Semester Final

My writing this year has been a complete roller coaster, the ride being both a thrilling and a rewarding one. I honestly think that I've improved quite a bit over the years and looking back on my freshman work has only locked that belief in cement, the events that have taken place in the duration of my freshman and sophomore year have also contributed to who I really am now as a 'writer'. Now, as for this final, I'll answer 4 questions one by one in the best and most fluid way that I can manage.

The first thing I'll explain is how my writing has changed this semester. When I started out, my writings came from my head; they were reviews about games and movies (like the first blog post I ever did, a review of Prototype) and I really did believe that that was all I would be writing for the entire year. As I kept writing those kinds of blogs, though, I realize that they seemed... fabricated. Like I was just typing stuff that I thought people would want to hear, and it wasn't fun writing those sorts of things. People shouldn't write so that the audience will enjoy their book, they should write for themselves and make themselves proud of what they wrote. I do agree that a successful book (or blog post) will boost self-esteem, but if what you wrote isn't what you think then all of that support is for nothing. It's almost like plagiarizing, if you plagiarize and then receive a lot of popularity, then it's fake popularity; it's popularity for what you stole rather than what you wrote. Sutherland talked about people plagiarizing works for their monthly reviews and when he claimed that teachers can tell, the entire class seemed to scoff at him as though he were lying. I actually believe him 100% because I can tell when a picture is traced, and so can all of my friends. If we compare a really good picture to the rest of your work and see a significant difference, then we'll know that something is up. It's the same with writing, Sutherland has been reading our work for an entire school year (for people like me TWO school years), he can tell when work isn't ours. We might not be able to see it, but everyone has their own style of writing and most people can pick it out pretty easily. I'm getting off-subject though, but that is something I learned this year. Presently? I write from my heart, I pour my honest opinions into the keyboard and work out the rest with typed words. I blog about current events, weather it be in the news or in my personal life, and reflect on what's happening now. I write what I want, not what people expect of me. I like doing this, I like being honest with myself and with others rather than bottling it up and repressing my innermost thoughts in fear that they'll be rejected.

How did(do) I like having a blog? I love(d) it. I learn new things from both my friend's and my posts and blogging helps me release myself in a way I wouldn't be able to normally. Blogging is also a lot more convenient than writing, it's quick and simple and nearly everyone can see it. The most surprising thing that blogging has really helped me with is CONSISTENCY. Before I had my blog I would write maybe once a month, twice tops. Now, however, I write more than twice a week! If that isn't improvement then I don't know what is. Recently I quit the art site that I was on, I want to practice more on my own, without relying on the support of other people. This might not sound like a good idea, but I want to start again later; a fresh start. I don't think I'll do the same with my writing, but I do think that I'll continue even after this class ends. Maybe even after the school year ends, or after I graduate! Who knows? I think that's the great thing about life itself though, you never know what's coming.

The last question I'm going to talk about is "How did your classmates' blogs help you develop as a writer? Give examples from other blog(s) and from your own to show the connection(s)." Now, in the beginning of the year I didn't think that I'd be using ANY references for what I wrote in my blog, recently though I really have. One person in specific has be unknowingly inspiring in more than one field. This person is Irene, and she's been a friend of mine since the stone ages (kindergarten, am I old enough to call that the stone ages? Probably not.) Now Irene is a true renaissance (wo)man. She excels in so many things like writing, art, fashion, language, culture, agh so many things. In each thing she inspires me to try something new, although I don't think that she herself is aware of it. My favorite blog post this year was my last book review about 'Unwind', and it was inspired by her book review on 'Lies My Teacher Told Me'. I just love her style of writing and the ways she can combine word flow with an intelligent vocabulary. I only found her blog mid-way through the year, so I can't say that she's always inspired my blog posts; I can say, however, that she does now. Though she denies it, Irene is the sole person in my life who actually did something (aside from my parents) that changed who I am. She got me to start drawing, my favorite hobby, she got me into learning more about other cultures which is now something I strive to do left and right. She always has a good debate up her sleeve and though sometimes it turns into a bit of a fight, it's always fun to have a real argument with someone about something that's worth arguing about. Sorry to turn this question into a flattery session, but all of this needs to be said. Irene, this is a very special shout out to you; I hope you become everything you want to become, and I really do hope that we manage to keep in touch when our hobbies begin to separate us. I hope that when you're an amazing artist (which you already are) working for a big cooperation or something, that I'll still be able to point and call you one of my closest friends.
Well, that's all I'll be answering; before I go, though, I'd like to make a special 'shout out' to Mr. Sutherland, the guy that made all of this possible. Sutherland, what you're doing here is amazing; you're revolutionizing the way an English teacher should teach. Despite how simple your class is, amazing ideas come out of it. As for what I've gotten out of the class, I've gotten everything stated above, Sutherland has taught me interesting facts about the world including a few about where we live in specific; he's a complete inspiration to every student in his class and I hope he continues to teach with such enthusiasm.
Thanks to whomever is reading this, goodbye :)