Reflection

            Vivacity is defined as existing in a state of liveliness, animatedness, and being full of life and energy. I found this an appropriate title to stick with for my final portfolio because I have used it as more of an inspiration than an actually statement of where I am. It has been a state to work towards for the duration of this class. I wanted to constantly remind myself why writing is so important and such a gift. It lets us analyze and engage in conversation with any aspect of our world we so choose. This, to me, is a true state of liveliness – being aware and acknowledging one’s surroundings as opposed to just gliding through life without looking around to constantly question. So, this idea of living life vivaciously and holding a similar outlook on writing are what inspired the look and feel of this portfolio progression.

            Before this class I tended to write without necessarily considering my relationship with the text. Without considering one’s positioning in the world, writing becomes isolated, which is far from its intended purpose. I have learned, through this class, that writing is meant to be a conversation. No piece is written without a situated writer, reader, stance on an argument, and view of the world.  The growth depicted in this portfolio showcases my change to become a truly situated writer, reader, analyzer, and editor.

            Most of the inspiration for the tone of this blog comes from my reactions to reading Chandler-Scott and Mahar’s journal article, “Tech-savviness” meets multiliteracies: Exploring Adolescent girls’ technology-mediated literacy practices. I was very stirred and also concerned by this assertion that women were not involved in technology jobs due to supposed ‘disinterest.’ The presence of the “I can but I don’t want to” attitude the Tech Savvy study found troubled me. With this blog, I wanted to show a strong and also feminine voice, now highly aware of her situatedness in the world. I have attempted to organize this blog in a way that seems to support a steady progression away from this “I can but I don’t want to” attitude. There is a consistent growth in both subject matter and analysis of subject. Though all do not directly pertain to technology, these blogs represent my growth as a writer, and more specifically as a female writer.

            Combined with this is inspiration from Blogging as Social Action’s idea that “Blogs can be both public and intensely personal in possibly contradictory ways,” (Shepherd and Mahar). I am greatly interested in the concept that a blog can be for both writer and reader. It seemed important to me to implement this into my design and organization. I wanted to choose something that held significance in my life and in others’ as well. After all, I am trying to encourage conversation with my posts, and writing in general.

            Overall, I find connection to the reader a vital part of blogging. In reading When Words Collide, a recurring idea is this emphasis on not only what the message of a written work is but also how it is said. Shorthand abbreviations, for example, hold the potential to give off “immaturity, lack of professionalism and a slapdash attitude,” which is something I wanted to avoid in communicating with my audience (Kessler and McDonald 5).  Because I am dealing with topics that hold importance, I wanted to find a balance between acknowledging the gravity of these situations and also have a conversational feel to my writing. Flow was the glue that held these two sides of my desired writing style together. I was very active in making my tone casual yet sophisticated to ensure that my audience felt safe enough to invest in my piece and me as a credible writer. 

            An important part of this assignment that really helped to solidify my progression in this class was my revision of my Public Argument project. Before, my argument was attempting to be too neutral. It was as if I was slightly afraid of stepping on the toes of those I was writing about. Yet, when I returned to this piece to edit it, I felt like I now held the confidence in my original ideas and possessed the tools to firmly state my opinion. I felt more prepared to directly state my theories and felt detached from having to add extra information to distract from the gravity of my argument.

            Throughout my journey in FSU's Advanced Writing and Editing class with Dr. Graban, I have slowly but surely gathered my thoughts into cohesive theory. The various readings and writing assignments we have done in this course have helped me to shape my ideas about human communication as it relates to writing. The different ways in which we, as writers and readers, interact with the outside community, through the use and analysis of the written word is all shaped by our specific situation in life – situation not as circumstance but instead as where we position ourselves within a larger society.

Works Cited
Chandler-Scott, Kelly, and Donna Mahar. ""Tech-savviness” meets multiliteracies: Exploring Adolescent girls’ technology-mediated literacy practices." Reading Research Quarterly. 38.3

Kessler, Lauren, and Duncan McDonald. When Words Collide. 7th ed. 2008. Print.Miller, Carolyn R., and Dawn Shepherd. "Blogging as Social Action: A Genre Analysis of the Weblog." n. page. Print.