In chapter two the authors are helping us and giving us hints on our own writings. The one that was most helpful to me was Patricia T, O'Conner. She wrote Saying is Believing. In her essay she had thirteen main points that are common problems in our essays. It is exactly what I needed as she says it is "to guide you through the writing blunders many students make". O'Conner says, "the simplest and clearest writing had the greatest power to delight, surprise, inform, and move the reader." I find this very helpful. I find myself many times putting too much thought into an essay. I do not stick to just one topic and I go off on tangents in my paper. It could be confusing and too much for the reader. I found five rules to be especially helpful.
Rule number two states: Stop when you've said it. I find that I continue and continue sentences. If I have a thought I run with it until I cannot run any farther with it. This rule shows me that I need to say it and then stop do not keep going on.
Rule number five says: Be direct. I find myself beating around the bush trying to say stuff. When what I really need to do is just say it. In this rule I like the point where she says, "As in geometry, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." Rule number six reads: Don't make yourself the center of the universe. Apparently I like being the center of attention in my papers too. I always want to say how I feel. I want to give my opinion and tell you what I think and make you understand why I think what I think. I need to use fewer first person pronouns.
Rule number nine states: Watch out for pronounitis. I have pronounitis. I could write a sentence such as: She told him about it and that they did that. It is such a good example of lack of communication. O'Conner says, "Don't let the reader guess."
Rule number twelve says: Put your ideas in order. I will write down a thought then think of another one write that down then think about something else to a previous thought then write it down. When I write an essay I have to write out an outline first because if I don't then I am all over the place in my essay with my ideas. I could take her advice and go through my essay after I write it and rearrange my ideas where they are in order.
In conclusion, this essay was the most helpful to me out of all the ones in chapter two. The other rules were: Say what you have to say, Don't belabor the obvious, Don't tie yourself in knots to avoid repeating a word, Put descriptions close to what the describe, Put the doer closer to what's being done, Make sure there's a time and place for everything, imagine what you're writing, read with a felonious mind. I loved all of the principles. I felt like they were direct and easy to understand. I enjoyed reading this essay and feel like it is going to be helpful in all the other essays that I intend to write.
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