Aidan Ward

Heather Christy-Robinson

ENG 160-21

12.13.2023

 

To whom it may concern,

Going into English 160, I was looking forward to another English composition class, as writing has always been a strong suit of mine. I looked forward to being able to have my writings critiqued through an objective and analytical lens, as I’ve always loved being able to watch my growth as a writer over time. The first half of the Fall semester revolved around writing constructs, narrative devices, and articulating a defined voice throughout a piece of writing, all being topics that would directly translate into growth for my writing at large. These are all topics that I would independently attempt to incorporate into my writings, so having a pre-established English course predicated on the same topics was a perfect fit. I feel that throughout this course, I have gained the ability to convey myself in a concise, coherent manner. Specifically, I have been assisted in the development of a unique writing voice, a voice that embodies not only myself as a writer, but as a unique individual. I feel that over the last semester I have developed a unique tone in my writings, one that makes it visually distinct from others. I hope that this notion is evident within my writings scattered throughout this portfolio. Although my writings have largely been successful within the pursuit of growth, this does not mean that I have avoided missteps in my journey.

Specifically, I felt my first long written assignment in college was sub-par. Looking back on the assignment with the knowledge I now know, I would have incorporated a central theme more fluidly throughout. Although my writing was not absent of a central driving theme, I believe that the methods in which I incorporated this theme were inadequate. The core theme of the paper was that of waters rising, and although I did improve this narrative device from my draft for the final product, I think the creative goal I attempted in the beginning fell short. I have also adapted in the way I structure my essays, occasionally altering the entire greater structure of an essay to ensure a series of smooth transitions that follow a logical rhythm and rationale. This course at large I believe, has greatly improved my confidence in writing conventions. Although I am certain that I have more to learn, I think the readings throughout the semester specifically have provided a strong foundation for my future development as a writer.

While I have grown immensely as a writer, I still struggle with certain aspects of my writings. A specific instance of this is my struggles with audience and perspective throughout a piece. Especially during periods of intermittent writing sessions, I struggle to maintain a consistent voice throughout a piece; I think the best way to establish this point is to contrast my current view with that of the past. While in high-school, I was largely taught to write with a guiding voice, walking the reader through the piece, metaphorically holding their hand throughout the piece. While now I have learned to establish writings as more of a subjective experience for the writer, offering these guides throughout, yet providing move provoking ideas that allows the reader to pull back and ponder the topics at hand. This idea of facilitating freedom for the reader was largely driven due to the nature of these shared projects. 

The shared medium of these projects helped me become more comfortable in sharing sub-par work, gaining valuable criticism that I could incorporate throughout my writing process to develop stronger arguments. These instances of self growth and writing development have propelled me into my current competence, allowing me to be more self-assured and confident in my writings. I am personally extremely excited for my future endeavours in English, and written composition at large. I believe that this course has provided me invaluable writing experience and will prove to be extremely useful in many of my other classes. Due to the nature of my major (International Relations), a fair amount of course work revolves around establishing arguments on public and foreign policy. The knowledge harboured from this course will certainly be effectively used in many of my other major-related courses, and I am extremely thankful to have gone through this valuable experience. 

 

All the best,

Aidan Ward