Reflection Questions

• What process did you go through to produce this piece? What does your process reveal about you as a writer/learner?

I went through multiple revisions and reedits on the essay. I feel like this is the most revised/edited essay I have produced. I feel it helped me develop as a writer to see my mistakes. It was also beneficial to get various others to edit the essay to point out all, if not most, of my flaws. We also went over numerous articles on how to improve our grammar and use proper punctuation.

• Have you done similar work in the past? What have you written in the past that helped inform your process for this piece?

I have not done an essay like this before. We were never as descriptive to the details of the essay. I feel as if this process breaks everything down into more simplistic steps rather than one big jump into the topic of discussion.

• In what ways have you improved your essay/writing? What is something you want to improve on?

I feel like I have improved on my descriptive writing. I feel I was able to improve it enough to notice it this work alone. I look to keep on improving that skillset. I would like to primary focus on my story telling. I want to be able to know what extra strings to pull to grab the reader’s attention. I believe some of that has been addressed with the attention to detail, but I feel there’s a “wow factor” I’m missing.

• What problems did you encounter while working on the piece?

Originally, my attention was to write the essay on an entirely different subject. So my original story didn’t come to mind like this one did. I also had trouble tying the symbol into my story. I think I was able to overcome that and make it work.

• What resources did you use that were helpful to you?

I think the most useful tool provided were the examples presented in class. I like the stories we read and reviewed in class. I found it beneficial to break down and understand the story in sections. I also like how we reviewed the guidelines of grammar and punctuation. Common grammatical errors are starting to grab my attention when going over revisions of my essay.

• How do you feel about the finished work? What parts do you particularly like/dislike? Why?

I feel proud of the finished work. I told a story about a wonderful person important to me in my life. I also was able to address what I believed were my weakest assets in writing. I liked setting the scene and describe events in detail. It helped me visually remember those events. I disliked incorporating the symbol into the story. I did find it very useful, however. I look to improve on my next writing.

• What would you like others to notice in particular when they read your work?

I would like the readers to think anytime they read my writing. I want them to see things the way I do and feel the ways as I do. I want my writing to last on people’s mind. If they take the time to read my work, they should come away from that my writing with something they can use in their own lives. I have come to realize writing is a great way of doing that.

• What did your classmates note in particular about your work?

They liked the metaphors and storytelling. They only recommended incorporating more dialogue into the text.

• What were your standards/goals for this piece? Did you meet your standards/goals? What’s one goal you can set for yourself next time?

My goal was to pull in the reader by vividly detailing the scenes of the story. I wanted the reader to be in my shoes. I feel based off the feedback, I have accomplished that

1. What did you learn about yourself as you worked on this essay? Did you do your work the way other people did theirs? In what ways do you think you did it differently? Similarly?

I learned I am a little more creative than I previously thought. I think my style was similar to a few. I feel mine was more focused on the details. I feel others were more generic on the description.

1. What might others learn from your writing/process/style?

I hope they learn to be creative and write how you remember the story. The details you remember make the stories yours.

1. What would you change if you had the chance to do it over again?

If I had a chance to do it again, I think I would throw in a more useful symbol into the story. I feel the one I used suffices, but could be better.

1. What is something you have seen in others’ writing that you would like to try to do in your own?

I know to know how to properly read and target and audience. I feel knowing your audience is half the battle. I want to be able to influence others the way previous writings influenced me.

1. What would you like to spend more time on in class? What things would you like more help on? What do you think would help you grow as a writer?

I think I’m having trouble distinguishing what to include and what not to include into my writings. How can I tell when my writings are off topic or how do I know they are useful small cues. I believe I overthink and could take out a useful detail because I overthought the idea and crashed it into the ground. I think overall, I would like to improve my story structure.