Elizabeth Wardle’s “You Can’t Teach “Writing in General” and Catherine Savini’s “Looking for Trouble: Finding Your Way into a Writing Assignment both pose two interesting arguments regarding the concept of writing. Wardle claims that the concept of writing takes on many forms and therefore there are different expectations and constraints when it comes to each respective form. She emphasizes that the influence of context, audience, purpose, medium, history, and values of the community all impact what writing is and needs to be in each situation (Wardle, pg. 30). Instead, we are advised to “transfer or repurpose” what we know is effective from prior writing situations and apply it to new situations.
On the other hand, Savini believes that the best way to begin a paper or writing assignment is by “looking for trouble.” She describes the process of developing a meaningful project of your own in 4 simple steps: Noticing, articulating a problem and its details, posing fruitful questions, and identifying what is at stake.
After careful examination of both articles, I tend to align more with Elizabeth Wardle’s perspective that writing cannot be taught in general. I believe that writing, in its various forms, cannot be taught in a generalized manner. However, the skill of writing can be taught, and individuals can be guided to adapt their knowledge and apply it to different situations. For instance, writing an essay is not the same as composing poetry. Each form has a specific structure, purpose, and audience, among other factors. However, Savini’s four-step process of writing offers a valuable tool to inspire the writing process and produce meaningful written work. As humans, we all notice and articulate problems that can catapult our writing depending on the situation at hand. When it comes to writing the possibilities are endless and it is important that we keep learning and engage in new writing situations to become well-versed writers.
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