I am a complex writer, I do try and have order but often find that I need to be adaptable in accordance to my current situation.
It’s Friday and I have two papers due on Monday? My process is significantly more rushed. I don’t have time to spend days debating on how I need to lay this paper out.
It’s week nine and I have until week 14 to write a paper? I’ll entertain hundreds of ideas related to the paper structure.
These are two drastically different situations and I approach each of them differently. Despite the fact that they are my favorite animal, octopi provide a great visual representation for my writing process in action. My writing process is like a blue ringed octopus. This species of octopi transforms the appearance of their skin to show brighter blue rings to warn other creatures of their danger. While I am not a poisonous killer, I do get stressed under academic pressure.
Another important feature of this creature is their eight-leggedness. Amongst my writing assignments, I have other assignments too and feel as though I multitask with every task I’m assigned. My writing is also chaotic like the pattern of a blue ringed octopus and my mind is scattered into different bubbles of thought. Dividing my time is difficult especially when each assignment is important, so I try and equalize the time.
Ideally, I will have a couple of weeks to collect my thoughts and write a paper. I would begin by writing all of my thoughts on a piece of paper or on a page in my notebook. I would then look at the ideas, categorize my them, and create a detailed outline on another sheet of paper. At this point, I begin writing, usually editing after every few sentences. When I get stuck on an idea, which is inevitable for me, I re-read what I have written so far and determine what sort of sentence would best fit. Often in these situations, I will simply continue on to the next paragraph or make use of a rhetorical question. In assessing my predicament, I am able, like octopi, to maneuver my way out of tight spaces; mine mentally, theirs physically.
Writing a paper, unfortunately, never plays out like this. Sometimes I am only able to write 50 words at a time and others, I can complete the entire assignment in one sitting. This is the way in which my process mirrors the adaptive features of a blue ringed octopus. If I am stressed, my writing process looks different compared to my relaxed state.
