Week Three

Voice

Voice is absolutely essential for readable academic writing. You can write the most original, most revolutionary article in the entire world and if nobody can bare to read it, what have you accomplished? Voice is often attributed with expressive writing.  However, I believe there is a way to write completely objective, analytical papers with the most natural voice. It’s about pacing and breath and word choice. Okay, it’s probably more extensive than that, but those are the three elements I typically think of when I think of voice.

Part of voice, though, is not thinking about voice. I find that when I write, without thinking about structure or “sounding smart” my writing reflects a more genuine, engaging element. You can always go back and “edit.”

The article “How to Get Power through Voice” by Peter Elbow (haha, Elbow, sorry) had some great ideas for teaching and practicing voice, like doing fifteen minute free-writes and embracing the voice you have, the real one.

A connection is waiting to be made in the classroom between school writing and personal writing. Students sit and type a mediocre essay about something they don’t care about and then, five minutes later, log in to facebook or myspace and type five pages in a hurried, feverish manner. Sure, it’s not usually “great” writing, and it probably has more and @#&@^%  and omg’s than would traditionally be acceptable for an academic paper, but it’s voice. Even writing on this blog, instead of composing a short essay and turning it in, I find myself writing more freely, with more voice. How do we bridge the gap? How do we make the connection?

Week One

Composition, or the act of composing a meaningful piece of writing is, I think, essential to the human experience. It does not have to be published, or even read by anyone but yourself. It does not have to be perfect.  But the act itself, the creative process of forming words from unique ideas is cathartic and strengthening.

If I had to list the three most important concepts of composition they would have to be:
1. Identity
2. Purpose
3. Process

Identity includes “Who am I?” and “Who are they?” That is, self-identity, voice, style, strengths, weaknesses, and audience, the intended group or individuals I want to impact with what I am saying. I may write from a point-of-view or perspective that is not my own, but I still have to identify my own identity to either capitalize on it or steer away from my most common tendencies as a writer.

Purpose is “Why am I doing this?” What is the reason for composing? Am I sharing a message? Am I arguing against an existing idea? Am I supporting an existing idea? This is sort of the philosophical phase of composition and it is necessary to establish as you move on to Process.

Process is “How am I going to communicate?” After identifying Identity and Purpose, one can move onto the nitty-gritty of how this will be accomplished. It will require style, voice , and other mechanical elements to establish the Purpose and communicate in the desired manner.

Of course,  I have over-simplified composition, but hope to return to this and refine it as the semester continues.  Also, I think these elements would be the good basis for a teaching philosophy as I establish identity of myself as a teacher and my students, a purpose for teaching what I intend to teach, and a process of how I will accomplish my intended learning outcomes.