Writing and Thinking

    The thinking process is important to writing, and yes, it’s also true that writing can help one thinks more clearly. As writing process goes on, writers are able to develop more and more ideas. Putting words down on paper or on a computer can help a writer better know what he or she thinks or feels because along the way they write, they would have a clearer picture of what to write. Also, their emotions can be brought out easily as words are flowing out of their minds.

   One example of how writing helps one understand one’s own thoughts and emotions you come up with is writing journals. The first time we start to write journal, we would only describe the specific event. But after writing for many times, we would also write down how we feel about things that happened. Another example is when writing books. For first few chapters, sometimes writers aren’t sure what to write about yet, so these chapters are more general. However, when readers get to chapters at the back, they can finally understand what the story is talking about because writers are able to express the information more clearly since authors have a better idea of what to write and find a way to show their emotions.

Presence of Mind

    To me, this “perfect presence of mind” means the mind is in a peaceful, calm, undisturbed state. When I’m playing basketball games, I think my mind is in the situation of perfect presence. While on the court, I only think about one thing, and that thing is to score as many points as possible. The tempo on the field is fast, so if I’m not focused, then the opponent might get in 10 points of more. Also, basketball is about cooperation between teammates, so we can’t lose easy points such as miss catching a ball. Everyone on the court must not be distracted, so we can pay attention to the ball, thus gaining as many points as possible.

    For writing a compare and contrast essay, this presence of mind is particularly important because we have to think of the similarities and differences between two subjects carefully, unhurried. We sit down in front of the desk, think thoroughly, and write down about the two things that are being compared and contrasted with. At first we might have lots of ideas, but many of them might be eliminated because they are either insignificant or biased. As for result, when our essays are out, there would be less of our own opinions because we have edited and revised our paper.

Revising and Editing

    After finish writing an essay, we can’t just send it out to teachers or colleges without using techniques of revising and editing. Thus, this explains why there are so many drafts needed to be done and so much time the essay process takes. By revising, we are changing the larger part of the whole essay, which is our development of idea. It’s essential for us to check whether our ideas developed as the way we want, and whether we are sending the message we’re trying to tell correctly. Admission office must go over thousands of applicants each day, so it’s impossible for staff to look at each individual’s essay carefully. As for result, an outstanding essay has to show its significance right away, letting colleges feel that your essay is excellent, and they have to accept you.

   Editing is changing smaller parts of the essay, which is fluency of sentence, grammar. By looking at the essay line by line and word by word, we’ll be able to use the most concise sentence to tell the same message eventually. After reading some sentences for several times, there will be changes made. As for result, this makes the whole essay not only sounds better, but also look more complete. Although the process of revising and editing is lengthy, it’s also graceful because essays we wrote are going into a more wonderful stage.

Your Audience

   Writers write books, but how can they know whether their books are good or not? One solution is through us, the readers, giving feedback to authors in order to let them improve their writing or applaud their hard work. Writers are like performers: they need the audience to inspire them so they can continue on their path of writing career. A writer can get feedback from his or her audience through ways such as readers commenting on the blog. Also, if the writer is willing to give his or her email address or telephone number to the public, readers can send emails, call the writer, or even have face to face discussion. In addition, the audience can send letters to author’s living place. Other than direct contact with the writer, there is indirect one. If the writer finds out that the sale of his or her books start to drop, then this shows that the author fails to get the appetite of the readers.

  However, there’s solution for writers to improve their writing. Nowadays, the fast speed of Internet allows readers and writers to have closer relationship and to communicate in a more effective and convenient way compared to the past. By going over the feedback and understanding what the general public want to read, the writer can again produce books that the audience would like.