CMC-Scenes E-Zine

by Sibelle Barbosa

There is no escape. Sooner or later you have to face it. Your biggest nightmare is about to come true, and there is nothing you can do about it besides going through it bravely and with some dignity. It doesn't matter how much you don't like it or how uncomfortable it makes you feel. It's just unavoidable. My skin used to crawl at just the thought of doing it; I avoided it as long as I could, until one day I realized I was at the end of the road and if I wanted my Associate Arts Degree, I had to take the class I was most afraid of: English Composition.

Just like me there are many students who think writing is like a battle with a big scary monster, who is ready to beat you up. Fighting is worthless. You know the writing monster is going to win. He is tough and big and you are just a humble student trying to get a degree. You keep thinking that writing is the hardest thing, impossible to do. Without any solutions you decide to curse who invented it, but that doesn't help. You keep looking at the paper hoping that the words are going to pop out like magic. You wish like a kid to have a magic wand to do all the work for you, but that also doesn't work. Your last hope is that somebody will help you by giving you some ideas and by giving you the essential tools to win the battle.

I fought with the writing monster many times and I had to struggle to keep fighting. It wasn't easy, but along the way I discovered five rules that will help any "I hate English Composition student" to win the war and get a reasonable grade.

Rule#1: Always have in mind that you can do it.

Some students have more difficulty writing than others, but everyone can do it. The reason that most students don't like to write is because they don't feel capable, and they are afraid of the judgment others will have on their paper. Because of this, they don't even try to write, making their fear of writing bigger. The best thing to do is to face your fear and start writing. You can start by writing to yourself in a journal. When you feel more comfortable and confident, you can write to your family and friends. You will realize that writing isn't that hard or bad. It can even be fun!

If you had a bad experience writing, this will be a challenge. Visions of your previous scores may be in your head telling you how hard writing is and that you weren't born to do it. If that is the case, the best thing to do is to tell your English composition instructor how you feel about it, so she or he may help you by finding another teaching method, one which better suits you.

Rule#2: Choose a place where you can concentrate.

When you start writing your paper, choose a place where you can have some peace and quiet. It can be anyplace you feel comfortable; it might be in your room or at the library. The place you choose to write is really important to do a good job.

What works for me in the summer is to go to a park lie down under a tree and start writing. I feel so relaxed, and I can concentrate so that the words just start flowing. Don't ever start writing you paper in front of your friends because they are the perfect distraction. You will feel tempted to join in their conversation. You will remember many things that happened last weekend that you would like to share. You will tell yourself that you will just say something really quickly, just five minutes, but your five minutes may turn into one or two hours.

Rule #3: Don't go out with your friends if your paper is not done and the due date is in the next few days.

If you are a party person, this may be hard to do. Keep in mind: it is going to be for just one or two days, until your paper is done. Your friends will understand, and you are going to feel relieved when your paper is finally finished.

I really can relate. I did this a couple of times and each time when I did it, I made a lot of mistakes on my paper. As I learned writing is a process, you will need time to read and reread what you have written. Don't try to write a paper last minute, you are not SUPERMAN; you are just a human being who needs time and space to get done a good work.

Rule #4: Read a lot.

To be a good writer, you must be first a good reader. You should read everything that you have an interest in. You will gain a broad vocabulary, and the difference will be noticed when you start writing an essay. You should also know what is going on around the world. Try to get as much knowledge as you can about different subjects. This is going to help you a lot when choosing a title. Reading will make writing much easier.

Rule #5: Before turning your paper show it to somebody who has already taken the class whom you are comfortable with, and ask for his or her opinion. The person may show you some points that you are missing, and she/he also will help see your paper in another perspective. It is very important to check for second opinion. It helped me a lot to develop my papers.

These rules were essential to get through my class. I hope you find them to be helpful. If you still are afraid of writing, take your time, but remember you can't avoid it for too long. At the end you will see that the monster was just a little kitty.