Week 3 Prompt 1

Reading my short essay to my sister was extremely helpful. When I read my writing in my head it normally makes perfect sense and sounds just fine, but when I actually read it out loud I found the little things that don't sound quite right. One thing that I learned from reading my essay to someone is that you can't write well without reading it out loud. A piece may seem greater than one of Beethoven's symphonies, but when you hear the writing it may not be quite the melodic masterpiece you thought it was. Another important lesson I learned from this activity is that a paper is always better when someone edits the paper for you and not yourself. For some strange reason we humans sometimes think that what we do is perfect and cannot be made better when it actually could use a lot of work. Lastly, I learned that being afraid of what someone might think of your writing is natural but unnecessary because things can always be improved.
Having someone else read your writing aloud can make a world of a difference. It helped me understand what it would be like to see it from a readers point of view, which in turn helps me to be a better writer. Now I look at my work and think, "What would it sound like if I were reading this to someone?" Putting down thoughts that just flow from your head doesn't always work. Sentences need revision and sometimes whole paragraphs are just in the wrong spot.
Others can learn from this that they can always use help when writing a paper for school or anything else. They can tell you what works well in the piece or what isn't working so well. The reader always knows best.


45 min.