The post about "The Forever War" offers insight into the book itself, and the reading process in general. My first impression about the author and the book is an essential part of discussing any work, whether it be a book, article, poem, etc. Just like meeting somebody for the first time, the author only has one first impression to rope the reader in. This is a necessary skill in order to maintain readers' interest no matter what the topic is.
I chose the post about my profile assignment because it is a necessary part of the writing process. When choosing a subject, a writer has to pick his or her own brain and plan on which is the best story to take on. Which story will peak the interest of the readers? This blog post shows the small steps that come before the finished product.
The post about "The Forever War" offers insight into the book itself, and the reading process in general. My first impression about the author and the book is an essential part of discussing any work, whether it be a book, article, poem, etc. Just like meeting somebody for the first time, the author only has one first impression to rope the reader in. This is a necessary skill in order to maintain readers' interest no matter what the topic is.
I chose the post about my profile assignment because it is a necessary part of the writing process. When choosing a subject, a writer has to pick his or her own brain and plan on which is the best story to take on. Which story will peak the interest of the readers? This blog post shows the small steps that come before the finished product.
Paper Revisions, why?
The response to this question can be a response to the previous as well. Starting with my profile piece, the revisions were drastic and it's a very different piece of journalism. Here is why: between a busy school schedule and an equally busy two job work schedule, I tried to communicate with my profile subject via e-mail. The emails we exchanged were, I thought, sufficient for the piece I was going to write. Wrong. My profile lacked detail and any sort of a time line.
I called Mr. Gallagher and set a time to meet. I sat in his apartment and asked questions while I listened to his story. I typed on my laptop non-stop for 2 hours. 11 full pages of Microsoft Word in 12 pt single spaced Times New Roman font was the product. I had the details and timeline I needed. Relating this to how my writing has improved is easy. My writing depends on preparation, no matter what the type of work I am doing. If i put the time in and plan accordingly, there are endless possibilities for how good my work can be. The profile I am turning in for this assignment will be revised and sent to The Easton Journal in the upcoming weeks for a potential publication.
My talk of the town piece just needed more input from the students. I asked random people what they thought of the tent city even and I plugged it into my paper. My first draft was more of a PR piece, promoting the event. I sounded like I was the head of the SJL or something, but in actuality, the talk of the town is supposed to get the opinion of 'the town' or in our case, the campus.
The improvements in both essays speak for themselves. My talk of the town is more well rounded with a better idea of what the student body thinks of tent city. My profile is much more detailed and structured. The profile piece especially, as I was revising and writing I started getting a little bit emotional. I didn't cry or anything but I sympathized with what he went through and it's really moving. I hope others can relate, too.
I called Mr. Gallagher and set a time to meet. I sat in his apartment and asked questions while I listened to his story. I typed on my laptop non-stop for 2 hours. 11 full pages of Microsoft Word in 12 pt single spaced Times New Roman font was the product. I had the details and timeline I needed. Relating this to how my writing has improved is easy. My writing depends on preparation, no matter what the type of work I am doing. If i put the time in and plan accordingly, there are endless possibilities for how good my work can be. The profile I am turning in for this assignment will be revised and sent to The Easton Journal in the upcoming weeks for a potential publication.
My talk of the town piece just needed more input from the students. I asked random people what they thought of the tent city even and I plugged it into my paper. My first draft was more of a PR piece, promoting the event. I sounded like I was the head of the SJL or something, but in actuality, the talk of the town is supposed to get the opinion of 'the town' or in our case, the campus.
The improvements in both essays speak for themselves. My talk of the town is more well rounded with a better idea of what the student body thinks of tent city. My profile is much more detailed and structured. The profile piece especially, as I was revising and writing I started getting a little bit emotional. I didn't cry or anything but I sympathized with what he went through and it's really moving. I hope others can relate, too.
Improvements as a reader? Writer?
I can honestly say I have improved as a writer. Anytime someone is encouraged to write an unfamiliar type of work, he or she is almost guaranteed to increase their knowledge or efficiency in that style. I appreciate the lessons we have sat through about the intricacies regarding different types of pieces we have worked on so far. I think the improvements lie in the simplicity of my writing. I have learned to be more direct when the type of the piece calls for it. There is an art to writing simplistically, I am learning to hone that skill in this class.
As a reader I have always considered myself able to find underlying meanings and read just like an English major should. The improvements I have found lie in recognizing the type of work I am reading and what would make it a good or a 'not-so-good' work.
As a reader I have always considered myself able to find underlying meanings and read just like an English major should. The improvements I have found lie in recognizing the type of work I am reading and what would make it a good or a 'not-so-good' work.