In Elizabeth Wardle’s article, “Identity, Authority, and Learning to Write in New Workplace,” she discusses the importance of finding one’s voice in the workplace and how crucial it is to place authority in one’s voice at the right times. One of the most important parts of her article is the idea that a person should change the way they write, and the amount of authority placed in their writing, based on their environment and who they’re talking to. A great example provided by Wardle is the story of Alan and how he abused authority that he didn’t even have in his workplace. He overestimated his authority which led him to send unnecessary emails to his co-workers which made them look at him differently. People eventually began talking about Alan behind his back and, due to this overestimation of authority and the way people looked at him, Alan left his job sooner rather than later. This example helped me to understand how crucial it is to determine the amount of authority I have in any scenario that I’m in. If I don’t appropriately apply myself in any setting that I’m in, I may speak correctly and with or without enough authority which could lead me to make a fool of myself and have others look at me differently.
While it’s important to apply an appropriate amount of authority to any kind of writing, it is also important to let one’s identity shine through and to expand that identity through writing. In a new community, a person needs to let parts of their identity shine through while also building upon that identity and morphing it into something new- identity continues to form as time passes. I have a hard time implementing my identity in my writing at times because I don’t want my writing to sound weird or inappropriate because of who I’m writing to or where I’m putting my writing. When I was in high school I was in a journalism club and I constantly had articles of mine posted on our ‘Argus’ website. Although I continuously wrote articles, some on topics I was really invested in, I always avoided placing any part of myself in the articles due my teachers telling me they needed to be professional and informative. My identity couldn’t be found within my articles because I made them purely informational so now I struggle when it comes to letting my identity shine through and morphing my identity with any new community I join- I tend to just become a completely new person based on where I am and what I’m writing.
Wardle is an incredible writer who has really highlighted the importance of identity and authority in writing and how crucial it is to apply these things appropriately and effectively. I will be trying my absolute best to implement my identity into my writing while also placing authority into my pieces, even if it takes time. By integrating myself into my writing appropriately, I will be able to appeal to my current communities and any new communities I may become a part of. In doing so, I better align myself with them in an efficient and appropriate manner that will allow me to become one with any communities I’m part of.
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