This class has, at the very least, changed my perspective on writing. I remember when I was picking classes during orientation- what felt like yesterday- I chose ENC 2135 for the mere reason of wanting to get it out of the way because of my dreaded relationship with writing I had at the time. Throughout my life as a student, I always performed best in classes I was most interested in, and, for example, even my reading comprehension was at its peak in novels that held my interest. This relates to why I believe the main reason my takeaway from this class was so positive is that I got to write about topics I love. I honestly had little to no expectation that I would come to enjoy the class so much; not only being able to write about topics I love, but also being able to watch a skill develop that I never knew I possessed was what was so special to me. My Dad once told me writing is a skill that may not seem useful now, but it is a necessity once you are out on your own in the real world; projecting professionalism whether it's in emails, with your boss, or during an interview. I always felt like I was a good writer, but I came to the conclusion that you can’t be a good writer unless you truly relish the act of writing and find meaning behind your work. 

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            One of the main lessons I took away from this class was how important the audience is with regard to what you write and in what fashion would best convey the central idea to your intended audience. The assignment that most directly taught me the sheer importance of this was project 2, in which we had to create artifacts, each intended for a different audience. With each audience came a different level of formality, depending on who was likely to read it. 

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            For example, in the email, I kept it professional yet humorous because the intended audience was businessmen considering taking up golf for the networking opportunities the sport offers. Since the genre was a professional email, I knew I had to make my point direct and concise, unlike in an essay, especially since the email is impersonating Mark Cuban. In contrast, I made the podcast more relatable by adopting a personable tone, primarily focusing on my career as a junior golfer, as it was intended for young golfers who feel like quitting. The social media artifact required a different approach from the other two because it depended heavily on short statements; this made it important for the viewer to be hooked within the first second they laid eyes on the post. I did this by making the posts more visually appealing with attention-grabbing media and by making the account more professional and complete with numerous posts, a highlight section, and a detailed biography.

 

           This project taught me that genre is much more than the format in which writing is presented to the audience. Genre affects the appropriate tone, length, design, and appeals that a writer should apply to the artifact. I will apply this in future college classes where I may have to write an email or give a presentation, because both should be completed not only in a different style but also with different language and visuals based on the desired audience. It will also be valuable in a professional setting too. For example, the way I communicate with a coworker should be different than the way I communicate with a manager or client. 

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            The other main lesson I took away from this class was to take your time getting started with big projects and try to avoid feeling intimidated by the word count. In Project 1: Investigative Essay, I was very daunted by the word count as I have never been assigned a paper so lengthy. At first, the number made the assignment nearly impossible to fathom how I would complete it or where to even begin. By constructing an in-depth and concise outline, I not only met the word count within the allotted time but exceeded it. I broke the essay into smaller sections instead of improvising what I would talk about as I wrote the paper. This project and the course assignments have prepared me to tackle challenging work by using tactics like this to my advantage. 

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            This experience showed me that the most difficult part of the paper is often the beginning. Once I created the outline, found sources, and annotated each of them, the paper came naturally. This project and assignments within the course have given me confidence for whatever my future writing endeavors may hold. Moving forward, I plan to begin large assignments earlier, as procrastination can ruin not only your work but also your sleep and your mindset for facing the next assignment tomorrow.  

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            Research was another important part of the course that indirectly improved my writing skills. Before the investigative essay, I would view research as simply finding enough sources to prove a point or meet the assignment's required number. While researching NIL, I learned that research should guide the paper's direction, and without focusing on the requirement, you will find yourself passing it without even noticing. Upon completion, my opinion on NIL changed from what it once was, which made me question the authenticity of mainstream media and news. This will be useful moving forward, not just in scholastic papers but reading news on my own time and finding unbiased and truthful data that I know I can trust. 

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            Finally, revision was another aspect of writing that I now appreciate and see as more than just busywork. Before this course, my perspective on revision was that it involved looking over a prior submission once, fixing local mistakes such as grammar, punctuation, and sentence wording. I now understand that meaningful revision should be global; this involves rearranging paragraphs, cutting text, improving transitions, and expanding on ideas. Even when I thought of revision as redundant, I would notice that each time I revised, the paper improved. Revising my work reminded me that the first draft is never expected to be perfect. Instead, it provides a foundation for one stellar final draft. 

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            Ultimately, this course has given me confidence for whatever my future writing endeavors may hold. I no longer view my writing as something I need to complete. I now see it as a process that involves understanding your audience and their interests, choosing an appropriate genre, creating a thorough outline, examining the web for useful research, and revising with purpose. It is great to know that these skills and opportunities this course has opened will be in my arsenal moving forward, not only over the next four years but throughout my professional life.