Fifth-grader Noah as he discussed writing as “Wicked Cool”, is a great way to describe how I also feel about writing. (Tompkins and Jones, 2019) We as people have the ability to write and express ourselves, and this ability is so incredibly powerful. The elements of author’s craft help each writer find their voice and way with writing that works best for them.
I don’t recall learning a lot about author’s craft when I was younger in elementary school, I am sure it was taught but I can’t recall moments in time that we were explicitly taught about author’s craft. My senior year in high school I took an English class that required us to write several different pieces throughout the semester. This teacher challenged our ability to write and to write with author’s craft in mind. Up until that point, I never considered some of the different elements of author’s craft. I LOVED the challenge to play with words and finding my voice as a writer.
As I sit here thinking about myself as a writer, I notice at least one very distinct way that I write and that’s academically. I struggle with certain elements of author’s craft when I write academically. Out often seven elements of author's craft that Tompkins and Jones (2019) discuss, I have the hardest time with voice. When writing academically it is sometimes hard for me to write passionately, especially if it is not a topic I am extremely passionate about. However, when writing academically I am fairly well off at writing while keeping in mind the other six elements: ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. (Tompkins and Jones 2019) I personally love coming with ideas and organizing my thoughts in a way that best supports my thinking. I am always very satisfied when I have a final writing piece that has a variety of sentences, correct spelling and grammar, and I especially feel satisfied when the presentation of the final looks perfect.
While I am writing this, I am consciously making decisions about how I am writing this blog entry. However, I think that is because I am writing about the elements of author’s craft that Tompkins and Jones (2019) discussed. Typically, when I am writing I do not consciously think about all of the elements of author’s craft. The elements of author’s craft that I do consciously think about are voice, ideas, organization, and presentation. During writing, I typically do not actively thinking about word choice, sentence fluency, and convention. These are elements that I will dedicate time to focusing on after my initial writing piece. When I am writing my main focus is getting my thoughts down on paper. After my thoughts are down on paper I can go back and play with what I initially wrote.
Hicks & Lehman (2013) suggests starting thinking about author’s craft through the lens of the reader as if you were the one writing the piece. I have heard this idea before, but reading the ideas in the context of discussing the author’s craft made me reflect on what it really meant. When I am reading, I have to consider the choices the writer made. The choices centered around author’s craft that a writer makes when composing a piece can truly change a piece depending on the choices. It’s important to be a critical reader, it will help me become a better writer. Now that I have this background knowledge, and I have started recognizing when I notice different elements of author’s craft in whatever I am reading.
References
Hicks, T., & Lehman, C. (2013). Crafting digital writing: Composing texts across media and genres. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Tompkins, G.E., & Jones, P. D. (2019). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product (7th ed.). NY, NY: Pearson.
ReplyDeleteKristina, I find it interesting that you noted you have trouble with "voice" when writing academically. Is this because you aren't sure about your voice as a professional? You aren't sure you know enough to speak with "authority?" Or is that you aren't sure you know your audience well enough (typically your professors) as you are writing your pieces? Or is it something else?
One small note about your references: Hicks is the only author of _Crafting Digital Writing_ and Tompkins is the only officially recognized author of _Teaching Writing (7th ed)_