I immediately fell in love with the article “Ten Ways to Think About Writing: Metaphoric Musings for College Writing Student” by E. Shelley Reid because I deeply related to the very first paragraphs. My entire life I have enjoyed writing and have felt passionate about it, but each year there become more and more “Don’ts” when it comes time to write. Reid explained the “Don’ts” as “rules” such as, don’t use “I” in your writing, don’t repeat yourself, and don’t start a sentence with “And.” These “Don’ts” make writing so much less desirable. Instead of being something I enjoy doing, it becomes something that needs to be complex and strategically articulated.
Reid continues to write about how all these writing rules are what lead to writers block. Personally, this falls very true to me. When I am given an assignment without much structure or requirements I tend to create my best work in the least amount of time. However, when I am instructed to write a certain way, in a certain format, about very specific things my brain tends to pause. I find myself staring at my computer screen for hours on end before I even begin my assignment. Having the creative freedom allows me to write an authentic piece, whereas when there are many “Don’ts” in the criteria of a paper I blank and it takes me much longer to form a cohesive paper.
I thought Reids ideas on the audience of a paper were very insightful as well. Prior to reading this article I understood the importance of a audience and how to decipher who my audience is, but she put it in terms that still got me thinking. She explains that how a prompt is presented will completely change the context of the explanation. I loved the example she used about asking a friend for money vs asking for money. It sparked something in my brain and made me understand in a way I did not even realize I did not already understand.
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