What is good writing? We started the term with this question about what
makes writing good. Now, you are tasked with further developing an
answer for this question. Your task here is to make an argument for what
constitutes good writing. You may use anything we learned in this class
as well as any outside information you choose. There is no length
requirement for this assignment. Deliver a compelling argument about
good writing.
*Caution: This assignment is NOT place for you to regurgitate
terminology we learned this term to fancifully show your ability to
retain vocabulary. Rather, this calls you to make a compelling argument
about what makes writing good.
What is good writing?
ReplyDeleteBefore taking this class, I had a pretty good grasp on what I had been taught good writing was. It was structured, had no errors, and was something everyone would be able to read. After experiencing this class, however, I have decided that good writing is simply conveying ideas in a manner that makes sense and keeps the reader’s attention. It is concise. It is not flowery. It tells the reader "what I will tell you" and then "what I have told you". Good writing has been revised, and consists of, purely, the information and knowledge needed to get the writer's point across. I still feel that having great sentence structure is the best technique for good writing. But, now I have also learned that it is important that every one of my paragraphs makes sense and relates to the reoccurring theme or idea of the essay. Without this, your paragraphs cannot be clear. Clarity, in your essay, is the most important element. If the reader is unclear or confused, then their attention is not on the points that you're making, but instead is waylaid while trying to figure out what you even said. I still feel that, when it is appropriate, the use of literary devices, such as similes and metaphors, is a great way of getting a point across through reliability. Good writing never just flows, or is perfect, right from the beginning. It takes revision and grooming to transform it into it's best. To produce good writing you must re-read and re-write many times before you get even close. Good writing is a paper that has been reviewed by many people, not just the author. Good writing takes into consideration the way the writer conveys their point. How the writer says things, and how the reader interprets them, are two different things. When rhetoric is used, good writing takes into consideration the effects the passage will have on the reader. In summary good writing is a structured, grammatically error free passage that is concise. The topic must carry through in each paragraph. The composition must be edited and scrutinized to ensure clarity. Finally, through the use of literary devices, the writer must connect with the reader to ensure that the paper is interpreted in the way it was intended. This will ensure that the reader has an interesting, enjoyable, and perhaps entertaining experience.
Good writing, in my opinion, is any piece of writing that allows you to feel a certain way and makes you think in a different view point. It is easier for anyone to write a story, or to write a decent piece, but making you feel a different way emotionally is what makes a writing good. When a writer is able to control the way you feel a certain way, or look at something from a different viewpoint, such as their own, is when they have truly accomplished "good" writing.
ReplyDeleteFor example, the blog Writability, which can be accessed at http://avajae.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-write-emotion-effectively.html, describes writing emotionally. In the blog post, she explains: "So, for example, you may have started with… I was terrified as I grabbed my phone.
Using the steps above, you could end up with something like...
My heart rammed against my ribcage. Ice breathed down the back of my neck as I snatched my phone. My fingers were shaking so badly that I hit the wrong number and had to start over..." Not only was she able to expand on an idea, the use of imagery and creative writing allows the reader to feel as if they are experiencing the same emotions she wrote.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of this course I had a faint idea of what good writing was. I originally thought that good writing was any writing that was entertaining and was supposed to grab the readers attention in the introductory paragraph. However my view on what good writing is changed dramatically during the course.
I came to realize that not all drafts are perfect, and that in most cases first drafts are just piles of garbage with some diamonds hidden inside of them. I found that me and my peers would write terrible first drafts in terms of concision and grammar, yet we all had amazing ideas inside of them (hence the diamond). I also came to realize that having to redraft wasn't a bad thing, and instead allowed for the writers to create a more solid product, especially after having had peer reviews.
This course also changed my view on what good writing is in terms of the topics we cover. I used to believe that I could support whatever I wanted if I had enough facts to back up my point, however I learned that if you can create opinions and support them instead of an over point you become a much stronger writer. One time during this course I was even able to slip into the sublime where my writing couldn't have been better. I was able to achieve this level of writing success from the amount of freedom I had available to write about whatever I wanted to. This led me to believe that everyone is a good writer if they are able to transcend writing for an assignment and instead be allowed to write freely from the standardized writing assignments.
What is good writing?
ReplyDeleteBefore I took this class I thought good writing directly dealt with how long your essay was and how detailed the content is. This class elped me learn that this in fact is not the case. Even with a shorter paper you can get the same amount of information as one that tends to run on and use "fluffy"enhancing words just to fill up space.
I've also learned that good writing is writing that draws the reader in but also gives them a chance to form an opinion on the matter at hand. I came into this class believing the cut copy jargon I learned in high school would lead me down the road to becoming a good writer. What I learned however was that if anything, writing should be structured in the way you want the reader to understand it,
Before taking this course writing in my opinion was used as a tool. A hammer that was used for building structures of paragraphs and pounding essays in 45 minutes for those wonderful standardized tests. To me that what writing was a dull blunt instrument.
ReplyDeleteThis course has brought me a new tool to work with. A Screw driver to finely tune out the errors and bringing out the true message of the writing. While working with this tool I uncovered what good writing is. Going over my handed back peer reviews I realized good writing is when it is revised several times. I just got in the habit of turning in the first draft when time was called, and that going back over seemed impractical. During these revisions writing becomes clear and concise, easier for the reader because after all words are meant to be read. Now I Revise and pull out the “good writing” from the fluff I regurgitate to get the appeal of length.
Throughout the course our major assignments had hardly any limitations. What did the good writers do, they had a compass, and they took you in a direction. Good writers have you share or understand their Opinion, by appealing to the reader’s emotion and/or logic.
As this course comes to a close, we pack up our tools and we go on to what lies next, but we dare not know what good writing is.
What is good writing?
ReplyDeleteWhen I first took this class, I thought good writing was supposed to be long meticulous structured essays that sounds professional and boring. But now I realize, that good writing isn't about how much you write, instead, it's about the content of your writing and what you feel like writing. The use of imagery is a great way to bring your paper to life, to paint a picture for your readers that they can actively have whatever you describe to them fresh in their minds. I also learned to write with in an open minded manner, so that my readers may change their point of view while reading.
Writing is supposed to be used to express yourself, and the more expression you put into your writing, the better it will be.
Looking back at my initial post on what I thought good writing was I noticed I focused mainly on what the speaker expressed. After a whole semester of discovering new ways to improve your writing and the different genres of writing there are, I came up with a new opinion on 'what is good writing?'
ReplyDeleteGood writing reaches the audience. It delivers a message in a way that the reader can understand and take something from it. Whether its an informational, persuasive of entertaining form of writing, the audience should be able to have a gist of the underlying theme.
Good writing doesn't have a standardized structure or word minimum. Whether you write a compelling 500 word or 1,000 word essay, the length does not signify the value. In addition, a good essay does not have to meet the "proper" 5 paragraph, introduction, body and conclusion settings. We learned that writings in different cultures are just as well written in ways that are different from what we are taught growing up.
Good writing is when you sit back, reflect on what you just read and say "Damn, that was some good a** writing!"
Looking back on what I posted in the beginning of this course, I realize how my perception of good writing has dramatically changed. I stated that I thought good writing was when "The author writes to describe something, while conveying other important details that you may need to know". While this may be a nice plus to a reader, it in no way, shape, or form outlines the true meaning of good writing. Now, I ask myself this question and have a hard time hearing one out of the many voices in my head shouting an answer at me! Simply put, good writing is when the author is able to grab your attention, and hold onto it until the very end. Having good structure and a sophisticated vocabulary can definitely add to the writer's credibility, as can many other things such as using metaphors and making the paper "flow". Good writing isn't a formatted five paragraph essay or a newsletter, it's something that comes from the heart, it's something that makes words jump off the page and into the reader's brain where it will remain forever, something to laugh at or cry to. Good writing is making a POINT, and sticking to it; Understanding how words can fit together like a puzzle if you do it right. Good writing is what you achieve after years and years… and years of practice. And while you're practice may not make perfect, good writing isn't impossible.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of this semester my opinion on good writing would have been something that meets the graders criteria, has few mistakes with high vocabulary, and could often be written in one sitting in a short period of time. As the course continued, I quickly realized that this was not the case. The perfect piece of writing cannot be created in just one simple draft. Some may even be thrown away entirely and re-drafted to ensure you have the best paper possible as a final product. Also being aware of who your audience is would be important in an essay, for example are you writing to someone who has no prior knowledge to your topic, or someone who is an expert. Being a human dictionary is not necessary, and big words will not guarantee that you get a higher grade. Making sense of the writing will always be the main goal in a piece. Meeting grader criteria is still important, but if one does this without generating interest in their reader then that is not good writing. Good writing can stay on topic with a nice flow that leaves their reader wanting more.
ReplyDeleteBefore I took this class, I was very insecure and self-conscious about my writing ability. To be honest I didn't know what good writing is myself because I had never produce any good writing on my own. However, throughout the 4 months your class, I had learned so much like never before. I learned rhetorical situation, writing through observation and most importantly my writing process. I was also advised to go online and watch some great video which I think it had improved some of my grammar and sentence fragments. I appreciate all your work and you helped me to grow as a writer and also a learner.
ReplyDeleteGood writing is the same as good teaching. It strives to explain, to make things clearer and more concise. Good writing also has a quality of credibility and descriptiveness in it. I like the fact that if a writing isn't descriptive it will not tell the whole story of an essay. Good writing also needs to be non-biased. A good essay needs to take positions from everybody and no matter what the opposite point is. Including every bit of information makes it more trustworthy and credible.
Good writing is extremely important to get a good understanding from the reader. Every bit of positive or negative feedback from the reader will be determined by the writer's ability to write.
In conclusion, Good writing is the result of hard work and determination. It encourages the writer to work hard to achieve this inevitable goal and: it means that the ability to write well is not a gift that some people are born with, not a privilege extended to only a few. If you're willing to work, you can improve your writing.
The first time we were asked this question, my answer had to do with writing in folds (Or writing having more then one meaning). I still stand behind that to some extent, although I would like to add that "good writing" is subjective to both the writer and the reader. For instance if the material was written to appeal to children in grade 5, and I (a college student) am reading it, I may not feel the writing is all that great (Although the writer may feel it is for the demographic). I guess the main point I am getting at is that good writing is only truly good when it is had in the correct context by the correct the audience. These are things that authors must take into account when writing (Its also something we talked about in class). Good writing does not have to have complex terms or ideas, it just needs to appropriate for its situation.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were first presented with this question I stated that good writing was simple writing. While I still stand by this claim, I have learned that in order for a piece of work to be considered good writing it must be well organized. The content is only as important as the way it is organized and presented. Without proper organization a reader can find himself or herself lost and confused.
ReplyDeleteNow that this year is coming to an end I find that I try and keep my papers simple and to the point, but now with much more attention to the way I shape my paper. I no longer write with no direction but instead try and think ahead and plan which paragraphs will be after which.
well, at the beginning of this class, I thought I had an excellent understanding of what good writing was. As I progressed in this class, my view became more and more skewed from what I initially thought. now, I am not really sure what makes a great writer. it Is more about what makes a paper great not what makes someone a great writer. I believe the power is in the words you chose and the topic you have. if I had to chose one thing from this class, I would probably say it was understanding advertising analysis blog and what I learned from that. it showed me that the power of what is written is in the audiences hands.
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