Behind the Portfolio
I created this writing portfolio for my AP Language and Composition class. It is our "final exam" for the year, but since I plan on being an English major, I hope to maintain and keep it as an archive of my growth as a writer. Maybe one day I can even use it as a resume of sorts.
One of our assignments required us to submit a piece of our choice for publication. I chose my Senior Letter, a final goodbye to Antigo High School Drama Club on closing night of the musical. I really put my heart into this piece and the strength of my sentiment for the end of my high school years surfaced as I wrote it at 3 a.m. the day I read it to the cast. As I typed, I cried in my bed as silently as possible because my parents slept in the next room. But I didn't care. When you feel it, you feel it. And there's no sense in holding back.
This year, I became incredibly aware of the passive verb tenses: using "I was walking" or "I had dreamed" instead of simply "I walked" or "I dreamed". The latter examples, unmuddled by weak filler verbs, are written in active tenses and sound much stronger than the former. As I wrote, I consciously avoided using the passive tenses to enhance my writing and practice a style I wasn't used to. This one change transformed my work. Paragraphs matured from "meh" to meaningful, full-length essays evolved from average to engaging, and I enjoyed watching the process throughout this year.
I hope to one day work independently of a thesaurus. Although it is a great tool, I know that I won't always have one available to use and I need to learn to access the same words in my head without cracking one open.
Descriptive and narrative writing are my favorite genres. I don't like analytical or persuasive writing as much because there's only a limited amount of space to be creative. I let my mind wander and the descriptive and narrative genres provide the perfect playground for imagination. My train of thought often takes the scenic route.