Writers Notebook 37

My writing rituals, practices, and habits were not developed until my enrollment at Texas Wesleyan. In fact, I do not remember a time when I thought about these practices. As I reflect on the things I do that make my writing successful, I find that most of my rituals have very little to do with the practice of writing. On the other hand, my composing practices and working habits are consistent with the ideas found in Professional and Public Writing: A Rhetoric and Reader for Advanced Composition, although, I do not use them properly. These activities are not static and continue to be a work in progress.
My rituals include a quiet area free from the family and any other distractions that are generated by a wife, nine year old boy, and a twelve year old girl. Most of my writing takes place late at night with a sporting event on the television and music blaring from the I-pod. If I am forced to write at any other time I will head to the third floor of the Eunice and James L. West library. The study rooms provide seclusion and plenty of room to stack the primary or secondary sources that fill the library shelves. In addition, if I get stuck I can always find advice at the reference desk on the first floor.
My composing practices and working habits are closely related to the ideas found in Professional and Public Writing: A Rhetoric and Reader for Advanced Composition. Generating content has been the most difficult task and continues to be an area that needs improvement. A topic that may sound interesting or generates what is thought to be a good argument may not turn into one after a small amount of research. There have been times when I have changed my approach to a topic after a few weeks of writing. For instance, my research paper on Theodore Roosevelt’s manly image was changed to a paper about how his manliness was contrived in order to cover up his feminine qualities. Furthermore, I never work with a rough draft. My papers are written from beginning to end and I continually write, erase, and then write some more. I do not use paper and pen to jot down ideas and spend long hours staring at the computer searching for thoughts that never arrive. This area of my writing practice needs improvement or a complete overhaul.
In the end, it is clear that my writing practices need improvement. My rituals are solid and I would not consider changing them. Conversely, I do need to re-visit my working habits and composing practices. I need to write with the end in mind. My thesis statements need work and my topics are probably considered simple and too popular for historical writing. Texas Wesleyan has given me the tools for successful writing and my overall writing has improved while I have been here. I hope to continue the trend towards improvement and enhance my writing rituals, practices, and habits.