Writing Skills and Anxieties

       Reading the assigned pages in The Bedford Guide really helped me to remember some of the anxieties and concerns I once had about writing and the progress that I have made in my writing. Toward the end of last semester, there were so many family problems that developed and I found them taking a toll on my final writing projects for classes. I remember going to the writing center with concerns about my paper assignments and the tutor took time to sympathize with my personal problems and help me to get on track with my paper. After my session with the writing fellow, I realized that my problem was exactly what was mentioned in the book, I was worrying about everything else at the same time rather than splitting up the tasks and working on them individually. However, once I did take time to work on each part of the writing assignment carefully, I found myself less stressed about the completing the paper.

      The idea to do something enjoyable at the end of completing an assignment also helped me to calm down and find satisfaction in the final product of my paper. Of all the suggestions made in the The Bedford Guide, I think reading my paper aloud with a writing consultant by my side is what really drove the improvement in my writing because I could hear and see the errors  I had made without someone else saying "That's wrong." I was able to pick up on sentences that made little or no sense at all and make an effort to correct them. So, I guess I can say that I am living testimony that the suggestions giving in the book really do work in helping students improve their writing skills. I personally will always thank the Writing Center and the writing consultants for helping me with my writing.