Blander Brioso

Dr. Taylor
ENC 1101
November 2, 2015
My Writing Process
Throughout the long never ending course of my education I have attended a number of
different schools, many of which are not found in this country and have therefore, different
regulations and expectations for and from the students. Due to the transitioning from school to
school allowed me to meet new teachers all of which had a little mind of their own therefore
causing me to encounter a number of writing styles and modus operandi or skills from my many
teachers. Moreover, in order to apt the prospects or expectations of each new teacher I found
myself obliged to adapt my writing style. Nevertheless, due to the numerous requirements I have
had to meet, my writing style can be said to be an assortment of the many methods I have learned
throughout the years.
I prefer beginning the process of writing by thinking about the topic. This may include
brainstorming and collecting data to expand my knowledge of the subject. Unlike most people
when brainstorm I dont get a paper and pencil to write down any ideas that might come to mind.
When I brainstorm I prefer researching a subject and then I start thinking about what I want to
say, and the tone I want to use to deliver that information. I then go into developing a more
concrete and thorough mass of ideas or points that I wish to cover. After gathering my thoughts, I
begin to think about the paper's format, what is it going to look like, what phrases if any I am
going to use, how am I going to explain abstract thoughts in a way that the audience could relate

to it, and lastly how am I going to go about smothering the paper and attract the audiences
attention.
Furthermore, I effort to comprehend my readers or audience and what I want them to
grasp from my paper, clues, passages and especially the message. Since most of my writing
process is mentally arranged sometimes depending on the meaning or purpose of the writing, I
mentally choose a layout that helps me best arrange my thoughts for my paper. Additionally,
after having organized all my thoughts and ideas, and developed a general understanding of the
paper as a whole, I compose a thesis statement, which acts as the head or topic sentence of the
paper, informing the reader of how one may construe the significance of the matter to be
discussed. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will
persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation. I then begin to construct a more organized
outline.
After prewriting, I normally take a break to clear my mind before beginning my first
draft. (Usually I go for a short walk or run to eliminate any clutter that might constrain my
concentration). After creating a peaceful environment, I begin writing my essay: no proofing, and
no grammar checks, just get the ideas on my computer or tablet. In the first sentence I often
attempt to hook my readers (capture the reader's attention). The last sentence of my introduction
is the thesis statement. My introduction is always a broad set-up for the body of the essay. Here, I
attempt to get the readers exited for the rest of my paper.
Once I'm done with my first draft, I ignore it for at least a half hour, sometimes more.
Then, I re-read it all and start making edits and grammatical corrections, go through and delete
anything that is irrelevant, then go through and re-write any sections that don't feel right which
by improving your paper gives chance to your second draft. Next, I rewrite out the entire piece

whilst using only the second draft as a guide, not a definitive copy (this usually helps me with
generation of new ideas for the final draft). When you go through this final time you'll shift
words around, you'll add new sentences, you'll replace sections again - because you're thinking
over it all for the third time. After this, I do a quick run through for spelling/grammar errors, and
bam! Final copy. Aforementioned, for more effectiveness I take a break between each step so that
I can view it with fresh eyes each time. This way seems to work best for me, for it empties every
single thought out and eliminates the poorly formed or poorly written ones.
In Lucille McCarthy's "A Stranger in Strange Lands", the author, McCarthy, followed
college student Dave Garrison around hoping to find out how writing is influenced by social
settings. She questioned if creating on paper in different classes was truly more difficult
because of a variety of teachers ways of writing or was it harder for some students because
they are in a change of atmosphere or are trying to create in a different form. One example
she gave that is well known is the fact that some people write well in one setting (e.g., at home
alone) and not very well in another (e.g., on a timed exam), or that some people write well in one
genre (e.g., poetry) but not very well in another genre (e.g., a literacy criticism essay). I prefer
to try to organize my thoughts in my bedroom. When I am in the privacy of my bedroom it
makes me feel like a prisoner coming out of his prison cell this meaning my freedom to express
myself on paper about anything and everything, my thoughts, things I have lived through, and
allows me to dream about tomorrow and what possibilities it may bring. It is my favorite place
where I feel content enough to be myself and to be able to convey my thoughts on paper.
Additionally, McCarthy continues to share about how it is necessary to attempt to conform to
new academic enviroments. As I mentioned in the previous pages my writing style is an

accumulation of the many different places and instructors I have experienced throughout the
years of my continuing education.
Another interesting fact, in her study McCarthy interviewed David, his three friends,
and three professors in this study and observed and analyzed classes, their interviews, and how
they write. She found that although the writing assignments in three classes she observed were
generally the same, David found them to be completely different and apart from anything he had
ever experienced before. Moreover, she believes that it is because of different social settings.
However, although I dont believe her experiment to be valid or very dependable because she
had a very small study group, it is contingent that writing has something to do with the social
settings.
As far as my writing experience goes, throughout the years I have picked up on several
elements that may affect a persons writing due to their social settings. Some people write better
when in an open environment, others prefer a more private environment, everybody has their
own way and process when it comes to creating their thoughts on paper. Personally I rather be
in a special place where I am at peace with myself, such as my room. Although I dont consider
myself a great writer I manage to write much better when in my room as compared to a
classroom atmosphere. I like to take my time when writing, which is why I probably dont do as
well on timed essays as I could. Therefore in order to improve her experiment I suggest
McCarthy study more students and observe a higher number of classes to attain a more
accurate outcome.
Similarly, Carol Berkenkotter performed a one of a kind trial on Donald M. Murray to
observe an accomplished academic writing process. Berkenkotter divided the test in three parts.
The first part took place in a realistic setting; where he lived or worked, basically his place of

comfort. While working all day, he recorded his thoughts onto a voice recorder. He then sent
Berkenkotter pictures of his notes and drafts from before the study began. For the next piece he
was given an audience, subject, and purpose to study how, and if, his writing processes would
differ. This time he was to record his thoughts, but only for an hour, comparing the difference
between writing in a protocol laboratory setting and writing in his own environment. The last
and final stage she observed him at his home for two days, writing an article for a professional
journal.
As we can tell from the reading, during the second step Murray was given a task he was
not ready for and not used to. He had to create an article for the magazine Jack and Jill
breaking down the concept of death to a much younger audience. The audience of this magazine
would be ten to twelve year old children, and he was given an hour to complete this task.
Apparently Murray experienced many obstacles trying to focus on his audience as well as the
topic. These variables hindered him from writing as well as he usually did. The situation
obstructed him from continuing his creativity, however more is to be observed such as the
social settings that McCarthy mentioned before, the environment in which he was in when
given the assignment. These obstacles could affect important things of great value like
contributing his full attention and centering on the thoughts of a ten to twelve year old child
when trying to create his thoughts on paper.
Berkenkotter observed Murray reconceiving meaning scanning and rescanning ones
text from the perspective of an external reader and to continue re-drafting until all rhetorical,
formal, and stylistic concerns have been resolved, or until the writer decides to let go of the text.
Murray had found that by continually doing this during his writing procedure. Through this
way of repeating over and over Murray discovered much of his success.

She ended her study feeling that the enviroment a writer is thrust into will determine
the level of the writers performance. If writers finds themselves at ease in a normal
atmosphere, they will tend to do well and create openly and stress free. However, if they are
placed in an rigid type enviroment they will probably have a tough time and could experience
writers block . She also accumulated much information about decision making and changes
involved with planning. Planning is such a repetitive procedure and can change according to
the styles of the writer. Throughout the years of high school, we were urged to write more
and think less. We were encouraged to write at a faster speed in order to improve our writing.
There were times where we had to create readable material in little time, for example, an essay
for a test. This article demonstrates that in order to improve your writing skills, you will need
more time, and when you are expected to write something is a short amount of time, it will not
show your true talent, one is cheated the opportunity to perform at their best. Reason being
because of the urgency pushed on you. I never agreed with the concept of timed essays. I had
to write in order to achieve good grades but I never comprehended the reason for timed essays.
When required to write something in a short amount of time, I dont believe one can be
expected to create an exceptional, perfect composition. Rewriting is an important step for a
flawless essay, and the same as any preparation, it demands appropriate time.
I can agree with Berkenkotters study on writing, by reviewing Murrays reflection
after he participated as one of the main focus of the study. Although each writer is different
with individual thoughts and styles, I found the article very useful and it truly assisted me in
understanding the unique methods of a variety of writers. And Berkenkotter was correct when
she said that the setting in which a writer works dictates how the writer will perform. All
writers have different ways of organizing their thoughts on paper, dictating information

absorbed and hoping to find that information pulled together with perfection, when time is
an issue preventing the possibility of such an exceptional outcome.
I think of myself as an incubator in which my mind holds ideas waiting to be
released. Writing takes a lot of mind organizing, and it is a timely process before you can
gather all your ideas and thoughts that are running wildly in your mind and place them on
paper in an orderly fashion. My mind acting as an incubator begins to happen like magic. At
first there is nothing on the subject in my head and then the ideas begin to grow when
changing classes, or perhaps when trading thoughts with a classmate about the topic, or all
kinds of different thoughts of my own. It begins as a mild thought in the back of my mind
and continues to process into more and more. Moreover, even though my mind is not
completely focused on that subject matter of discussion, somehow I manage to continue thinking
about the topic until I explode into writing the complete essay or piece in my head and then I
put it on paper or submit it to my computer.
In my writings earlier, I stated writers block, which is very common in many writers
across the globe. Nevertheless, there are some who never have this problem; they make a
mistake and continue exactly where they stopped and keep going without a problem. Moreover,
some say it is how every student follows their own individual writing rules and I agree. Mike
Rose better explains the concept in her study Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of
Language. In general, her article describes what causes students with writers block to be
paralyzed and not be able to continue writing with a flow. Throughout the course of the study
Rose compares students that appear to write with ease and students that tend to find it difficult
to not uphold the rules of writing. Over and over again writers block was the fact making
introduction paragraph. I strongly believe that writing has to have clarity. Although not a

necessity it will give the readers a more interesting perspective, I feel it most important to
engage the reader, which flows by the knowledge of your audience. Writers not bothered by
writers block are not bothered by this rule and writing appears to come natural to them
due to their trial and error discovery. These writers can easily fit a rule into their plan they
have for their paper. People with writers block, known as algorithmic writers, feel intimidated
when not obeying rules. This thought of not following the instructions scare and threaten
these type of writers.
Rose made these examinations by interviewing with the students and by evaluating the
writers ability to write, produce, plan, and revise a paper. He found that the five of whom
suffered from writers block wrote according to "writing strategies that impeded rather than
enhanced the composing process ... and that the other five "utilized rules, but they were less
rigid ones, and thus more appropriate to a complex process like writing"
Here, Rose not only makes a good point about these types of writers, but also he makes
it a point to discuss that the writers who suffer from the block aren't necessarily bad students but
rather delayed because of the fact that they follow guidelines. Now, not necessarily do these
guidelines have to be bad. Mike Rose does not have anything against the rules, however he does
elucidate that these guidelines are the top cause for a writer's block. He goes on to say that
instead of allowing the student to use his/her imagination and really "free write," they are
automatically told what to do and what not do by means of these guidelines. I strongly agree with
Roses assertions for the cause of writers block. I believe guidelines to deprive a person from his
or her creative freedom. In this process they freeze up because they are having trouble fitting
these rules and guidelines to what they already have planned in their minds. The fact that they

are instructed to do so, impedes their abilities when they are actually asked to write something
outside of what these rules and guidelines require.
As a final point, Rose details that those students who did not suffer from writers block
were more open minded. In the study, for the group of students who excel at writing, their rules
are much simpler and less harsh as compared to those of the other group. This is perhaps because
they do not just focus on these rules. They use them more as a guideline or some sort of an
outline to help through the process of writing, the rules are in fact the same, however the
approach is quite different. Although I do NOT necessarily like rules, I find myself in no trouble
in trying to follow them. I personally use rules and procedures as a helper hand since I fall
directly under this stereotype. For the reason that I know I have guidelines to follow however I
having my own style I tend to use them only as a reference to keep on track, therefore making a
combination of the two.