Felix 1

Uniqueness Grows in Writing

During this college writing course, the changes to break free from traditional writing

habits were challenging. In addition, I have steered away from the concept of a five-paragraph

essay, I learned to vary essay structures through brainstorming, reverse outline, and

close-reading. As a result, I improved my writing habits all semester, specifically, in the two

essays included in my portfolio. The topo and literary analysis are not only demonstrations of my

best writing this semester but also the ones I enjoyed composing the most. Readings like “Every

Place is the Same Now​” by Ian Bogost and Alexander Weinstein’s “Ice Age,” reflect the

successes of my papers by analyzing their meaningful concepts and improving my critical

thinking skills. Throughout this semester, I improved as a reader and a writer by embracing my

rough drafts, trusting the process, and bringing insight into my individuality.

In high school, I learned to write a five-paragraph essay. Yet, it caused me not to connect

to my writing pieces. This formulated structure began with a funnel introduction, starting with a

broad comparison to an outside source, so capturing the reader's attention. Then it recentered the

reader's focus with a change introducing the reader to the argument of the paper— a thesis.

Following the introduction came three body paragraphs, each serving to prove an argument with

a claim and explanation. I learned to complete my essay with a conclusion: re-stating the thesis

statement and concluding with a general connection. Having practiced this uncreative way in

high school made my change to writing with flow uneasy for me. However, in this course, I was

forced out of my comfortable writing techniques and adapt to the learned skills throughout the

spring semester.
 Felix 2

For the topography analysis essay, I had to analyze a specific location and use Ian

Bogost’s essay as a framing text. Bogost's perspective in “Every Place is the Same Now” reflects

how the effect of smartphones shifts social environments and people's daily interactions.

Through this observation, I understood Bogost's outlook on the creation of ‘superspaces' by

referring to ​Caffe Strada​, located in Berkeley, CA, and ​Starbucks to explain how places have

minimized the importance of spaces and social interactions. This essay was different from the

essays I wrote in high school. I had to properly use my field notes to build a paper based on the

text and first-hand experience. I countered Bogost's argument and structured my topo-analysis

essay into six-paragraphs. By arguing a diverse perspective of the topic, I allowed my writing to

expand my outlook on Bogost’s text and its structure. Furthermore, through active reading and

note-taking strategies, I established two methods when writing this essay: annotation and

retracing my steps. I used the annotation technique to plan questions and comments before

composing my essay. This strategy served me well when retracing my steps because I had

dissected the key informational pieces, making it easier to understand Bogost’s argument. These

skills improved my essay outline and highlight the main points. Overall, I have not depended on

the five-paragraph layout but rather on the complexity and comprehension to structure my essay.

For the second essay, I presented a literary analysis of Alexander Weinstein's short story,

“Ice Age.” I have included my rough draft to demonstrate my writing process and how I

improved through revision and organization. Before going to college, I had trouble writing rough

drafts because I wanted to have a perfect structure. My constant problem of being a perfectionist

has limited me from letting my weird ideas flow on my paper, and unfortunately, get anything

done. When I thought about words I misspelled or the choice of diction, I constantly found
 Felix 3

myself editing sentence after sentence. However, I realized I should write multiple rough drafts

to improve my writing. This was reflected in my rough introduction as I portrayed many ideas,

but not one resonated with the body paragraphs and conclusion. I revised my thesis statement to

have one argument that connected to the body paragraphs and reduced the wordiness in the

essay. Learning to embrace my first, second, or even third rough draft has been my biggest

challenge to overcome. I now acknowledge my problem with perfectionism. I am now working

on trusting this process. The process means writing rough drafts and leaving editing/finalizing

details to the final draft.

Reflecting on my literary analysis paper, I constructed an argument based on the lack of

female integration and community achievement within a post-apocalyptic world. I understood

Alexander Weinstein's perspective on men's natural ambition in gaining valuable possessions and

power in their communities, despite their living conditions. This piece was complicated, yet

intriguing as I focused on one core argument and used textual evidence to support it. When

revising my rough draft, I reduced the word count and clarified my standpoint. I also developed

one main idea for each body paragraph to prevent confusion in the essay's focus. Furthermore, I

clarified my commentary with specific concrete details to allow interpretation to run smoother.

Through the editing process, I attempt to portray clarity and simplicity by reconnecting the

author's perspective and my own, to build a well-written analysis of the text.

Since the start of the spring semester, I have sought my best to steer away from the

uniformed structure taught in high school. Currently, I perceive essays as a way to interpret my

knowledge about a subject and develop a voice of my own to express myself clearly and

concisely. Through trial and error in my essays, writing with flow naturally developed, when I
 Felix 4

consistently practiced effective strategies like creativity. By doing so, I instantly noticed my

thoughts kept flowing so limiting the time for my brain to stall and experience a writer's block.

This continuous writing style naturally made it easier for me to show flow between my ideas. I

adopted insight into my individuality to become responsible for my growth as a reader and

writer.