Journal entry #5

I just finished reading How to Say Nothing in 500 Words by Paul Roberts out of our Power of Language book for out lesson this week. my mind has never felt so much like a bowl of mush in my life. I know by reading what he was saying that I fall into the category of just trying to fill the page. Sometimes the words just won't come out. I am really going to have fun with the I Believe Essay I am about to put on paper. It is a personal narrative about something I Believe strongly in. These types of writing are not what gets me. It will be the next week with the more professional writing that I hope I can at least pass. When I feel strongly about a subject I feel like I can just jot down the words and they make sense. I hope my audience will be able to keep up with my thought process. I know that sometimes the words just tumble out and get all mixed up. I'm really going to try and put the pencil to paper and not put too many words in sentences. I think this is what I struggle with the most. Mr. Roberts feels the same way, he was saying that most of the time, people try to use more words than needed to make their point. I also agree with him when it comes to going down the road less traveled with a subject. Instead of trying to go along with everyone else on a topic, pick something that you actually believe and make it your own. If the audience (professor) has heard the same thing a hundred times, by the end you might get a worse grade than if you were the first paper read. If the professor has read the same words too many times, it's an automatic worse grade. Be creative and think of something new on a subject. Go at the same subject with a completely different angle. Choose words that are to the point. Don't try to make your sentences longer with more words just to fill the page. Don't use colorful words and words that are too harsh for your audience. Give them some spice on an old subject. Prove what you want to say by backing it up.
I also read The Maker's Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts by Donald M. Murray. He says that when a student finishes a first draft, they think their writing is complete. When a professional finishes his first draft, they feel like the writing can begin. I felt like he was talking to me on this subject. Every time I have wrote anything for this English Comp class, my first draft is what makes it to the TURNITIN button for Ms. Anthony. I feel really bad. I'm positive this is not my best writing. I will say that I do my rough draft and when I'm typing, I'm also editing at the same time. I'm getting ready to revise some of it before trying to type it up for my classmates when I finish my journal for the day. I do feel like it will be a much better paper this time. It is all about me and I hope my class can put up with the same old stuff from me for just a couple more weeks. This will be interesting, since they will be more grading this paper and helping me revise it for next weeks assignment.