At the end of last semester, I asked my students to reflect on how they had grown as writers and to offer advice to my future students (that's you!). As you read a few excerpts from their reflections, think about how their ideas might be relevant to you as you shape your writing goals for the semester. Specifically, pay attention to what they say about their writing habits and mindsets.

Student 1:

You may have had the idea that good writers are good at coming up with great writing ideas right off the top of their heads or are just so highly creative that they could come up with intricate and interesting topics to talk about. I’ve been a victim of this ideology for quite some time now, but I’m here to tell you that’s not really how it is. Not all writers can just come up with ideas. I find that the best way that works to come up with great ideas and topics is to just be open-minded, have fun with it, and ask around for opinions and ideas. What I’ve realized is that sitting down and forcing an idea out of you may not always work. Go about your daily life while also going over possible ideas and write any inspirations down. Sometimes the best ideas come as a joke. Taking in as much information as possible by researching and trying to talk about the littlest idea you have as much as possible will eventually lead to an interesting piece of writing.

Student 2:

In the past, I had a hard time opening up in my essays. I found I had a lot to say but I struggled with the controversial aspect of being honest about things in my world. The fear of processing thoughts to be written can be overwhelming, and you may even feel some anxiety and anxiousness. There are times as a writer that you just feel like you are unable to write. However, I have discovered that the more I open up, the more I feel as if the words are flowing better. Being vulnerable during writing truly helps build a connection with your reader.

Student 3:

When it comes to writing, I have learned not to tell myself that I can't do it. I used to tell myself that the prompt given to us is too difficult or that I won't have any time to do it. Negative thoughts get to you and they can affect your work and your writing. Once you have those negative thoughts and have them in your head you will believe them and most likely not get any work done. I have anxiety and I would let my bad thoughts get the best of me and affect my overall work. What works for me is that I will try and stay away from procrastination and instead would cut the work in small parts. The most important thing is just getting started! I set reminders/alarms to work on a specific part of an assignment, so it feels more doable. Taking small steps helped me work towards finishing the whole assignment. A positive mindset allowed me to not have any negative energy. Having a positive mindset motivated me to get the task done and to not push it aside.

Student 4:

I’ve made a lot of progress this semester with avoiding distractions while I write. It is really hard to stay away from technology since we are always around it, especially since we are having to take classes online. It's really easy to get distracted on the cell phone even when you don't mean to spend that much time on it. One day I told myself that, as a break, I would only be on the phone for 25 minutes, but I didn't notice the time. There's a lot happening on social media and I get sucked in and sometimes I don't even go back to doing my work which leads to procrastination. I’ve learned to put my cell phone in another room or to turn off the notifications. Surroundings can also be a distraction. I have a big family so it's easy to get distracted and sometimes the distractions can´t be avoided. What helps is to stay in a room away from them even though it's hard sometimes if you´re expected to constantly be around the family. Overall, staying more focused has helped me to be a better writer.