Looking back to freshman year, when I was required to write my first real paper, I have unquestionably grown as a writer.

I have gained a vast amount of important writing tools and techniques that have helped me to grow into the writer I am today. I feel like each time I write a paper, I improve in someway. I suppose this is because writing comes somewhat easy to me, and since I am continuously learning how to become a better writer, I naturally apply my knowledge to the next assignment. Throughout the years, I have always written in an authentic way. Writing is less of a pain and more of a simple task when I am able to express my genuine thoughts and feelings about a topic. However, I have learned that even though those thoughts and feelings may be valid to me, they mean nothing to the reader if what I am saying is not correct in regards to the information I am writing about. So what I am trying to preach is that writing has no value or importance if it lacks creditability and authenticity. Those two factors are crucial in order for writing to be good writing. In the past, I seldom got lucky enough to be able to write a decent paper without reading the book or researching the topic. When I was lucky enough to get a decent grade, and not a failing one, I did not get the sense of achievement that I get when I put actual effort into it. Even if the half-assed paper earned a higher grade than a research paper that I dedicated a month to, I was still be satisfied with the lower grade. This is because the paper that I actually dedicated time to has true meaning. I actually understood what I was writing. It was my own. What was being written was not generic, as it would be in a paper that lacked time and originality. The research paper I wrote was about Aldous Huxleys Brave New World and, to me, the best paper I have ever written. This is due to the fact that I actually read the entire book, meticulously planned out what and how I was going to write the paper, and used context and examples from the novel that were expressed in my own words. For example, in the research paper I wrote:

For the moment, drugs may help to relieve one from whatever it may be. So when drugs are present and an option in the environment, why wouldnt one chose a mean of coping that is quick, effective, and readily available? It has been shown in Brave New World to be effective since it has been claimed that Evils an unreality if you take a couple of grammes(Huxley 251). The World State citizens are under the mind state that this wonder drug is capable of eliminating all the negative things in life. By using text from the novel, in addition to my own knowledge, I was successfully able to make a valid point about the similar use of Soma and drugs in todays society. What I was writing was creditable because I was able to talk about a subject correctly and in my own words. I was able to display what I learned from reading Brave New World and apply it to the context of the paper. Creditability is crucial for good writing; without it, the writing is generic and lacks any true meaning or proof that the writer knows what they are talking about. Throughout my years of writing, reading, and learning, rhetoric has been writing technique that was continuously used and implemented. Ethos, or creditability, is one of Aristotles three appears, and is a critical factor to consider when writing. When writing, it is important to be able to prove yourself and your knowledge. If the information used in the writing lacks creditability, what more is it than pages of words that fall short from accurate? Good writers are able to state a point and then correctly back it up by using accurate information that is relevant and that makes sense. All writers are capable of stating a point, but only good writers are able to explain and provide evidence about what they are writing. Creditability helps to prove to the reader that the writer is not just talking about obvious point, but instead is knowledgeable about the topic in which they are talking about. When I was a sophomore, I was required to write a paper on the play Antigone. I can honestly say that I did not read, nor care to read the assigned reading. I

know that when it was time to write the paper I had no idea what I was being asked. It was not a difficult prompt if you knew what happened in the play. The paper I turned in clearly reflects the lack of knowledge: He shows that he is a stubborn and insensitive human being when he refuses to bury Polyneices. He thinks that he is the best of the best and that his voice is the only one that matters. When people are mean or too full of themselves, it often comes back on them in the future. Creon was left alone without anybody. The actions of humans reflect who they really are and can be determine their future path. This passage was the majority of my concluding paragraph of the paper. Not only does it sound like I only read the SparkNotes for the play, which I definitely did, it is also written poorly and is one of the most basic papers I have ever written. I lack creditability in my work, which resulted in a lack of authenticity. The passage I wrote was written in the most basic format and tone. It literally sounds like a computer created those sentences; they were choppy, easy, and obvious statements. Of course the work that I produced in tenth grade cannot be fairly compared to the work I do today, but it provides an accurate example of my growth in writing and the importance of creditability. Not only is creditability important, the style that a writer uses will impact the overall meaning and worth of a piece of writing. Writing and reading are two aspects in school that have never really felt forced upon me. Of course there have been books and papers that lacked my full effort, but the process of reading and writing was never a true hassle. As long as I have sufficient knowledge on a topic, writing comes to me with great ease to me. I believe that I am capable of producing pieces of good writing because I have the talent to write in an authentic and natural way. As long as I am knowledgeable about what the topic I am writing on, I can write freely with ease. This has

allowed me to create my own way of writing. Authenticity is another necessary factor for writing to be good. When writing is authentic, it is the writers own. They created it and made it unique. This allows for the writing to stand out from the subpar, generic writings that other authors have produced. I learned early on that if the work you produce is average, you are unable to be seen as anything out of the ordinary. I have read many books throughout my life. However, the ones that really stand out are the ones that are different and allow me to truly be engaged. Perks Of Being A Wallflower is one of my favorite books, ever. The way in which Chbosky writes is unique; he writes in letters that Charlie, the main character, had written. I could not put the book down because of its uniqueness and ability to grab and hold on to my attention. One letter from Charlie includes this segment: So, I looked up, and we were in this giant dome like a glass snowball, and Mark said that the amazing white stars were really only holes in the black glass of the dome, and when you went to heaven, the glass broke away, and there was nothing but a whole sheet of star white, which is brighter than anything but doesn't hurt your eyes. It was vast and open and thinly quiet, and I felt so small.

The only way I can describe the way I learned, and still learn, how to write and read would be unconsciously. I have learned more information than I could even imagine and have applied it to my work without even realizing it. What I have realized is that the freeness of my writing combined with my knowledge gives me the ability to be a good writer. If writing fails to be

authentic or creditable, I believe that it will in turn lack any meaning or purpose. The presence of authenticity and creditably determine the worth of writing and whether or not it is good writing.

Works Cited Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. New York: MTV/Gallery, 2012. Print. Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperPerennial, 1998. Print. Pistorius, Hannah. (2011). Creons Traits Which Lead to His Downfall. Unpublished manuscript. Upper Saint Clair High School. Pistorius, Hannah. (2013). Drugs in Society: Today and the World State. Unpublished manuscript. Upper Saint Clair High School.