The Fundamentals of My Writing Process and Formation of Opinions

The Fundamentals of My Writing Process and Formation of Opinions

Writing is an art form, and given this fact, I strive to make my writing as entertaining as possible to grasp the reader’s attention. At the same time, I believe that any literal piece should also be informative and impart some knowledge to the audience. An informative article or essay also helps to sell your idea to the reader. After all, writing is also about delivering a message that conveys your opinion on the relevant subject. To achieve this goal when writing assignments, I am more open to adding detailed information to the paper and welcome any form of criticism to improve my writing, in order to deliver my point to the reader.

I find that the more detailed the information on an essay is, the more credibility it gains. However, I remain wary of the fact that an excessive amount of information can drown my message or simply bore the reader into submission. According to Murray (2014), a good piece of writing is built on accurate and interesting information (p.111). The key word for me here is interesting. Writers have access to abundant information to support their ideas on any given topic. However, it is impossible to use the entirety of this information on a single and if that happened, it would be counterproductive. That is why I strive to collect as much information as possible, sift it, and then weave it into a coherent message. By doing this, I ensure that every bit of information eases the reader towards meaning (Murray, 2014, p.111). It also helps me communicate my views concisely and accurately. 

Criticisms are inherent to every art form. Both professional and amateur writers must learn to take criticism and look at it objectively. Doing this, writers can either accept the critiques as constructive or ignore them. However, as a writer, I have come to the conclusion that I am my own critic. Murray (2014) expresses this sentiment and equates the process of rewriting and rereading one’s own work as a craft (p.110). In fact, the entire essay is based on the idea that writers are, or should never be satisfied with their own work. During my writing process, I make a point of going back to reread at least once after every paragraph. This practice always seems to reveal alternative approaches on every level from entire paragraphs to the most minuscule details. Conversely, while it is fairly straightforward listening to my own advice, outside criticism is harder to take. Nevertheless, it is paramount that I stay open to constructive input, to be able to produce better and quality work.

Clearly, writing is a slow multi-layered process that requires a great deal of patience and attention to detail. In my opinion, collecting information is the most vital part of the writing process. However, I find that most writers approach writing with a formed opinion, even before they begin this process and then move on to find information that supports the message they want to convey. In my opinion, this is a flaw shared by many writers. I believe that it is my responsibility to scrutinize information on the relevant topic and subsequently take a side. This way, I am able to deliver a message confidently and maintain an informed perspective. Writing also requires objectivity and a positive outlook on criticism. To harness and maintain these qualities during the writing process, I try to remind myself at every stage that my ultimate goal is to produce the best work that I can for the reader.   

References

Murray, D. (2014). The Maker’s Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscript. In G. Muller, Reader Issues Across the Disciplines (12th ed., pp. 109-113). New York: The McGraw-Hill.