Journal 5 Defining Writing Round 2

Through either act of writing or composing, thoughts converge. Both activities are capable of blending thoughts, causing the creation of new artifacts and compositions, and the connection of ideas we've been exposed to through artifacts and daily life. Through writing, I can think more clearly, gathering and projecting my thoughts. For instance, while anxiously planning Proejct 1 and all its components I needed to make an impressive exhibit, I expelled all concerns zipping around my head onto a piece of paper and I immediately relaxed. This is habit I’ve used to ground myself since beginning college, and it serves as an example of why I chose to define writing as therapeutic in the beginning of this semester. Writing’s a great tool for organizing thoughts and facing facts or repressed, sometimes even painful, memories and internal struggles. It’s an activity that clears the head, broadens our perspectives, and enables us to confront and understand what’s going on up there.

Composing is a broader term than writing, both synonymous to creating. However, “composing” can apply to creating in an infinite amount of forms – some that don’t even exist yet. I think there’s a general understanding that writing falls under the term “composing” too. Though, I had never truly reflected on writing as a tool for making compositions until taking this class. Middle school and high school shaped my writing ability into a rigid, bland essay spewing machine, so I’ve been typing out whatever content the teacher wants to see in their prescribed 5-paragraph cookie-cutter format since I was twelve years old. Now I understand that writing and composing are so much more than filling in that template with new information; the possibilities of each processes' products are endless. We examined a koozie one day in class. A koozie is a composition. It sounds ridiculous, but the more I think about how silly it was to analyze its different design elements, the more I accepted its function as a composition, strengthening my understanding of Shipka’s idea that literally anything can function as a composition.  

I’d associate these terms with writing/composing:

·       Convergence – again, the melding of concepts and experiences to bring forth a brand new composition.

·       Invention

·       Organization

·       Revealing

·       Innovative – with new forms come new compositions, and usually writing is a part of that process.

·       Gradual – We’re all always learning. Compositions of all types can continue to be improved with new skills and experiences we develop every day.