Is
your current voice a successful voice? How so?
My current writing voice is successful as it has
become more distinct and conclusive through the learnings of this course.
Before, my writing was littered with passive phrases, such as might have
or may have, as if I were afraid to put a definitive stamp on my own
thoughts or ideas.
I do still struggle with writing in first person,
but I understand now that writing from this vantage point can also be effective
and provide credibility in your writing.
In this course, I think that my best written works so
far are:
I found your article
(Winter Blues) very interesting and easy to read. Your voice is clear and
distinct. This is, in my opinion your best piece yet. I can't wait to see what
else you will be writing about this semester!
What
have you learned?
I have learned that to be a strong writer, you must
convey a sense of passion and expertise in your voice, particularly in the
non-fiction genre. This will establish you as a subject matter expert, as well
as a credible source. Adding your own flare, such as a hint of sarcasm or playfulness,
where appropriate, may also differentiate your voice from other writers.
According to Zinsser, “Rewriting is the essence of
writing well”. However, I have always struggled with returning to my original work
for revisions. Call it arrogance, but really it is just daunting, because I toil
with my words the entire time that I am writing the initial draft. From the
shortest Tweet to the longest essay, I am constantly finessing the language,
lead-in sentences, and summarizing sentences as I go. This course has helped me
become more comfortable with revisiting my work. After days, even weeks have
passed, I realize that I come up with better words and ways of making my point
more concisely.
Where
do you want to go next?
I am passionate about my current beat, so I will
not change the focus, however, I will continue to finesse my voice and provide
more details in my writing. Some feedback received from classmates and
Professor Kalm is that I need to expand on my thoughts and provide more
details.
As I continue to fine-tune my writing style and develop
my voice, my goal is to become a part-time digital writer or copyeditor. I
would love to write for a travel website or health-focused digital magazine.
I think you're right to stay with your beat. There is a wide variety of topics you can discuss within it and one can tell from the tone of your voice that you truly care about the material that you are writing. Your blog has gotten much stronger since the early posts. Your writing has a clearer direction and more focus. I look forward to seeing what you post next!
ReplyDeleteT.L., I agree with you in that your voice is getting stronger. It's refreshing to edit and rip out all those "may haves". You know your beat well and I too very much liked your Winter Blues post. While I believe there is a correlation between cold winter months and being bored, I'm not of the belief that it can cause real depression. I was always aware of the winter blues because I once read that my birthday, January 24th was the most depressing day of the year. I have a feeling though that my birthday happened to land on what is considered the most depressing day of the year, (probably the 3rd Monday in January). The way I see it though, it will never be depressing for me! Ha! Love your voice, looking forward to reading what you have to write for the 2nd half.
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