Trial and Error

I don’t think I was ever formally taught how to write until college. Writing began as “See Jane run.” From there, I learned to read which is where I think I learned to write. Sentences seemed to ‘look right’ or ‘make sense’ based upon prior knowledge. But I wasn’t really taught. I began doing academic essays probably in high school. I guess they explained what a thesis was, sort of, and I just wrote what sounded most intelligent. If the paper came back with negative comment, I would change that the next time around and keep the rest. Then in college, I finally learned the true structure of an essay. The funny thing is, I knew most of it, I just didn’t know that I knew it.
The thing I do remember about learning academic writing was the repetition. In high school, I had been able to get away with flowery words and sentences because I still proved my point. Once I got to college, I got in trouble for that! College was teaching me that academic writing was dry and boring! Then I learned that was just for the beginning to help us, and the teacher, understand the process and product. Slowly, I was able to incorporate style and voice into my writing which made me so happy.
Personally, I like to write creatively. Poetry, prose, fiction, or anything else that can break the rules is my favorite type of writing. But as I’ve done this through the years, I’ve learned that there is a correct way to break a rule and an incorrect way. The worst part is, you don’t know if you’ve done the correct way or not until you’re finished. Language is changing so much on a daily basis that something you write will be acceptable one day and total trash the next. Creativity makes me stay on my toes when it comes to writing. Even in academic papers, I try to find the most eloquent way to say something because I want the reader to experience what I am trying to tell them.
The truth of the matter is that I’m still learning. I’m learning new ways to approach the text so that when I write my analysis it isn’t the same, drab thing over and over again. I also learned that you shouldn’t use contractions in academic writing a couple weeks ago. Weird, but oh well. I think that through the trial and error I put my writing through I will one day become an expert....until all the rules change again of course.
PS I don’t think the blog needs to be up to complete academic standards, so I made sure to include lots of contractions!