My Writing Process

I would not really consider how I write a process, it changes every time. When I sit down to compose a paper I think about the main topic and then just start. I write down the thoughts in my head and then construct the body. It takes me a few revisions to get it just the way I want it. I reread what I write constantly as I go, and omit words and sentences in certain areas if I do not like the way it sounds. I tend to refer back to the thesis a lot because the way I was taught in high school is embedded in my brain. (Thesis, paragraph 1 2 3 4, conclusion). Usually after I print out my paper, I take a pen and go over it again because I catch some things I overlooked on the actual computer screen. I like to be thorough but unfortunately, when I receive my paper back I am never thorough enough!

Reflection

When I am writing a paper I usually use the same system everytime, unless the teacher has instructed us to do otherwise. To me, making a list or brainstorming ideas is just a waste of time. It really just depends on what type of paper im writing to determine how my actual process goes. If it is a subject that I didn't know anything about to begin with I would research the topic and maybe write down main points. If it's a review of a book or movie I usually make a rough draft so I can have something to refrence in case I have forgotten the main points of the book. My favorite type of writing is just free writing where I can make up a story or tell a true story. If this is the case, I just write without any type of pre-thought or writing. I enjoy this the most because there are no restrictions or rules to it I dont have to make sure to include anything specific, having to do that usually distracts my writing because I'm too focused on adding that thing in. Also it's the most entertaining type of writing, I hate research papers that when I'm done I don't even want to read it. I also enjoy this type of writing because honestly writing is not my favorite thing and these papers are the one's I get done with the fatest. In conclusion I would say I have many different writing styles, but my favorite is to just sit down and type it then edit it after I am completely done.

My writing process

Whenever I have a writing assignment I usually just sit down in front of a computer and just start typing. If I have free time before I can get in front of a computer I will start to compose my thoughts on paper and then type what I had wrote on paper when I get a chance. I like to write on a computer versus paper because I am a slow writer but I am fast at typing. Once I finish my paper I go through and use spell check, but then also read over the paper to make sure everything sounds right and that spell check did not miss anything. After I am done checking over my paper I usually have someone I trust check my paper, since I am still in high school I tend to rely on my mom a little too much to pick up on my mistakes. Usually I do not follow the exact “writing process” that I have learned in high school because I tend to gravitate more towards just free writing instead of making an outline, pre-write, and so on. I find that doing the outline and pre-writing that it just takes more of my time instead of helping me start my writing.

My Writing Process

Before I write, I try to set straight what exactly it is that I'm going to say. What's going to be the point of this piece? I try to gather up reasons, evidence and examples to back up the piece. The first half of the process is usually in my head. I make little groups of information. Once I have most of the information, I just begin to write. I set up the intro with little tid bits of what I'm about to write.

After I've written the piece, I check for mistakes or anything that could be made better. I usually end up switching paragraphs around and doing a lot of rewriting and re-organizing. From there I do a lot of re-reading and editing.

If the piece is going to be really long, I’ll do more concrete pre-writing, an outline for example. Or I’ll even start hashing out certain paragraph that I know will be incorporated.

MYWRITINGPROCESS

When I write I typically do the same type of style every time with minimal changes here and there. My writing process isn't as independent as I would like it to be. I went to a high school where every teacher had their own individual standards but generally we had to have an outline, rough draft, and final copy when we turned in a paper. Those were the standards that we had to follow. My process starts with basic brainstorming. I think it is important to find a topic that I will give me not only enough substance to fill the paper with, but also something that will be inspiring and not boring to write about. I used to pick random topics but found that my writing would be very flat because I have no interest in what I am writing about. After I find the topic that I am used for my paper, I begin to do research. I like to read a lot of background information on my topic so I have more knowledge about what I am going to spend the next two months writing about. After that, I gather all of my research and start my outline. I sometimes do multiple outlines to find the best way that the paper will flow. After, I write my rough draft that is typically edited by a classmate or two. Once I make my final corrections, I type my final copy and that is that.

My Writting Process- Reflection (BG)

My writing process varies sometimes. I usually start with an idea or topic I am interested about and then think of the main points that are important to that topic or idea. The next step I take is usually writing a rough draft. My first paragraph always states my topic or idea, followed by the main topics/points, in order of how I am going to write about them, and a thesis. After i write my first paragraph, i will write another paragraph on the first main point listed in the first paragraph. i will continue to write a paragraph on each point in the order they are listed in the opening paragraph. I will then think of a closing that gives a brief summary of everything i wrote and re-state the idea/topic. After i get my rough draft done i will get it proof read and checked over before starting my final draft. Most of the time when i do my final drafts, i will type them out and then print, and hand the piece in. i try to do multiple rough drafts before doing the final copy, just so I am sure i got all the major and minor details covered and correctly written. i like to be as detailed as possible. if i have an idea or topic I am interested in or is something i enjoy, i intend to write a lot more. this is the process i tend to follow when writing.

Reflection- My Writing Process

Typically when I write I usually sit down with a pencil and a notebook. I'll open the notebook and stare at the blank pages for a good fifteen minutes before I decide that I need either a cookie or a cup of coffee (depending on the time of day) before I actually start writing. When I've avoided the pencil and the notebook for as long as I possibly can I sit down again and then resume staring blankly at the pages. Eventually I'll pick up the pencil and start writing and after (roughly) twenty minutes I'll start on my productivity roll. I write and write without revising until I'm a good page over the minimum requirement. Towards the end of my productive mood I go back and edit what I've written, most of the time just scratching out entire sentences. When I've exhausted all creativity and effort I close the notebook and walk away. The next day I'll come back to the assignment and type it up on the computer (revising and rewriting the entire time). When I think I'm done I'll save the draft and leave it alone for a while. An hour of two later I'll go back and re-read it before I print making sure I've caught all my mistakes. Then I print my paper.

Writing Process

I don't have an actual writing process. I sit at the computer desk and think about the topic for a moment then I begin to write freely. After a few paragraphs I go back and re-read what I have written and decide whether or not I like where I’m going. If not I will stop writing and figure out what I’m trying to say and gather my ideas. I then move things to the places I believe they belong. After I finish writing the whole paper I read it and make sure it’s how I wanted it to be. After I finish, I read it to other people to make sure it sounds good, if not I go back and edit some more. Once, I’m completely done and I’ve fixed all the errors I believe are there, I will give it to a teacher for editing. After the teacher has edited and gave it back I will finalize it so it’s ready to be turned in.

writing process

When I am writing, I need to have structure. Before I begin a long essay I need to have a thesis statement, and an outline which will give me the basis of what my ideas are and how they will flow throughout the paper. The outline allows me to see the order of my ideas and to organize them so that it makes the most sense. It also makes writing transitions from paragraph to paragraph much simpler. I would never just sit down and start to write on a piece of paper without at least first thinking of the ideas I am going to point out in the essay. Usually I will write out an outline but if not I most likely have a clear idea of what will be going where in my paper. I can not just write freely, I guess this is because all of my english teachers since middle school usually required outlines prior to long essay. But it put me in the habit of doing it even when it's not assigned which allows the writing process to be much quicker. I think it makes things neater, and eliminates a lot of time which I would instead spend making sense of all my thoughts in a huge unorganized mess. After I think I am finished I then have a typical way of editing my paper which is basically just re-reading it myself and making sure everything makes sense, I am usually happy with my papers when I hand them in but I have always seemed to find it difficult to please my teachers as well, which is annoying.

Reflection

Whenever I have to write, I really do not follow any type of process. I write as free and as quickly as I can and I try to just let my ideas flow. It might not always make sense at first but as long as I understand it, I can make something out of it. I've never really been the type of writer who makes a rough draft, then edits it, then rights a new less-rough draft, then edits it again, then writes a final copy. I'm more of the go with the flow writer. I guess you could consider all of my ideas jotted down on paper, not in complete order a rough draft but former teachers have told me that it doesn't count as one. I feel like I get writers block a lot less whenever I do the writing system my way, so I can get all my ideas out at once even if it isn't in the best order possible for my work, I'll eventually put it in an order that makes sense but for that point in time, that is what I use to get my writings started.

Writing Process

When i write, i like to make outlines to brainstorm what i would like to put into my paper. I normaly am very random when i write so it tends not to make sense sometimes. In high school I always brian stormed ideas, got thoughts together and went from there. After I got my thoughts and ideas together i would write a rough draft. then go back and add in any other ideas I had left out. I would then come up with a finial copy and have someone check it for me because I am not the best writer/speller in the world. when I write sometimes its hard for me to get started and stay on the subject I am spouse to be writing about. I love to free write though, because i can be as random as i want and be free with what i have to say. I also sometimes look at books to get sources and information, if i need them in my paper. writing is a prosces that can take a lot of time or not so much time depending on how much effort and time you put into it.

Reflection

Writing is and can be a very complicated thing. When I get a subject to write about I sometimes find it hard to figure out what to say in the begininig or how to start . The first thing I do when I start to write an essay or a report I write it down on paper . I do this so that I can figure out what I need to add or what punctuation I need to add. This makes it easier for me to make changes or tweeks to my paper that way before I start to type so that I can make sure that what I am reading is a great and well written paper. My best advice for anyone who is writting a paper or an essay you should have it written down on a hard copy or to have somebody look over it before you turn it in , so that when you turn it in you know for sure that you have a great paper. If you turn in a paper with out checking to see if everything is written down the way you want it or if you don't have anyone check it for grammer you may run into a bad grade or a serious problem. Yes, there is spell check on all computers when you type but not all spell checks will give you the right word or right phrase of words that you are looking for. So some more advice is don't rely fully on spell check because it may not always be right and you want to be able to write the best report or essay you can. Another thing that you can also do when you write or could help you to get started is to jot all of your ideas down on paper as just in a list, then you can figure out which one fits best with what you are thinking about or what you are wanting to type rather and then you can master or come up with a great start to a fabulous paper.

writing process

What I usually do when I write usually varies from time to time depending on what I am writing. First I usually form thoughts into my head about the topic I am writing about. I find key points to talk about and form those key points into paragraphs into my head kind of a brain storming type thing. Then after I figure that out, I begin to type my paper or whatever I am typing. When I first start typing I start offf with an introduction where I "introduce" what I am going to talk about. Then I go on to divide my key points into paragraphs making the paper very organized. After I type my main paragraphs I end my paper with a conclusion which reenstates what the paper was about. After I have typed my whole paper I go back and edit anything that was wrong or add anything that needs to be added. I revise it twice and then I usually have my finised product.

My Writing Process

Before I start writing a paper, big or small, I like to take time to think about a topic or atleast ponder the topic given to me. Once I settle down with a topic and I fully understand it I like to start writing down bits and pieces of information that have to deal with the topic and branches of the topic. I was taught when writing a paper to use notecards and have them ordered in a spcific group or title them to keep them organized so when I write I like to use notecards, not like hundreds of them but close to a good number that can get my paper going. Before I start my rough draft I make sure my information is neat and organized or else I'll be all over the paper and it might not make sense. Then I start with my introduction and think of a grade "A" thesis statement, sometimes I'll end up coming back and changing it because my conclusion might not fully answer the thesis statment. After I have a stunning introduction paragraph I begin to work on my body paragraphs. These body paragraphs usually come from all my note taking and research. A majority of my time is spent writing these paragraphs because they have to make sense to the topic and explain it well. Once those are complete I come to my conclusion and I try to really answer the thesis, I usually don't answer it fully but that's okay because I can either change the thesis to make it better or just change the concluding paragraphs. Those are my steps to writing well!

Reflection

When I write I always create a draft outline, based on brainstorming, ideas, and research (if needed) then I usually go right into writing my paper. I also tend to make many copies of outlines, where as I should be making more actual drafts of the paper. I usually write the paper out once and read over it a couple times. I edit it paragraph by paragraph as I write it more times than not, it just seems easier and quicker that way to me I suppose.
When I am writing a paper I am also big with my introduction and my conclusion usually says the same as the introduction only in fewer words. The introduction is informing the reader of what’s to come so it is my main focus and then the conclusion is next on my list because it ties everything the reader has read in the entire body.
Another thing I used to do a lot more than I do currently is write out my paper’s on actual paper then type them out. This used to help me…in goodness knows what way, but it was a habit. (laughs)

My Writing Process

When I write i really don't just have one method I use all the time I use different ones depending on the paper and how it needs to be written. When I write my papers I usually do an outline because I find that it is one of the easiest ways for me to write a paper efficiently. With an outline your paper is pretty much done since it has a certain format, so all you have to do is put all of your main ideas and information together to make your paper complete. On other occasions I like to just brainstorm a bunch of ideas down on a peice of paper first about the topic my paper is on. After doing that I like to go online or look through books and get accurate information and make sure that my information is correct. Next I like to write a rough draft to just see how my paper looks and what I can do to make it better. Finally I like to have someone look over it to check for any mistakes I made then I write my final copy.

My Wriing Process (kevin)

I don't write that often but when I do it is usually just for school and stuff like that. So my writing process is pretty much the high school taught process. I would start out with organizing my thoughts in a four-square, where I would put my three body paragraphs and my conclusion, then I would also include my thesis statement. After that I would start a rough draft, following my four-square diagram untill I reached the end of the paper. Then I go through a couple of revisions, having teachers, students, and myselft looking over the paper for any errors and anything that could possibly make the paper better. Once I hace completed my revisions I start my final copy, making sure everything is the way I want it. Finally i would go over the paper once more and check for anything else that could improve the paper and once I see that I am completely satisfied I will print out my final copy and turn it in. This is what I have done for all of my high school papers and it is what I am most comfortable with. But while i was applying for college and typing essays I didnt go through that whole process, mostly because the colleges wouldnt ask for more than a paragraph or two. I would just think for a little, start typing, and then I would revise and send it in. My writing process is the same old high school one that everyone knows so well, maybe that will change during college and maybe not. I guess only time will tell.

Describe Your Writing Process

When I first start to write I usually look at the topic that I'm given and try to think of ideas that support my topic. Honestly, I usually feel extremely overwhelmed when I first start writing. The type of writing that I'm used to is the standard five paragraphs and I usually have trouble coming up with a third strong supporting topic for my third body paragraph. I usually write a very basic introduction to start off and then I continue on with the rest of my paper. I write what comes to mind, and then I start writing things I know. I do this with all of the body paragraphs. I later come back and fix them, add ideas to them, and revise them. I write the conclusion last, which I think most people do. I enjoy writing the conclusion the most because ending the paper is easier for me. I think I also enjoy writing it because it means that the paper is over. I then would go back to my poorly constructed introduction and try to make it better. Next, I print it out. We would usually peer edit in class and I would then take what my peers corrected or suggested and fix it. I then would read over my paper and try to make changes. I usually get frustrated and just want to be done with the paper. I then turn in the paper. That is my writing process.

Writing Process

Before I can begin to write anything I must first make sure that my mind is focused solely on what I'm doing. Any tiny distraction will catch my attention and veer me off course very quickly. Once I begin writing, I find myself pausing before each sentence is written. I repeat what I want to say over and over in my head until I get a complete sentence that I am satisfied with. I also read what I have written multiple times. Each time I go back over my work, I find something wrong and correct it or rearrange if needed. I have never liked doing outlines, so free writing is my most used tactic. I find it much easier to just write or type whatever I'm feeling at that specific moment. Writing has never been my strong point, and I usually have a hard time writing for school or anything.

My Writing Process

My process of writing a paper doesn't have too many steps involved. The first thing I do before writing a paper is think about the subject in my head and think about what I want my main point to be. After achieving this step I then make a rough outline of my paragraphs and details. My outline consists of topic sentences and the supporting facts. Once the outline is complete I then get my computer and begin writing my rough draft. When writing my rough draft I start from the introduction and then go to the body paragraphs and finally the conclusion. After I complete my rough draft I print it off and read it over to make sure I haven't made any errors. If I had made any errors I highlight them so I won't forget where they are as I continue reading. Then, I go back on my computer fix any errors I made and make someone else read it to see if it sounds good and flows smoothly. When my proof reader tells me it sounds nice and flows smoothly I then print off my final copy and turn it in. These are the steps I take when writing a paper.

MY WRITING PROCESS

I myself use the same basic method i used in high school. I will usualy take a piece of paper and write down all my ideas pertaining to the subject im writing about. I try to categorize those ideas and create one main idea for each paragraph im going to write.once i have an idea of how the layout will look i just start writing whatever comes into my mind. after i complete my rough draft i like to proofread it myself then have some of my peers look it over & have them critique it. outsiders usualy seem to see what your writing from a different perspective,wich is a good thing.next ill take into consideration my own thoughts as well as my peers, make any changes i see nesacary, and ill rewrite my paper as a final copy.

My Writing Process

My personal writing process is kind of a mix of the standard structure and free writing. I usually like to start off by brain storming or just picking an idea to write about. Then I do research on that topics and gather a few good points or facts and us those as my main discussion points. Once I get those discussion points I will write an introduction which would tell you what my paper is about, how I feel about it (if necessary), and my thesis statement and/or points. Usually when I write I like to have music going, if the TV is on it tends to be too distracting but music is a good relaxer and calms me down so that I can write a good paper. Depending on the paper it usually takes me about a hour or two to write something good, whether it just be a rough draft or the final product. Also, contrary to many people, I like to work under a deadline. I feel it gets me motivated to write and forces me to do it, granted it is a tad bit stressful but with out the deadline I would most likely never get the paper done. When it comes to the free writing part, it usually happens when I begin a paragraph or when I state my next point. Besides the main topic, thesis statement, and discussion points, there's really not much that is written down on hard paper when I write.

Writing Process

When i write usually at first i don't know where to start. First off i decide on a topic that i can write about or that i have suffiecient knowledge on. Usually what works for me is when i write down all of my ideas on a sheet of paper so i roughly know what im working with. After i written some main topics or ideas down i start to structure where they are going into my essay or whatever it is that i'm writing. Next I start my outline in which i allign all the quotes or facts that i have collected on the topic. Once my outline is complete it becomes time for me to fill in all the little details and arguments that may or may not be there from all of my textual evidence. When the rough draft is complete i read over it a second time and try to make any revisions on things that i have messed up on. In the past i have done peer editing but usually after I look over it i start to write my final paper.

AllMyLifeForSaleDotCom

I really enjoyed reading this piece. I found that at the end, I wanted to read more. I really do think that the possessions that we have do explain who we are, to an extent. I honestly can't imagine selling all my things. I find that I'm attached to my belongings because I always remember where I got them from and they bring back memories for me. I'm more of a practical person, so by selling all my things, then spending the money I got from that to go on a road trip instead of saving it, isn't me at all.

I like that Freyer told us what his friend Trey thought about the project. He didn't like that Freyer was selling everything that he got for him. I love seeing my presents or gifts that I give my friends going to good use. I like knowing that they like it, and that I actually know them enough to get them something they love using or wearing. I would never want to sell the gifts my friends have given me.

I don’t really think of myself as being materialistic. It’s not good to try to get happiness from possessions, but it’s nice to cherish possessions if they make you think of people, times, or places that brought you happiness. In being a college freshman away from home I think you’re tested. You can’t bring everything you own, and it makes you actually think what you need and what’s important and what you’ll actually miss. This story really relates to us in that way, I think.

As for "A Place for My Stuff" I found it to be very humorous. It rang very true to me. Without your things you never feel quite at home. Bringing your things to college for example is just a way to make your dorm more of a home for you. I also like the quote "Have you noticed that their stuff is shit, and your shit is stuff." If you really think about, the "stuff" you own and cherish most likely doesn't mean anything to anyone else. This really made me think, but also gave me a good laugh.

Convergences 2-24

I am not usually very fond of textbooks, but this one is not bad so far. The way it shows examples of what it's saying is nice, and it helps the subject to be more understandable. It relates writing to the press and the arts which makes it easier to see the differences between message, method, and medium.

I think being able to find the message of a piece of work, is extremely helpful. Every writer, director, or painter could be given the exact same concept but show it in an entirely different way. As the consumer of the work, to be able to pinpoint the idea they were going for is a very important skill. this might also help in ways that are not directly linked to media or the arts. I think this skill helps with getting to know people. When you really get to know someone, you can understand what they mean when maybe no one else can. They can say something and get people all confused and then you could come in and explain what they mean. You can see the message in all sorts of things. This skill can also show you how other people's minds work, they can interpret the same piece of writing in a way you wouldn't think to. Once you retrace their steps though, you can begin to see what they were thinking.

Convergences

When people open a textbook to do some reading they look at it and some open the book get discouraged and say oh forget it and they don't do it especially when you hav e to read twenty pages. Twenty pages is a lot and I will have to admit I did lose interest in the begining, but IO never gave up. I would keep on reading and actually as I had read it go9t more and more interesting. In the beging they would talk about when you read you need to be thinking about the message or what it is saying, what the message is trying to convay to you and how you interpret the information that you are reading. When I read that I had agreed with that statement because you do read like that I guess that some of us have never thought of it that way before but we do read in that fashion. Another great way to interpret information that youn are writing or someone else is writing you could make an outline. When you make an outline it separates important information for people to take out of that outline and put it into their paper. I have to be honest, when I have written a lot of papers and reports in my day for school I have used this method almost every single time and it has always come out perfecctly . When you write an essay or a paper it is always always importantg to have a begining, a middle and an end. If you make or form an outline you can pull that information for your outline and start to make writting your paper easier and faster. When everyone writes a paper you want to have every peice of information neat and well organized, and if you follow this meathod you will definatly meet those goals.

Convergences pgs 2-24 (my take) (bg)

When I first sat down to read the 20 some pages in the Convergences text book, I thought I would read the first couple of lines and get bored, and end up being distracted. But I was happily surprised when I read further into the text. I found myself relating to a lot of the text. When I started reading into the Message, Method, Medium section, I started to think of all the songs i have in my playlists on my iPod. I started to think of how a lot of the songs are relaying a message in their lyrics. after reading the entire passage, i found myself picking apart the songs i listened to the most and trying to listen to the message the artist was trying to express. My end thought after reading all the text that sticks out to me is that there is multiple ways of expressing a message to an audience. You can express it through actions, but writing a message in a song or an essay can be just as expressive as actions, if not more. I found all of the text in the sections i read interesting and really good. I think this is the first time Ive actually finished a reading assignment for an English class. I think this reading assignment is one that i will always remember because i can relate to it the most, and in my opinion that makes reading to me much easier when i can relate to it. I feel like when i can relate to what i am reading i can stick to reading the entire assignment better than something that i have no clue about. I look forward the future reading assignments and blogs to post now that i know what i am reading about. i think that the whole idea behind reading things is to get a deeper understanding about modern things and a more modern attempt at teaching and learning new things.

Convergences 2-24 ( My Interpretation)

After reading the pages in the Convergences textbook I learned a lot about the media and how it delivers messages to the masses. It’s interesting how some information is priority over other information and how things can be stretched to have different meanings within the media. This is important for me to know because I must begin to recognize different writing styles and techniques for my career choice. I want to be an immigration lawyer so writing will be a large part of my job.

If one looks at television, radio or internet, one will see that tons of information flows all around and through us. To truly be aware of the world around us and what’s going on in the news and society one must do research and look beyond the information beyond what the media selects for us. I believe that was the big picture of the passage of reading.

I feel it also touches on the writing process which is a fundamental skill every writer; professional or amateur should be equipped with. The four stages of the writing process are important to include in every paper, so I cant wait to brush up on those skills in this class.

Electronic Writing

1. I have some experience with electronic writing. But I have used IM, e-mail, and twitter. I blogged on myspace before but I’ve never had any constant blogging. I also use facebook on a daily basis. I like electronic writing more than physically writing. Electronic writing is fun and you have a better experience. You can write a story without your hands getting tired.

2. I believe writing changes a lot when using an electronic medium as opposed to using a pen and pencil. I believe it changes because it’s much easier to write when using an electronic medium. It’s a lot easier for me to get my thoughts out when I don’t have to write them. When I type it’s like my thoughts flow freely. When I’m writing with pen and paper I have a hard time getting my thoughts straight and down on the paper. I think you feel freer when writing things on a computer. There’s more room for change once you finish and go back. You may not like something you said and instead of having to write the whole paper over you can go back and make changes. One negative thing about electronic writing is that people use it to get out of writing more. There are a lot of tactics you can use to make a little bit of writing look like a lot more than it really is.

Convergences (Week 2)

When I first heard that we were going to blog about what we read in the book, I thought I could get away with just looking at everyones posts and drawing a conclusion from that. It is hard to make your own blog post with your thoughts in it, when you are just looking at other people's personal thoughts. So after breaking down and reading the assigned pages, I realized that what I had read relates to so many different things.

After reading the twenty two pages in Convergences I came to the conclusion that I could relate this to something in my life. I might be going out on a tangent with this, but I am going to go with it anyway. When I got to the section in the reading that talked about audience and purpose, I realized that this could relate to my career in volleyball. ( If you would call it a career.) I noticed that playing volleyball can relate to how someone writes. Everyone thinks differently when it comes to reading something. Someone might pick Charlotte's Web and think it is the most amazing book ever. Other people may think that it is the worst book ever written. I related this to volleyball because when you are playing you have to be able to read the ball that is coming towards you. There is always that chance that you never know what is going to happen, but most of the time you can focus on the ball and really understand what direction it is going. I also related volleyball in the sense of what the audience thinks. I have been in a game where I have heard someone say, " Holy crap! That was amazing!" and also I have heard someone say something like, "Oh, anyone could do what he just did." This all goes back to people will always have different thoughts no matter where you are. Whether you are reading a novel or watching a volleyball game, you always need to be on your toes for what is going to happen next. Hopefully this blog post makes some sort of sense, but if not at least I still got something out of it.

Convergences (2-24)

When I first picked up the book to begin reading I thought it was going to put me to sleep, surprisingly it was really interesting to me. The beginning, about message, method, and medium had me really thinking about how much time is put into a simple photograph, for example, Weegee, Car Crash Upper Fifth Ave., July 13, 1941, on page 7. When I saw this i thought to myself how could Weegee stand there and go for the perfect shot instead of helping them get out of the car. Then i remembered a picture I saw last spring, on the cover of some magazine. It had a person (I cant recall the age), laying down in the dirt with a buzzard watching them, ready to eat them. And I again was confused on how the photographer could take a picture and not help. It shows how important message, method, and medium are in any type of work, photography for example, that they would focus on that more than saving a life. I also was interested about audience, purpose, and context. I didn't actually know how much went into making commercials, movies, essay, billboards, etc. until i read this. My dad works for Pepsi Cola and he has posters, and ads in his truck for when he puts up displays and I never thought of how much time is put into each poster. Sometimes ill see a commercial on television and think nothing of it, but now after doing the reading I am trying to pick apart the ads and try to guess the audience, purpose, and context. The first section was really interest and I'm excited to keep reading the book.

convergences 2-24

While reading Convergences i really wasn't expecting the book to talk about all the types of medium, message, and the various methods that are shown throughout the first reading. After reading the first 15 pages i began to think about the vast types of information that i recieve in a given day. You dont think about it till they give you all of those examples that refered to how men were proposing to their wives. I loved how it gave various pictures and examples so you could compare how different the types of medium changed and how the message took the person by surprise. It also changed my views on television and how they market products through commercials. MTV and other television networks aim their television shows to a specific age group usually from ages any where from 16 to 30. They dont bother trying to interest a group that wont be interestged into their television network. Many people have certain likes and with the uses of medium and methods different messages can be portrayed to various audiences and groups.

CONVERGENCES

When I first started reading this assignment I thought it was going to be completely different from what it ended up being, in a good way. I really enjoyed the whole idea about media and the arts portraying the same messages in different ways. I really like how they related this idea to the way men propose to women. There are silent attempts where the man simply holds out the ring. There are flashy public attempts where the man proposes somewhere everyone can view them. Then there's the romantic attempts where a woman finds the ring hidden in her chocolate cake. All these have the same message in mind.

They also talked about how the media, movies, songs, poems, really anything delivering a message, strategically outlines their plan before they deliver it. I liked that you can actually analyze movies and books and find deeper meanings. It made me think about what I see everyday. I really understand the word convergences now because of the example about how a movie can be completely different from the book it came from, but in the end they still have the same basic idea.

I also liked that they informed us about how now things can be modified and that the media paints the picture they want you to see not what actually happened. As the audience we need to at least be aware that we might not be seeing the whole truth.

The whole idea about reading things that aren't the printed word sounds very interesting. I think it's a more modern attempt at learning how to analyze things deeper. I also think it will be much easier to relate and think about the deeper ideas when they're not simply a book or novel or a reading.

Convergences

While reading through the pages in Convergences it really made me think a lot about how people use different techniques to do things. Everything varying from a writing to a picture has an important meaning that you have to find out yourself. Everyone has their own way of portraying their ideas because everyone thinks differently and has different approaches. One important thing that I learned is that while you are reading or even looking at a picture you should always ask yourself questions. By doing this you might be able to understand why the author did it this way and not another. Another important thing is that when writing you should always use an outline. Outlines are a key factor in having a well written paper. My teachers always used to make us write outlines for all of our essays because they would say that it would help us and make sure the paper was put together right. I also learned that a message can be made it many different ways. As I was reading there was a part about proposing and how any different ways people can do it. From watching tv and movies, these days you see just about every way that someone can propose. In the past years a simple question to ask has become a big thing where you now can do just about anything you want with it as in putting it on a billboard and many other ways. Just from reading these few pages I learned a lot about messages, mediums and methods.

Convergences

The recent reading from Convergences honestly made me a little more excited about this class. The whole concept of not just looking at a picture, but also seeing what message the photographer was trying to send and how they got their message across I find extremely interesting. In a way the passage I read opened up my mind when I looked at a picture I simply saw a picture, where as now I want to almost decipher the pictures meaning. I have not previously even discussed medium, message, and the method so everything is new to me. I thought it was really interesting when I read that the media in the world today, shows you what they want you to see, and not actually what happened. I also found it interesting that a book and a movie about that same book can seem completely different, can be expressed in two different forms and yet they still deliver the same message. The book already seems like it is the exact opposite of what I thought it was going to be, I am almost excited to read it because it is so different then everything I previously have learned in my writing classes.

This post's message is to prove that I read the assignment and understand it's content. The method of this post is blatantly pointing out things I found interesting in the reading and the medium is this blog. The assignment did help me to feel more comfortable with the concepts of message, method, medium. For me, it's really easy to disregard these tools of writing while reading something but I understand that I miss a lot when I don't take the time to consider these elements. Something I thought was interesting in the text was the bit on audience just because I think the book itself does a fairly good job of connecting to it's audience. The pages I read were filled with interesting pictures and anecdotes that related well with the points it was trying make. Even the way it was written was to the point and easy to understand.

To appeal to my readers I'm starting a new paragraph because it's easier to read bits and pieces then a big chunky paragraph.Something else I'd like to comment on is the comparison of art and writing. The book frequently used examples of images instead of passages to explain message, method and medium. I just find it interesting that though art it's easier to understand these concepts and that the ways of analyzing art and writing are the same. It could be said that the writing is just an medium of art. The terms message, method and medium are really broad and could be applied to plenty of things such as film, music, or comedy. Because these tools of understanding can be applied to so many different types of art I would say it's a pretty important thing to know.

Convergences

I think the first assigned reading was really easy to get through. The book gives multiple examples every time they define something. I liked this a lot because even if the words were confusing there was a visual which connected it and then made it much easier to understand. The reading especially emphasized that in writing and all other mediums interpretation is always left up to the reader and the viewer, and that it may not always be interpreted the way the creator intended. I liked this because it means that there is not always one answer which I think is an important concept in writing. Their example of the marriage proposal was a god way to convey how one message can have many different methods and mediums which actually make them completely different. I think it is important to emphasize the fact that a certain message should not always be portrayed the same way because a lot of times in writing assignments for school, students get the impression, or perhaps just do it habitually, to write whatever the opinion of their teacher is. I think what Convergences wants is for students to be able to strengthen their own delivery of messages they believe so that they can state their own opinions in an effective way. Which is what i hope to learn from this book.

convergences.

When i first bought this book I thought it was going to be really boring. I thought to myself, "wow, this book should be interesting since it cost so much". But as I started reading it, it actually wasn't that bad. I find it kind of interesting. At first I didn't know what the word convergences meant or what they meant when they said "medium". But after reading the pages I found out the true meaning. After learning what convergences meant, I was surprised of how that word can be used into the writing language. The thing I enjoyed reading about most or the thing I found the most interesting was how the book explained to us the difference between message, method, and medium. I loved the different ways people propose to each other and explaining it to me that way gave me a lot better understanding of what those words mean. One thing that is hard for me to understand is finding the purpose if a story. In convergences it talks about finding the purpose of a story, a painting, a poem, etc. For me it is sometimes hard to "think outside the box". So this is one thing I would definitely like to get better at. The last thing I actually like about this book so far is that there are a ton of illustrations. I am very much a visual learner and having those paintings and drawings and such really help put things into prospective for me.

Converge

This chapter of convergences was an easy read for me. Not only did I learn the deeper meaning of the word converge, but i learned how to successfully use messages, methods, and mediums to completely understand what is all around me. After a reading, I like to analyze the message but it wasn't until reading this passage that I discovered that there is a more constructive way to do so. I never thought about the process used to comprehend what I read. While I went through this, the visual pictures helped me understand the concept. The pictures proved to me visually that an artist, as well as an author, paints in appealing ways to generate a broader audience. Specifically, the ad for Camel Jr's would have grabbed my attention of a big range of people. The artist was conscious about the fact that his audience would see the picture and relate to it. People are swept into the ad simply because of the camel is a baby and most people, when they think about babies, have positive and happy thoughts. Furthermore, when the author words phrases or situations in ways that the audience can easily associate with, it keeps it interesting. They are consciously doing this to draw the reader in.
I enjoyed the reading because now when I read, I will not just understand the meaning from the surface. I will now evaluate deeper and look at how the author tells his/her message and what methods were used to do so.

Convergences

Message, method, and medium are words commonly used in the english language. Many people only know the simple definitions but Convergences has taught me a different definition for these words. It has taught me that message has three different meanings, one is as a descrete form of communication, two is a moral or story, and three is as an unmistakable point. I never knew really what method was to be honest. I now know that it is how the text says something. An example would be some says "hello" and another says "wassup". They both mean the same thing but are different to each person. As for medium I always had an idea but nothing really concrete. Medium in terms of English is the plural form of media. Media comes in a million different forms; television, newpaper, and the internet are just a few. Medium also has 2, kind of hidden, meanings. One of which is the physical material an artist uses such as what they use to portray their image. Marble, canvas, and paper are just a few that come to mind. Something else that is important to a piece of work is who the story is written to and how it is written to them. When something is written to a certain group of people it is important to write in a style that would appeal to them. If the peice of work is intended for a television show you would probably not write it in first person. Also you would need to consider the goal or purpose of the piece of work. Generally when something is written, it is written to serve a purpose such as impacting someones life or simply just getting the message out there.

katie allison

I learned what convergence the books name actually means, "coming together at a single point from different directions." I came across reading about the message of this, their methods, and its medium. I know all things have messages, but really have never thought to much about them, unless I am spouse to, or interested in learning the message. You have to identify things, some which might appear different then what it actually means. something is complex if we can not tell what its meaning is just by looking at it or knowing about it. While the message is what the text is saying the method is how it goes about saying it. when someone says hi to me i feel like that is a different message then if they were to say hey. But everyone says it different you just have to know the person and what they mean from it. How the method is composed to effects it. We obsereve texture, patterns, and how it was made when we see things. You see things from different points of views, the visualization of things. Some people used visualization to help them in school, for example people use outlines, or try to visualize certain things. There are patterens and many repetitions in many artist today. It is the way they like to do things. lastly medium, message and methods are normally shaped for the medium. I never thought it was related to media, or mass media. I have never thought that way. Like they said in the reading listening to a book on tape, or watching the movie of it, is a lot different then actually reading it, you understand it differently. Sometimes the meaning changes. The "Will you marry me?" helped a lot to explain all of this. There are many different ways to ask someone to marry you. They all had different messages and mediums, but the message was all the same.

I have never really thought about what i read until today, I learned that messages is what is it saying, method is how it goes about saying it, and the medium is why it is delivered in a certain way. All things have meanings you just have to interrupt them to learn more

First Reading

This reading made me start to realize the many ways in which people communicate, and how they go about doing so. Communication has been made possible through message, method, and medium. We use messages everyday in our lives to help better understand people, signs, artwork etc. However, the way that one person sees a message may be totally different from another persons point of view. This is the beauty behind messages. Method also leaves that open area for a person to interpret something in whatever way they want. I have found myself looking at things very different than other people. When multiple people have different opinions on the same topic, it allows everyone to take in consideration the different perspectives that are out there. Medium is how we receive the messages, and it has evolved with our changing world. New technology has made the way we receive messages endless. Mass media has made medium expand exponentially. By using the phrase "Will You Marry Me", the book displays message, method, and medium. The message is exactly the same throughout this passage. However, the method and medium by which this message is received drastically changes. Whether it's from simply getting down on one knee or writing it on a billboard, the message stays the same.

Audience, purpose, and context deal with all types of communication. The audience that something is directed towards is very important. You wouldn't want to be writing to second graders about politics. For one, they would not understand what you're saying, and two they quite frankly wouldn't care. Purpose always plays a big role in communicating. If your reading a text or listening to a lecture, you want it to stay on course and have a certain reason or lesson behind it. If it is scatter-brained and hard to follow, then the reader or listener looses interest very quickly. By knowing the context of a story, you tend to get sort of a background from the reader or speaker. If you know that you are reading something from a couple hundred years ago, you know that you must have patience. The text may be hard to understand and very complex. Likewise is you're reading a passage from a time of famine, for example, you know that the writer will not have a very positive attitude toward the world. By knowing all of these details of writing, it makes understand people and passages a whole lot easier.

Convergences 2-24

When I first turned through the pages of our reading I had no idea what message, method and medium were, but as I started to read the section I began to recognize everything. I see message more as a summary than anything else. Such as in the book when it speaks about breaking down a ten page paper to its main points rather than leaving in the unneeded details or summarizing a crime up in a few words rather than many. As I kept on reading I saw that when talking about message you can't just state the subject or theme, you have to be more specific than that. When reading about method I never knew it covered such a broad subject. The subjects that made it seem broad were things such as different ways to say hello or asking someone what they were doing. Also I found it interesting that method can be made by many different sources, by speaking, videos, photos and any other way you could possibly think. Method can also be changed by a simple turn of a camera or change of an angle. Medium was the easiest concept to grasp because all it is is the subject through which you communicate, computer, phone, TV, or even paintings. Reading "Message, Method, Medium: Will You Marry Me?," really helped group the three M's together. It showed that there isn't just one way to do something there's millions of different ways. In the book it showed that asking someone to marry you could be done by simply using words on a billboard, using scrabble pieces to spell it out or mowing the letters in a field.

As for audience, purpose and context, those were a different story. I thought I knew everything about these topics but as I read on I figured out I was wrong. For the audience section I expected it just to say that it was the people who subscribe to your product, but in the book it went into more detail. It began talking about how there are many types of audiences and how producers spend lots of money each year to research what the audience is interested in. Purpose is the aim or goal of the producers. When the book explained purpose it talked about how you shouldn't look at a poem or news story in the same ways because they have different purposes. Context was the only topic that didn't go into lots of detail. Context is the meaning of the story as a whole so, when a person would pull a sentence from a paper they wouldn't get the meaning of it As it states in the book, "pulled from context," is when a quote is pulled from a story and distorts the meaning that people intended. This is what I learned about in the reading.

Message, Method and Medium

I learned several things after reading "Convergences." I understand the meanings of message, method and medium and how they differ from one another. Message is a form of communication or, a point. There are different ways to portray your message. For example, a simple wave hello is a gesture that sends a distinct message. However, not all messages are easily understood. While looking at a piece of art, I may see a completely different meaning then the person standing next to me. Art is a more complex way of displaying a message. Method is what is being said. The tone in which it is spoken tells everything. If you are feeling happy or mad, your method expresses those emotions. Medium means each expression reaches every individual in a different way. We may relate to certain poetry or songs played on the radio. Medium can also be defined as physical material an artist uses.

Since the world is becoming more and more technologically advanced the fine line between fact and fiction is growing harder and harder to recognize. So how do you know if the message method and medium are correct? Take reality shows for example. We all watch shows such as The Real World, The Hills and Big Brother. Is the drama real or scripted? There are messages all throughout the media. Newspapers, magazines, TV, radio even something as sentimental as asking your loved one to marry you. There are various ways to do it and to perceive it. The marriage proposals in Convergences helped me visually on how to perceive different messages, methods and mediums. I learned that the purpose is the overall goal and aim. It helps you understand why a text was written or composed. Some purposes are not all similar even if the topic is the same. Overall, message method and medium are all so closely related it is hard to tell how they differ from one another. After reading these pages and looking at the examples, I have a clearer vision of what they are.

Convergences

The first thing i learned after the reading was about messages. There is a lot more to the message from a book, an add, a movie, etc. then you really ever think about. To really grasp the message you have to look a lot deeper into it and the person communicating it. The person communicating the message has to really think before they present it about their audience and how their message will be portrayed. Iv'e never really thought about how a simple message can go so much deeper than it's first appearance. The thought that it's creator puts into it goes a lot farther than just simply writing or drawing something off of the top of their head. This all connects with the writers method. The way they go about conveying their message. After reading about methods, I really thought about the importance of the way you express a message. The way you say anything, even if it is something simple can be perceived in so many different ways. This all goes along with knowing your audience. If you say "hi" in a dull voice to a concerned friend be prepared for them to assume something is wrong with you. The method you use to explain a message applies for so many different aspects of life that I never even considered. The third word that was discussed in the book was medium. The medium has multiple meanings and ties in with messages and methods. This is because the medium is the tangible tool used to get the message across and the affects the method the writer uses. The medium is often the media because the media is a main tool to get messages across. The book also goes over the purpose of writing the text in the first place and the context of where it came from. After reading about all of this, my eyes have really been opened to how much thought goes into each writers or artists head when they express something whether it be a writing, a song, a painting, or a commercial. I now understand the meaning of message, method and medium and how they correlate with each other. It's really surprising when you think about how all of these things affect how our world is run.

Convergences (Week 2 Blog)

After reading for this blog I understand the meanings of message, method, and medium. I have never really thought about how these go into our everyday lives. Everything has a meaning, whether it has to do with art, advertisement, or even the way we talk to someone. The next time I look at a painting or picture, watch a commercial, or hold up a conversation I will ask myself what is the point? How is it being delivered to me? Also, why is this message being delivered to me? I will look at everything differently because I now know questions I can ask myself to make life more interesting! When reading the "Will You Marry Me?" section of the reading came up I kind of stumbled upon because there are so many different variations that you can ask someone to marry you and there are so many reasons of why someone would ask you. Some situations are harder to depict then others but that's why I had read it twice because I had trouble understanding it.

When it comes to understanding texts and the audiences, purposes, and contexts come in all different ways, especially audiences. Audiences can range from race to age to religious views. And when someone takes a picture, paints a painting, or makes a show they are directing it toward to a certain audience or audiences. There so many critics out there and they put down these things because they might not be directed toward this certain critic, so people who criticize shouldn't until they know the audience it is being directed toward. Sometimes the purpose of something may not be particularly clear to everyone, but that may mean they are to young or to old or not from around that area. If I were to go somewhere out of America I may not get the humor of the place I'm at but it wasn't directed toward me. That leads me to context. Context is exactly what I was talking about with leaving America, it's where something was originated. This is my feelings toward the reading!

First Reading

To be completely honest until I read the first page of the reading I had no idea what a convergence was. I had never heard the word before in daily life or reading. I never knew how articles were broken down or how they are analyzed. I never realized how often as a society we look for the message in everything we do. I learned that a work's message and the theme are two separate ideas. When the author discussed how different texts in our textbook may seemed simple and casual on the surface but can often mask an impressive complexity, I found that to be very interesting. I often take things for face value and do not always look to find the deeper meaning of things as this book is making us do. I completely agree with the author talking about how everyone has a different method for everything. As I was taking photography I found it fascinating to observe every one's method for taking pictures such as angles, subjects, and composition. A point that the author also brought to my attention was that we outline our own works but we do not outline someone else's completed work. I never really thought about that, I usually just read the article and do not even consider the idea of outlining or editing some one's work unless I am asked to do so. While reading the section about "will you marry me?" I was surprised to hear all the different ways men ask women to this day and all the extra work they put into it (ex. photographer). After giving the article a second thought though, society again does everything differently from the way they say things to the way they do it, everything now makes sense! How the message, method and medium now go along with each other. Learning about audience I had no idea so many little features went towards your audience. The way there are little knit-picky details for ever aspect of writing, texts and every part of literature out there.

Convergences

While reading through the pages in Convergences it really made me think a lot about how people use different techniques to do things. Everything varying from a writing to a picture has an important meaning that you have to find out yourself. Everyone has their own way of portraying their ideas because everyone thinks differently and has different approaches. One important thing that I learned is that while you are reading or even looking at a picture you should always ask yourself questions. By doing this you might be able to understand why the author did it this way and not another. Another important thing is that when writing you should always use an outline. Outlines are a key factor in having a well written paper. My teachers always used to make us write outlines for all of our essays because they would say that it would help us and make sure the paper was put together right. I also learned that a message can be made it many different ways. As I was reading there was a part about proposing and how any different ways people can do it. From watching tv and movies, these days you see just about every way that someone can propose. In the past years a simple question to ask has become a big thing where you now can do just about anything you want with it as in putting it on a billboard and many other ways. Just from reading these few pages I learned a lot about messages, mediums and methods.

Hypergraphia 2.0: WELCOME!

Writting Electronically !

1) In the past I have had a few experiances with writting electronically. I have e-mailed my friends and family when they have gone on vacation or some place far away, I have left comments for people on myspace and Facebook, and I have also left people text messages. I have never twittered anybody and I probably never will. This generation of kids have become more experianced with computers and electronical writting then the past generations have, but that's a good thing. This gives us an oppertunity to share and teach the next generation what we have learned and share with them the same experiances we have had in the past.

2) When we write a letter on a piece of paper with a pen or pencil , we can write down whatever we feel and can change and change as much as we want. Now on a computer, yes we can make as many changes as we want but not as freely. When you type something in an e-mail and you go to send it to a friend , it has gone and was sent to your friend in a snap of a finger. Then you realize, wait, I forgot to sign it or I forgot to erase something I shouldn't have said, But you can't change it because now it is gone. If you wrote in a letter and you went to send it out when you close the envelope and then you realize you had to change something you can. It is easier to open an envelope and change it then to press the wrong button on the computer and not be able to change your response.In the end I believe that writing is a challenge and I believe that when you write electronically it does effect you writing in so many ways.