Quarter One Reflection
By Paulina Oswald
This quarter, I learned about a how to properly write a wide range of writing styles. From narratives, to essays to poems, my writing improved tremendously.
For instance, I learned that when you write a poem, you have to have good enjambment, which is the way a poet cuts their lines off. It makes the poem easier to be read, and it tells the reader where to pause or stop, which helps carry the poet’s message better. In my first draft of my found poem, my enjambment was a little confusing, but with the help of my writing partner, I improved it. My poem now made more sense, and the reader could stop trying to figure out what I mean in my poem and actually enjoy the poem.
I also learned that when writing a narrative, when you introduce a character to your readers, it is good to give them a visual description, so they can picture the character as they read the narrative. Before, I thought the name of the character would be enough, but my writing partner told me a description makes the narrative much better and more real. Also, in a sentence like “Surfing has always been an ambition of mine,” it is good to give background information about how it became an ambition. This also gives the narrative more of a connection to real life.
In essay writing, I learned that making a good hook allows your essay to look more interesting. If you start out with just your thesis statement, readers will not want to read your essay any further because it looks boring. But, if you start out with an interesting sentence, readers will want to finish reading your essay. Furthermore, I learned how to make a good thesis statement. A thesis statement is at the beginning of your essay and it is pretty much the main idea of the essay. Before these essay assignments, I had always gotten stuck on thesis statements and hooks, but now I can come up with them much more easily.
This quarter has been very tough, what with the transition into high school and the heavier amount of workload. But through this process I have been able to improve my dedication to school and to not procrastinate as much. This has improved my writing by me actually enjoying writing essays, something unheard of in my middle school years. This happened by me accepting the fact that I had to write one. Once I stopped putting off writing an essay, it gave me a chance to really pour my heart and soul into it. Hopefully, this next quarter, I will learn as much as I did the last one.
This quarter, I learned about a how to properly write a wide range of writing styles. From narratives, to essays to poems, my writing improved tremendously.
For instance, I learned that when you write a poem, you have to have good enjambment, which is the way a poet cuts their lines off. It makes the poem easier to be read, and it tells the reader where to pause or stop, which helps carry the poet’s message better. In my first draft of my found poem, my enjambment was a little confusing, but with the help of my writing partner, I improved it. My poem now made more sense, and the reader could stop trying to figure out what I mean in my poem and actually enjoy the poem.
I also learned that when writing a narrative, when you introduce a character to your readers, it is good to give them a visual description, so they can picture the character as they read the narrative. Before, I thought the name of the character would be enough, but my writing partner told me a description makes the narrative much better and more real. Also, in a sentence like “Surfing has always been an ambition of mine,” it is good to give background information about how it became an ambition. This also gives the narrative more of a connection to real life.
In essay writing, I learned that making a good hook allows your essay to look more interesting. If you start out with just your thesis statement, readers will not want to read your essay any further because it looks boring. But, if you start out with an interesting sentence, readers will want to finish reading your essay. Furthermore, I learned how to make a good thesis statement. A thesis statement is at the beginning of your essay and it is pretty much the main idea of the essay. Before these essay assignments, I had always gotten stuck on thesis statements and hooks, but now I can come up with them much more easily.
This quarter has been very tough, what with the transition into high school and the heavier amount of workload. But through this process I have been able to improve my dedication to school and to not procrastinate as much. This has improved my writing by me actually enjoying writing essays, something unheard of in my middle school years. This happened by me accepting the fact that I had to write one. Once I stopped putting off writing an essay, it gave me a chance to really pour my heart and soul into it. Hopefully, this next quarter, I will learn as much as I did the last one.