Writer, Edit Thyself: What I Learned from #AcWriMo

Last month I made the decision to (loosely) take part in #acwrimo, which stands for academic writing month, a month long commitment to academic writing. I had projects that had fallen by the wayside that I wanted to complete before the end of the year and I figured this would help me complete them. My main goal for the month was to devote an hour to my writing first thing in the morning when my mind was fresh and I wasn't preoccupied with the emails piling up in my inbox. Everyday I woke up at 5:30 am and started writing. Each day "writing" took a different form but I basically committed that hour every morning to working on one of my abandoned projects.

I've heard many times that a great way to improve your writing was by reading and I didn't believe it until I began #acwrimo. At first the main purpose of my reading was to find sources to support my claims but as I continued to read, I learned how to write for my field. Not only did I acquire new vocabulary that was content-specific but I gained a better understanding of the style of writing that was being published in my field. My writing began to reflect the work of someone who was becoming familiar with scholarly writing.

Starting #acwrimo, I thought that I was going to fall in love with writing, the act of taking my words out of my head and putting them on paper, which I did. The more I wrote, the easier it became to write and even if an idea wasn't fully formed, I knew that I could add on to it later. But what I wasn't expecting was how much I enjoyed the editing process. Before entering the world of education, I was an English major in college so writing was a regular habit for me. Despite all my writing I hardly ever edited my work because I believed that it was good; I found it be an unnecessary practice. Now, once I started editing the pieces I had written, I was hooked. What I found fascinating about editing was taking an average piece of work and watching it change and evolve over time until it was something that I was proud of and eager to share. Removing a word, moving a sentence, rewording a phrase opened up a new level of meaning, one that was closer to the ideas in my head.

In the beginning of November, I thought this writing challenge was going to be make me a better writer and it did by making me a stronger editor.

Why I Write

In honor of the National Day on Writing, I answered the question "Why do you write?"

Reflection - Whether it's in my blog, a paper for a class or jotting down thoughts in a journal, writing allows to me to quiet down the fast-paced world around me and connect with the thoughts in my head. It allows me to process things that I've learned from a conversation I've had, a session I attended or a quote that got me thinking. 

Channel creativity - When I put pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard) magic happens. When I start writing, things like grammar and spelling fades away and it's my ideas, my vision, my passion that drives my work. Some times I find myself telling stories I didn't know I had inside me. Writing also gives me room to flesh out ideas that were whirling around in my brain awakening new ideas. 


Find my voice -The art of writing involves writing from your own unique perspective, in your own words and in your own style. Every writer has a voice. When I write, I tap into that voice and I give it room to mature and develop. More importantly, the more I read what I've written, the more distinct my voice becomes to me. 


To become a better writer - I believe the old adage that practice makes perfect. The more I write the better I get at writing. The more I write, the more I challenge myself to dig deeper or take a different avenue or paint a stronger picture.


Reflecting on my own reasons for writing reminds me of how important it is for my students to have opportunities to write. I hope my own practice will set an example for them and pass on my love of writing.

Why do YOU write?