SAW Chapter 6 thoughts

The reading in chapter six talks about six parts of the writing process for college level academic writing (huh chapter six, six parts of the process, funny coincidence or planned joke?). These parts are understanding the task, gathering data, invention, drafting, revision, and editing. For understanding the task that aspect is pretty self-explanatory, you figure out what the assignment is and what the requirements are. Gathering the data is doing the research and getting evidence for what you want to write about for the topic. Invention is figuring out what you want to write about the topic and is done by things such as freewriting, outlining and listing. The next part, drafting, is well, writing the paper and turning our thoughts into a paper. Revision is taking your draft and cleaning it up and editing it according to the assignemnt and requirements. Editing is well kind of also cleaning up the paper and turning it into the final draft.

These are the steps given in the reading and my writing process is essentially the same but in a bit of a different order. I do start with understanding the task, then go to invention in msotly the forms of lists and outlining (because sometimes I have an idea or some general knowledge about the topic) then gather data to fill in the gaps when needed, draft the paper, and then I would say to me, editing and revising aren't that different so I would say for me that's one step. It's really not that different, just in a different order and throwing the last two steps into one. I would say all of them are important to make a good, college level paper. Each is essential to making the paper happen in order  to make it good. I would probably say that I spend pretty close to equal time doing each part but for the most part I just do as much as it takes to make a good paper and get a good grade. Some papers take more effort than others thought depending on how big the assignment is.

This is a little off task from the questions but the reading started off with something that I think is really interesting. It asked does thinking precede writing? Um, yeah I would definitely say so! I would say writing is expressing thought and feelings, etc., into an organized document on paper or electronically. I don't know, that statement just kind of stood out to me that they even have to ask. To me, writing is a way we express ourselves in an organized way on paper. I don't know, just kind of an interesting way to start out the chapter.

Message reflection

I agree with a lot of what the message said. I think that to truly write one must open the vein to their soul and write what they believe in their heart. I think that my best works have been things that I am truly passionate about for example my songs. Over the last six years or so I have written twenty-five or so songs about people and feelings I've had in my life and I truly beleive those are some of my best works. Another example is my devotions I write for my church. I get to write about what I think and feel and not only is it a good work (at least in my opinion) it touches other's hearts and has helped them grow in their faith in Jesus Christ. I understand that in the college world that having assigned writings is just a part of the way it goes but I truly disagree with that method because it teaches how to hate writing. I believe that the process of writing at a college level should be taught; the method of research, expressing your ideas in a manner that is appropriate at a college or university, and so on should be taught but the topics themselves should be open to the writer. This way people can truly write in the way that Buechner talked about. To be honest that is why I don't enjoy writing. Aside from my songs and devotions I use writing mostly for assignments because I am usually not that good at it and kind of hate it. I belive that I am a better communicator when I am talking with someone face-to-face than writing to them so unless I can't and have to use writing I will jsut talk with people.