As writers it is common to find ourselves exploring different genres of literature while reading. This freedom allows us to become more appreciative of writing as we enjoy captivating stories and compositions; however, vast varieties of written expression undergo a series of unique writing processes before being published. Different genres of literature often require different planning methods. As a result, an individual’s writing process is heavily influenced by subject and genre, ultimately affecting the approach and methods required when composing a style of text.
For starters, many college and high-school writers have faced the challenge of having to respond and adapt to unfamiliar prompts or styles of essays. I am currently enrolled in Writing and Rhetoric I, a college-level writing class, and I’ve been tasked with writing four unique types of essays throughout the semester. For each paper, my writing process has altered according to the subject of the assignment, as different genres typically require different processes. “Different genres are applicable in different social contexts and considering genre when writing enables writers to communicate their ideas in the clearest possible way” (Grimmer). The first writing that I completed in Writing and Rhetoric I was a narrative essay that detailed my development as a writer, literary background, and my literacy sponsors. Unlike papers I’ve written before, writing a narrative essay required me to plan my composition out in a chronological, story-like order. During the writing process, it was necessary for me to rely on my memory to recall details from my childhood about my literary development so that I could include these early experiences in my essay. As a result, the planning process required more recollection and thought, and I knew it would not be beneficial to rush my ideas. Also, the narrative “style” of this paper required me to become more personal in my writing, influencing my writing process to be more intimate and realistic when planning the essay, and after I completed the paper, I understood the change I made in my writing process. Following this assignment, I began to write an ethnographic essay regarding discourse communities, which was another unique genre of writing. For the ethnographic essay, it was necessary to alter the writing process that I originally utilized for the narrative because both genres have several distinct discrepancies regarding the style of writing. In the new process, I encouraged myself to find more factual evidence supported by citations, as this essay was more of an analysis than a personal narrative. For example, I conducted an interview with a fellow member of the discourse in order to discuss the details and roles within the community. The interview helped support my argument and also provided insight from another perspective. Additionally, this inclusion of supported evidence assisted me in strengthening my thesis and reinforcing my claims. However, it was equally important for me to spend time considering my own personal experiences in order to provide an objective and reliable account of my role within the discourse community. Most recently, I was assigned my third essay of the semester, a rhetorical analysis and comparison of two scientific articles. By far, this genre required me to adjust my writing process the most compared to previous essays. I began by creating a visual schematic to help plan my essay and analyzed the various rhetorical appeals in each scientific article. Then, I began to develop my response using a compare and contrast style of writing. It was important to observe the differences and similarities between the two sources in order to compose an observant essay. Throughout the paper, I found myself reviewing and utilizing the rhetorical appeals from both sources to support ideas that were the same, as well as ideas that were different in the two texts. In the end the essay turned out to be quite different from my past two assignments, as my writing process was altered yet again and resulted in a distinctive style of writing. All in all, genre, subject, and topic hold a strong influence on writing process and the style of a written text, as different subjects or genres require different processes.
Furthermore, different writers may feel more confident when writing depending on the subject or genre being discussed. If a writer has written about a specific genre before, he or she will likely be comfortable when writing about that topic again. Often, writers are encouraged to stick to writing one genre in order to boost proficiency and accessibility within that specific field. Personally, I am most comfortable writing about subjects that are non-fiction, such as research papers, lab reports, or even biographies. On the other hand, I would not be as confident in my writing ability if I had to create and write about a fictious topic, for I’m not familiar with many writing processes outside the field of non-fiction. However, there are many writers who are gifted with the creativity to write about genres such as fantasy and sci-fi. For every writer, no two writing processes are the same. There are many subjects that are more difficult to write about than others, and it ultimately comes down to personal ability and preference when gauging how hard a genre or topic is to write about. “Writing calls on the ability to create words and ideas out of yourself, but it also calls on the ability to criticize them in order to decide which ones to use” (Elbow 7). In conclusion, not every writer writes the same, and some subjects make writing more difficult than other subjects do.
In some scenarios, writers may adapt their writing process to complement a multitude of genres. The acclaimed author Stephen King is a prime example of this case. While he is best known for his horror novels such as The Shining and Salem’s Lot, King has branched off and succeeded in writing other genres of literature as well. King has written several stories under genres that include science fiction, mystery, and even fantasy. Although it is difficult to master one genre, King proves that it is possible for writing processes to be adjusted in a variety of ways to best accommodate the subject at hand. Another author who’s written various genres is Lisa See. She is best known for her literary fiction novels such as The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, but has recently explored another genre, mystery, in See’s Red Princess series. While writing The Red Princess series, See likely utilized a writing process that favored mystery over literary and historical fiction in order to best develop a fitting story. While it may be uncommon for an author to publish work under different kinds of genres, there are benefits to adjusting one’s writing process in order to accommodate multiple styles and subjects. For example, writers become well-rounded and experienced with their writing if they have written in other fields of literature. This is important because it is useful to be able to adapt to a subject that may feel unfamiliar, in order to gain confidence when writing about that topic in particular. Although subject directly effects the writing process, it is possible to accommodate an unfamiliar genre if there is correct planning and pre-writing.
To better explain how genre effects writing process, I have designed a multimodal presentation and visual map that helps illustrate the points previously made. The presentation will be presented via Microsoft PowerPoint in order to best demonstrate how genre influences writing process. The PowerPoint covers topics about the writing process, planning essays, author proficiency, and more.
All in all, subject and genre possess a notable impact on the style and outcome of written text and literature, as these factors have a strong influence during the writing process. Despite the author’s proficiency, every writer approaches varieties of genre differently. “The amount of time a writer spends in each stage [of the writing process] depends on his personality, his work habits, his maturity as a craftsman, and the challenge of what he is trying to say” (Murray 4). As an amateur writer, I have had to alter my writing process many times in order to adapt to a specific writing prompt or assignment. Also, many writers approach a new topic or subject more thoughtfully than others by planning out their writing. It is challenging for some individuals to conceive and conceptualize details when writing about a specific subject, thus it is common for different methods to be used in the writing process. Ultimately, it is a frequent occurrence for writers to develop unique writing processes and methods in order to best accommodate their writing, regardless of genre or subject.
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