Why I Want To Improve My Writing Skills

When growing up, it seemed the one subject that I dreaded the most was English. I hated to read because books assigned for book reports always seemed boring to me, therefore giving me no real motivation to understand the content and write a good report, thus making writing more of chore than a learning experience. Of course, when considering my return to school, the thought of having to research and write countless essays became a big fear of mine. However, after much deliberation, I realized that I possessed one crucial tool that I did not have all those years ago in high school: motivation. So, the question is, “Why do I want to improve my writing skills?”.

Writing ability can be the one obstacle that may prevent someone from further advancement in their company. According to an article by Tracy Robar in 1998, many employers relate a person’s

writing ability to their overall communication skills (Robar, 1998). As I am sure most of my fellow classmates would agree, the main reason people go back to school after so many years is to better themselves through their careers. Employers feel that even though a potential candidate for advancement may be very knowledgeable of their job, the ability to write and relay information to others is a key necessity, especially in upper management positions. This important link of communication is extremely significant in not only demonstrating a person’s ability to convey information, but also in signifying the self confidence required of managers and company leaders.
A key hurdle for many people becoming good writers is their writing apprehension or writing anxiety.

In a 2013 article written by Deanna Mascle, it is stated that there are 4 different sources to writing apprehension (Mascle, 2013). The first source is Performance, or Mastery experience, which is described as “active engagement in the art of writing” (Mascle, 2013, p. 220) and is remedied by writing with purpose and not just necessity, as in the essays we will write for this and future courses. Vicarious experience and Social Persuasion are described as comparing ones writing to their peers for comparison, as well as building confidence from others feedback, as in our Discussion assignments. Finally, there is Physiological or Affective State, which is determined by a person’s feelings or emotions affecting their writing apprehension. One of the ways to address this source can be by relieving stress through writing down these feelings and anxieties in a journal, which will also be implemented in this course. I feel these methods can also be beneficial not only to adult learners, but also learners at the high school

level.
As mentioned earlier in this essay, I dreaded the task of writing when I was in high school and unfortunately, I see that my son is probably following that same path. A 2017 study by Camacho and Alves states that many children do not possess strong writing skills, despite its importance today. This study found that children with positive reinforcement and encouragement from their parents developed far better writing skills than ones that did not and solely relied on the teacher. By demonstrating how important these skills are, not only in school but in life in general, I hope to inspire him to concentrate more on developing his own writing. I feel this can also be accomplished by using a positive attitude towards my assignments to better demonstrate the writing is not a burden and should not be approached as such.
The fact that I never finished college when I was younger has always stuck in the back of my mind. Like any journey in life, the one that I have chosen to venture by returning to school will have its ups and downs. Thus far, the journey has been very fulfilling as I feel I have already learned a tremendous amount in a very short time. But I feel that the rewards at the end of it all will be worth the anxiety and sleepless nights that are to come. But the reward of advancement in my company and providing a better life for my family or inspiring my son to focus more on his own studies for his own future are not what I look most forward to. The reward of being able to say at the end of it all that I did it and having the confidence that comes with being a good writer is what I am mostly focused on.