Frasher 1

Lexi Frasher

Miss Cook

Composition-01

18 August 2017

Searching for Creativity

Over the past seventeen years I have come to realize that as much as I wish it

was, creativity is just not in my realm. Trying to write an essay? It is more like me ripping

out my hair because of the frustration it causes me. For me to write an essay, I have to

take a long journey throughout every corner of my mind. I walk around there for hours

searching for something that I dont think I will ever find, which is an idea. Writing for me

starts once I find a tiny idea in a pit in my mind and I hopelessly tweak it and try to

expand on it to make it something worth reading.

First of all, whats a well thought out outline? Personally, I wouldnt know.

Whenever I am writing I like to look at the prompt, write down my answers to every

single question and then go from there. Since Im not a super creative person I must use

factual information to improve my essays, I like to give facts because you cannot be

wrong with those. Personally, I dont like to do detailed outlines because I feel like you

are just writing your entire essay twice if you do a detailed outline and then your essay. I

would much rather just jump in and begin my essay after answering the basic questions

in the prompt. Most of the time, the introduction paragraph is as difficult for me to write

as it is to tame a lion. Writing is an art and I am not quite an artist. Trying to get my hook

down is harder than an artist trying to draw the best jawline he possibly can. It feels

impossible, it practically is for me. Im not witty or clever so sometimes I will spend hours

trying to come up with the proper hook or I will just skip it entirely and come back to it

once I finish the entire essay. The introduction paragraph even causes me to

procrastinate or give up because I get discouraged trying to be clever. Even after I get
 Frasher 2

my hook down I still struggle to come up with an entire paragraph because I dont know

how to summarize an entire essay in the tiny cubicle of a large office that is an essay.

Next, lets just pretend an angel somehow manages to help me come up with an

introductory paragraph, I will then begin on my body paragraphs. Before beginning on

these paragraphs I will try to gather information from the internet, books, and even

people. I usually have an idea what I will be writing about from the questions I am being

asked to answer in the prompt, but additional research will just help me find more

information on the topic I am being asked to write about. The body paragraphs are

easier to me, almost like how drawing smiley faces are much easier for the artist to draw

than it is for the him to draw the perfect jawline.

Lastly, the body paragraphs go by quick like time does as you get older.

As I go I am constantly rereading my sentences over, and over, and over, and over

again until it sounds perfect. Being a perfectionist isnt easy, you want every sentence to

be constructed so well that the reader thinks a great novelist wrote it even though you

are just a lowly comp student. In each paragraph I try to answer a specific set of

questions from the prompt so by the time I finish the body paragraphs all the required

content will be included. I absolutely despise writing an introduction paragraph but I

really dont hate the body paragraphs. Once I finish the body paragraphs, all I have left

to do is write the conclusion paragraph and create a title. The conclusion paragraph is as

easy as tying your shoe; all you are doing is wrapping up what you talked about in your

entire essay. Now for the hardest part, coming up with a title. I like to wait until the end to

come up with a title most of the time because then you can create one from what you

talked about most in your paper.

In conclusion, writing is a lot tougher when you're not the most creative

person. I never start out strong, simply because I struggle so hard with the first

paragraph and the title, it makes it hard to even start. Once I get to the body paragraphs
 Frasher 3

it gets to be a little more manageable and I can start to see the light at the end of the

tunnel. But, there is nothing better than the wave of relief you get once you finally get to

that conclusion paragraph and just zoom right through it. In my opinion, the best part

about writing is when you are finished with it.

Rubric rating submitted on: 8/31/2017, 8:41:17 AM by danielle.cook@redstreaks.org

5 4 3 2 1 0

Depth of 5 = Fully 4= 3= 2= 1= 0 = No
Reflection and Demonstrat Attempted to Attempted to Attempted to attempt
Your score: creatively ed demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate made
5 demonstrate Introduction ; a couple ; a few ; several Response
d W.2.a errors exist errors exist errors exist demonstrate
Response Response Response Response Response s an in-
demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate depth
s an in- s an in- s an in- s an in- s an in- reflection
depth depth depth depth depth on, and
reflection reflection reflection reflection reflection personalizati
on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on of, the
personalizati personalizati personalizati personalizati personalizati writing
on of, the on of, the on of, the on of, the on of, the process.
writing writing writing writing writing Viewpoints
process. process. process. process. process. and
Viewpoints Viewpoints Viewpoints Viewpoints Viewpoints interpretatio
and and and and and ns are
interpretatio interpretatio interpretatio interpretatio interpretatio insightful
ns are ns are ns are ns are ns are and well
insightful insightful insightful insightful insightful supported.
and well and well and well and well and well Clear,
supported. supported. supported. supported. supported. detailed
Clear, Clear, Clear, Clear, Clear, examples
detailed detailed detailed detailed detailed are
examples examples examples examples examples provided, as
are are are are are applicable.
provided, as provided, as provided, as provided, as provided, as
applicable.. applicable. applicable. applicable. applicable.

Required 5 = Fully 4= 3= 2= 1= 0 = No
Components and Demonstrat Attempted to Attempted to Attempted to attempt
Your score: creatively ed demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate made
5 demonstrate Response ; a couple ; a few ; several Response
d includes all errors exist errors exist errors exist includes all
Response components Response Response Response components
includes all and meets includes all includes all includes all and meets
 Frasher 4

components or exceeds components components components or exceeds

and meets all and meets and meets and meets all
or exceeds requirement or exceeds or exceeds or exceeds requirement
all s indicated all all all s indicated
requirement in the requirement requirement requirement in the
s indicated instructions. s indicated s indicated s indicated instructions.
in the Each in the in the in the Each
instructions. question or instructions. instructions. instructions. question or
Each part of the Each Each Each part of the
question or assignment question or question or question or assignment
part of the is addressed part of the part of the part of the is addressed
assignment thoroughly. assignment assignment assignment thoroughly.
is addressed is addressed is addressed is addressed
thoroughly. thoroughly. thoroughly. thoroughly.

Structure 5 = Fully 4= 3= 2= 1= 0 = No
Your score: and Demonstrat Attempted to Attempted to Attempted to attempt
5 creatively ed demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate made
demonstrate Writing is ; a couple ; a few ; several Writing is
d clear, errors exist errors exist errors exist clear,
Writing is concise, and Writing is Writing is Writing is concise, and
clear, well clear, clear, clear, well
concise, and organized concise, and concise, and concise, and organized
well with well well well with
organized excellent organized organized organized excellent
with sentence/pa with with with sentence/pa
excellent ragraph excellent excellent excellent ragraph
sentence/pa construction. sentence/pa sentence/pa sentence/pa construction.
ragraph Thoughts ragraph ragraph ragraph Thoughts
construction. are construction. construction. construction. are
Thoughts expressed in Thoughts Thoughts Thoughts expressed in
are a coherent are are are a coherent
expressed in and logical expressed in expressed in expressed in and logical
a coherent manner. a coherent a coherent a coherent manner.
and logical Engaging and logical and logical and logical Engaging
manner. introduction manner. manner. manner. introduction
Engaging with a main Engaging Engaging Engaging with a main
introduction reflective introduction introduction introduction reflective
with a main point with a main with a main with a main point
reflective supported reflective reflective reflective supported
point with clear, point point point with clear,
supported descriptive supported supported supported descriptive
with clear, body with clear, with clear, with clear, body
descriptive paragraphs. descriptive descriptive descriptive paragraphs.
body body body body
paragraphs. paragraphs. paragraphs. paragraphs.
 Frasher 5

Evidence & 5 = Fully 4= 3= 2= 1= 0 = No

Practice and Demonstrat Attempted to Attempted to Attempted to attempt
Your score: creatively ed demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate made
5 demonstrate Response ; a couple ; a few ; several Response
d shows errors exist errors exist errors exist shows
Response strong Response Response Response strong
shows evidence of shows shows shows evidence of
strong synthesis of strong strong strong synthesis of
evidence of ideas evidence of evidence of evidence of ideas
synthesis of presented synthesis of synthesis of synthesis of presented
ideas and insights ideas ideas ideas and insights
presented gained presented presented presented gained
and insights throughout and insights and insights and insights throughout
gained the writing gained gained gained the writing
throughout experience. throughout throughout throughout experience.
the writing The the writing the writing the writing The
experience. implications experience. experience. experience. implications
The of these The The The of these
implications insights for implications implications implications insights for
of these the of these of these of these the
insights for respondent' insights for insights for insights for respondent'
the s overall the the the s overall
respondent' writing respondent' respondent' respondent' writing
s overall practice are s overall s overall s overall practice are
writing thoroughly writing writing writing thoroughly
practice are detailed, as practice are practice are practice are detailed, as
thoroughly applicable. thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly applicable.
detailed, as detailed, as detailed, as detailed, as
applicable. applicable. applicable. applicable.

Mechanics, 5 = Fully 4= 3= 2= 1= 0 = No
Usage & and Demonstrat Attempted to Attempted to Attempted to attempt
Style creatively ed demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate made
W.2.c,d & L. demonstrate -Sentence ; a couple ; a few ; several Mechanics,
1&2 d variety and errors exist errors exist errors exist Usage &
Your score: -Sentence word choice Mechanics, Mechanics, Mechanics, Style
5 variety and is effective Usage & Usage & Usage & W.2.c,d & L.
word choice and Style Style Style 1&2
is effective sophisticate W.2.c,d & L. W.2.c,d & L. W.2.c,d & L. -Sentence
and d. 1&2 1&2 1&2 variety and
sophisticate -Writing is -Sentence -Sentence -Sentence word choice
d. clear, variety and variety and variety and is effective
-Writing is concise, and word choice word choice word choice and
clear, strong. is effective is effective is effective sophisticate
concise, and -Sentences and and and d.
strong. demonstrate sophisticate sophisticate sophisticate -Writing is
-Sentences correct d. d. d. clear,
 Frasher 6

demonstrate usage, -Writing is -Writing is -Writing is concise, and

correct punctuation, clear, clear, clear, strong.
usage, capitalizatio concise, and concise, and concise, and -Sentences
punctuation, n, and strong. strong. strong. demonstrate
capitalizatio spelling. -Sentences -Sentences -Sentences correct
n, and demonstrate demonstrate demonstrate usage,
spelling. correct correct correct punctuation,
usage, usage, usage, capitalizatio
punctuation, punctuation, punctuation, n, and
capitalizatio capitalizatio capitalizatio spelling.
n, and n, and n, and
spelling. spelling. spelling.

Comments:
Total: 25/25 100% A

I really enjoyed reading your reflection. There's definitely some creativity present, so don't
discount your abilities too much!