Hanno 1 The Revision Process Demanding, Yet Beneficial My autobiography of my writing history and process reflects upon my ability

y to recognize my strengths and weaknesses as a writer over the course of my education. It describes my struggles and triumphs as a student, while reflecting upon how my writing has evolved over the years. Furthermore, I specifically and vividly describe memories of writing in my journal as a young girl. These ideas unveil my history of writing and the process, while demonstrating how my lack of revision prevents me from creating flawless, clear, and succinct papers. Revision requires and demands patience, motivation, and endurance from the writer. Its a grueling process that causes endless frustrations. Meticulously changing words, rearranging sentences, cutting paragraphs, correcting grammar, and reorganizing the structure represent some of the major changes that are involved in the revision process. Completing these processes will generate clearer and sharper writing. I revise my paper based on the amount of time I have before I have to turn the finished paper in. Revision takes time, and time is not something I have ample amounts of as a senior in college. But for this paper, I took the time to read and re-read the paper out aloud, correct my unclear sentences, decrease repeated words, and examine the organization. I realize that revision of these elements in my paper will produce better writing, but I am never satisfied with the end results. Even with turning a paper in with revisions, I feel unsettled about how complete it really is. Tutoring however, is a much easier process because its easier to recognize mistakes and provide constructive criticism for other papers other than my own. I know what writing should consist of and I recognize when papers lack certain elements, except usually my own. As a writer, I perceive my writing in a specific way and while it makes sense to me that doesnt mean

Hanno 2 it does to others. By tutoring, I offer a fresh set of eyes on a paper thats exhausted by the writers eyes. The tutor identifies imperfections in a paper that the writer glanced over. While tutoring, I like commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of a paper because it helps me to improve my own paper. I learn through tutoring how to revise my papers. Revising others papers helps me clarify what I need to revise in my own. After tutoring, I realized how I could improve the quality of my paper. I constantly compare my writing to other writers, which makes me slightly competitive as a result. Perhaps you find it surprising that revising and commenting on anothers essay makes me more conscientious of my own writing, but it allows me to focus as a writer. It motivates me to improve my writing through more meticulous revision. Being tutored offers the same type of benefit, but reversed. The tutor reveals how to improve my paper based on her experience from reading it. She discussed the strengths, but also explained how to improve certain portions of the paper as well. She critiqued small elements such as grammar and then larger aspects such as details in specific paragraphs. She stated that the paper possessed a strong voice because of my anecdotes. She liked my opening paragraph because of honest and rather humorous tone. It grabbed her attention, so I hope it grabs yours. I considered the tutors suggestions very helpful during my revision process. She thoroughly addressed issues in my paper that I took time to revise in my rough draft. I found the experience very helpful, both tutoring and being tutored as well. It helped me redirect my focus from believing my paper was acceptable to understanding it needed changes. Learning to revise my paper based on suggestions from the tutor and by tutoring someone else on their paper has helped me discover the flaws and inefficiencies in my paper. Both of these experiences help me discover how to revise my papers more effectively.

Hanno 3 A Reflection of My Writing History and Process: Although Im not a notorious procrastinator when it comes to writing essays, I sit here on my bed and think about how I shouldve started this autobiography over a week ago like I originally planned. Yet, here I am Sunday afternoon confessing my procrastination in my paper and thinking about ways to explain my writing history and process. Honestly, writing never comes easy to me and never has except when I was in elementary school. My favorite writing occurred in my room, which usually consisted of me sitting on the floor in my closet amidst my shoes and clothes, and writing in a little pink diary. It was one space in my house where no one could find me nor bother me. I loved writing about my day, how I was feeling, who I was upset with, and more importantly, my secrets. No one could read my diary because I hid it. No one could criticize what I wrote or give me a grade or correct me on my spelling and grammar. I loved writing in my diary and for almost four or five years I wrote in it every day. Then middle and high school arrived. I discovered I had barely enough time to do my homework with sports, piano lessons, chorus, babysitting, meetings, and concerts. So I struggled with finding time to write in my diary and soon enough, I rarely wrote in it at all. Homework provided designated time for writing, even though it rarely was fun. Eventually writing became a chore rather than entertainment. As a result, I struggled with writing because it failed to appeal to me and seemed rather boring. Although I still managed to work hard and maintain average writing abilities, I failed to improve my skills. However, my interest in writing increased after taking ENG 101 at a small community college before I transferred to Plattsburgh. My professor enthusiastically helped me discover confidence in my writing, which made me work harder and gradually improve my writing skills

Hanno 4 throughout the entire semester. I realized that writing, although frustrating at times, finally sparked my interest again. This re-discovered interest fueled me to pursue an English Education degree. Although my days of sitting in the closet with my diary are far gone, I reinvent ways to create an environment that sets me up for writing essays at college. Soft, piano music provides a relaxing atmosphere and helps me focus when I write, but not always. Other times, I need it silent. It depends on what type of paper Im writing or what type of mood I am in. If I procrastinate on a paper then I usually dont have music on. It relaxes me too much and I cant think fast and efficiently enough to finish it. On the other hand, when I have over a week to finish it, I can play music because I have more time. I dont have to fret over finishing it quickly. Furthermore, I try to maintain a clean, working environment. If I try to write when my room is messy, it distracts me. I feel the need to organize, do laundry, sweep, make my bed, and clear off my desk. So instead of writing, I clean. Seems a little silly to obsess over these things, but it helps me write more efficiently. Music and a clean environment help unclutter my mind and help me focus on the essay I have to write. Once I create an environment suitable to write in, I tend to have an easier time writing the paper once I start. Yet, the common difficulties I run into are obsessing over perfecting my introduction, organizing my ideas into coherent and uncluttered paragraphs, and maintaining a confident voice throughout the paper. All of these topics are essential to creating a good essay. The introduction usually takes me the longest to write because I think its the most important part of the essay. I constantly revise, rearrange, and edit this paragraph because it introduces the rest of the paper. I want to interest readers and make them want to read the rest of the essay. The body paragraphs pose a challenge because they require organization to be successful. They

Hanno 5 demand details and desire coherency. Without it, the readers struggle with determining the purpose of the essay and therefore, it may hinder understanding of the essays purpose overall. While maintaining organization, I must highlight my voice in the piece to reveal the tone of the essay. These are critical elements that build a good and effective essay. These elements are essential in creating a clear, coherent paper. I struggle with this process, but after persevering through these challenging elements, I feel more accomplished. Although hard to admit, often the process of writing ends here yes, with no major revisions. Revision is a grueling task that requires time, focus, and sincere engagement in making the paper better. When pressed for time, I struggle to find time to revise my paper even though faced with the realization that I need to for every paper. Ive managed to get by writing efficiently and successfully in my college classes without extensive revision to my essays. But, I definitely dont promote handing in non-revised papers, especially since I will be teaching the importance of the process as a high school English teacher. I struggle with knowing the importance of the revision process to create clearer papers, yet failing to have enough time to perform them. So, revised or not, I turn in my paper and hope for the best. I enjoy the writing process, despite recognizing and describing the struggles Ive explain here. It frustrates, exhausts, and agonizes me, yet pushes me to maintain focus so that I write well in any given amount of time. I realize that I will continue to write countless essays over the next two years of college and that I need to revise my writing process by pushing myself to revise my papers. By making time to revise, I will generate better papers. To accomplish this, I need to make the necessary time arrangements to accommodate the revision process.