Blogging 101

Thursday, September 3, 2009

My mind tends to work in definitions. When I take notes, I basically write down a vocabulary list. I make things into definitions that most people would never think to. So I guess I'll start with the literal definition of writing. Dictionary.com defines writing as "the act of illustrating characters to express thought." I guess that is a pretty solid summary. Whenever I write, I am trying to translate thought into ink. A task that is not usually not easy. I am much better at expressing myself with the spoken word rather than written word. You would think that written would be easier because you have time to plan it out. Maybe that's why it's harder. Because you have time to prepare, people expect more. Or I expect more.

When I was younger, I always viewed myself as a creative writer. I used to write short stories, I dabbled in poetry, I even attempted writing a screenplay. None of them were very good in terms of writing quality, but I did it anyway. My only strength was in my characters, I would create heroic, villainous, ordinary, extraordinary people but then make them have adventures fraught with mediocre writing. Now, I find myself in the communications field. Not in something creative like advertising. But something fact based. Basically, I abandoned my strength to pursue a career in my weakness. The way I see it though, one must be strong in both areas to succeed in either creative or factual writing. Hopefully I find a way to channel creativity into this fact based career.

What Writing Means to Me

It's kind of hard to write about writing. I use it every day and usually don't even think about it. I use it for myself, and I use it to communicate with the ones I love. Writing is more than a skill used in class or in the working world. To me, writing is therapeutic and keeps me balanced. I’d be lost without it.

I’m a writer, not a fighter. When something good or bad happens to me, I write about it. I keep my thoughts and feelings in a journal to help me sort through them. Writing is therapeutic for me this sense. I can vent my frustrations, or relish on my accomplishments and read them over and over again.

We all know that college is a stressful time, and a busy time. It’s hard to find the hours in a day to catch up with all the ones you love. That’s where email and Facebook messaging come in. I keep in touch with my best friends through messaging on Facebook. Without writing, my relationships would not be as strong as they are with these people.

I’m fortunate that I belong to the category of people who enjoy writing. It not only comes in handy when I express myself in papers or written tests, but I also benefit from my writing skills when I communicate with professionals. When it came time to apply for internships at the end of last year, I’m positive that not only my resume, but my cover letters and emails got me all my interviews. I’m also fortunate that I’m putting my writing skills to use with a career in Public Relations.

What Writing Means to Me

What does writing mean to me?

Writing has always been an escape for me. It is a way to get everything out of my brain and into another medium. I've been journaling heavily since I was about eleven years old. Keeping a record of my thoughts, motivations, and even agrivations has been very theraputic. I am a very analytical person, and so writing things down and thinking through multiple solutions to problems or ways to explain certain situations has always made making sense of things that much easier.
Because I've been writing for so long, it has become a part of who I am. And, I hope to continue to keep writing as a large part of my life forever. There are so many words out there, and so many ways of using them. I love to just scribble words down to release frustrations, to liberate myself, to just let the words flow.

As Joan Didion once said,
"I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear." This fully captures my meaning of writing. It's a tool to express one's thoughts-about anything. It's a way of analyzing one's life. I enjoy overthinking, and I enjoy writing. For me, the two go hand in hand.

What Writing Means to Me

Writing is a friend’s Facebook status and Harry Potter and the New York Times, the brochure for the Milwaukee County Zoo, the press release for a new video game and the directions that came with my new hairdryer.

I love writing. I’d rather write the longest paper than take a test any day. I've been told I'm not half bad at it. Writing is my major. I don't keep a diary or write short stories or poems in my spare time, but I love it nonetheless.

Writing, to me, means expressing myself in an intellectual and influential way. Anyone can gather information, but it takes organization and skill to put words on paper in a way that is clear and effective. Not everything everyone writes makes sense, and I love that. I think writing says a lot about the person who created it—sloppy or uninspired writing suggests a total lack of effort or interest on the writer’s part. Typos are my biggest pet peeve. On the other hand, well-written material can relay important information or really peak a reader’s interest. Writing can sometimes leave things open to interpretation-- the most well-written poem gives the imagination room to play. Or, it can be totally black-and-white-- if my hairdryer's directions weren't clear, things could get dangerous. The written word can paint a picture that each individual reader gets to imagine in his or her own mind. I wish everyone understood how important writing is. It makes things so much easier. Plus, that would probably eliminate a lot of typos.

What Writing Means to ME

Writing is the only way I have ever known how to express myself fully. When I speak, I tend to puke words out without letting my mind think before. When I write, I am able to let the words flow from me yet have the ability to go back and change what I have said. Writing is the most creative form of expression, it allows people to say things they would not be able to speak. It also allows everyone to create their unique sense of voice. I feel that with writing I am able to express my opinions, feelings, and criticisms without feeling like others are going to judge what comes out. I think many people feel this way as well. Writing also tends to be the first thing I do whether I am happy or sad or angry. I am able to let my feelings and emotions flow onto paper without having to take anything out on anyone or without having to hold it inside myself. I think that is the most important thing about writing. So to me, writing is everything. It is the basis for everything I do. You can take writing in its simplest form and make it into something significant. Your words can be casual slang notes to your friends or developed intellectual statements in a research paper. I also find it interesting when I read my writing, how different it looks than how I talk in my everyday life. I think that may be the case for many others. People have the opportunity to step outside the boundaries, and that is what writing means to me; stepping outside of the boundaries and expressing yourself.

Write your injuries in dust, your benefits in marble.

As PR students we write, we write all the time. We are taught how to write releases, PSAs and even Tweets. Versatility has to come with you job to know the audience that you are writing for. I have written for a variety of internships and jobs from a car-agency advertising agency to the fourth most powerful U.S. Senator. Every new job is even more exciting and challenging. I know how to write for others; how to immerse myself in the culture and write for the audience. But what about when you write for yourself? Who is your audience? What style do you write in? That is what I still grapple with.

A blog is supposed to be a manifestation of yourself to the world. Of course I am not going to show the side that sits on the couch and watches Tool Academy on VH1, but I still want to stay true to me. Blogging for this class will be a lesson in self-discovery and I am excited to dive in.

And by the way, I am not brilliant enough to think of the title for my post. Its a quote from Benjamin Franklin.

What writing means to Mary Pintozzi

Words can be found throughout society in almost every space possible. There are words flowing into our heads from media, advertisements, books, newspapers and even love notes. Without words, this form of communication called writing, our lives would be vacant.

I believe writing is one of the most useful, innovative and beautiful ways to show something, anything. Writing is used to communicate information, give advise, show emotion and even declare independence.

Striving for a better understanding of different writing techniques is on the forefront of my mind. Because of the fact that I am working towards my Public Relations degree, I truly respect writing in every way possible. I cannot imagine our world without writing and words to influence us everyday.

Since the beginning of time, there have been writings on caves to tell stories. Look at where we are now... writing our blogs for a class!

What Writing Means To Me

Writing allows my freedom of thoughts and visualizations to be applied to paper, and in the process enables my mind to flow and wander on a journey into a whole new world. Writing provides a way for me to communicate what can’t or is difficult to be said aloud. The process of writing is unique to me, in that I feel my voice come to life on paper. Being able to put my thoughts onto paper provides adventure and there are endless possibilities in what direction my adventures could go. When I think about it, writing truly makes me focus and express how I really feel and my opinions on certain issues. The process of writing helps to clear my mind.

What Writing Means To Me

How does one even begin to describe the meaning of the written word to one’s life? While I find all aspects of general communication to be fascinating and worthy of intense study, the written word holds a particular interest to me. In my opinion, written work is quite possibly the easiest way to communicate one’s inner most thoughts, emotions, and ideals since it allows the time to produce a well thought out, detailed explanation. In other words, writing may be one of the simplest, most logical ways to effectively describe my ideas to another.

Now besides the general reluctance the art of writing creates in the average college student from time to time, I often find a surprising desire to put my own thoughts and opinions in writing for the sake of my own clarity and understanding. In this way, I suppose that writing is a teaching tool and form of catharsis for me. For instance, putting my thoughts into words grants me a deeper understanding of each idea and forces me to further investigate my own opinions on each thought. Writing also forces me to analyze the way in which I express my thoughts by subconsciously questioning whether there are clearer methods of description. Writing, to me, is the strongest method of self-expression.

What Writing Means To Me

Writing, to me, means freedom. It means self-expression; it means having a voice. Writing means a thought process- it allows you to sit back and really reflect on your feelings, emotions, and opinions.

Writing means creativity expressed through lyrics and poetry and through stories and fairy-tales. Writing means intelligence embodied in reports and documents and in essays and manuscripts.

Writing is meaningful, thankful, and apologetic. Writing means inspiration. It is a way to reach out to others and look into their minds. Writing means personality; it is your trademark. Writing is a manifestation of who you are.

What writing means to me...

Lindsay Diaferio,
Marquette Undergrad Student

Writing is a very powerful source of language that is used to convey endless thoughts, ideas, interpretations, theories, etc. about the world in which we live. To me writing is a symbol; a powerful tool used to convey diversified messages to those around us. I use writing to tell stories, convey passions, and express my thoughts and emotions..

Writing is a source of communication that we, as humans, have used for endless amounts of time. It has helped us to remember the past and maybe even fantasize about the future! Writing is a way to “think outside the box” by using your imagination. Just read the Twilight series!! It fascinates me to walk into a library with SO many books and think about how each one contains something unique to itself.

Writing has also served as a crucial source in assisting us to the point we are at today as a society. Just think of science and how far we have advanced. By using writing, it has helped us to expand and reflect on preexisting theories and notions about endless topics. Writing has allowed us to question thoughts and motives.

For me, writing has been a way that allows us to just slightly see into the minds surrounding us.

What writing means to me


Writing papers before college use to scare me and I would dread every moment of it. I didn't consider myself a good writer and getting through something so small as a 5 page paper seemed like it took forever. I think it's ironic that not only did I end up in the College of Communications, but also a public relations major. Since my start here at Marquette, I have been forced out of my comfort zone to not only write a lot more, but to become a better writer. I enjoy writing papers and love the feeling of accomplishment after I finished a piece.

Writing has given me a chance to express myself. I can put into writing my feelings and thoughts that sometimes cannot be expressed verbally. I am not the most outgoing person, so writing is important to me. Writing forces me to always think and create new ideas. I like to think of myself as somewhat of a creative person so writing helps put this creativity into words.

Writing has been such an essential aspect of my education thus far and I know I will continue to use my skills acquired at Marquette in the professional world. As a public relations practitioner, I will be writing everyday and building on these skills. I hope that in the future I will keep writing and expressing myself that way I do now.
What Writing Means To Me

By definition writing is defined as the activity or skill of marking coherent words on paper and composing text, however I consider writing to be a unique form of self expression. We are taught to write at a very young age, beginning with simple sentences like, "see spot run" and then eventually take those simple skills and use them to express ourselves. Whether it is through lyrics of a song, poetry, or journaling, writing allows us to express what we may not be able to articulate. Being able to write down one's thoughts has contributed to great changes through the century's. It may have been through the literary works of Shakespear, the new sound from the Beatles, or President Obama's acceptance speech. It's funny to think that something so simple, like writing and can change the world one word at a time.

What writing means to me...

Writing... reading other's writing has always been a happy pastime of mine. It allows me to see into the thoughts of some of the most intelligent human beings as well as enjoy a world outside of my own. It is a gift to be able to read and write, one that I am most grateful for. More specifically to me, writing is a form of expression. It is a way of letting others know how I feel or simply allowing myself to let emotions go. I have always tended to be able to express myself better through writing whether it be private or not. I can contemplate what I want to say before I say it which helps me focus my thoughts.

What Writing Means To Me.

Writing is an art expression and a way to communicate ideas through words that best resemble your personal style. Writing is about control and felxibility while mainting indivduality. Whether its writing about a particular subject, person or emotion, writing doesn't take on one particular style. Some of us like to write in journals, blogs,term papers, poems or even something as simple as a "to do" list. But whatever it may be, writing takes on several forms, yet, it has one goal and that is to communicate.

What Writing Means to Me- Jenny Mays

To me, writing is a great way to express yourself. You can say whatever you want, in whatever way, in any form. You write for everything. My problem with writing, however, is not getting the right words out. I've realized I have lots to say and want to say it perfectly, but sometimes it just doesn't sound good. Writing for me is a challenge, but is worth it when you finally get it right.
Example: That just took my way longer than it should have.

What Writing Means to Me

9/3/09 11:28 a.m.
Jackie Steuter, Marquette University Student

Since junior high I always used writing as a way to express things I felt uncomfortable saying in person. From writing cards to my parents saying how much I appreciate them- still have a hard time saying that one in person- to journaling my massive frustrations that I wanted private, writing, in many ways, saved me from insanity.

In high school I joined the speech team and soon found myself in the persuasive category as well as the extemporaneous speaking sect-a.k.a. the "nerd" group. Both events made me realize writing's importance to making a point heard. My writing has improved tremendously from my speech experience, and since I have been in college, it has made even more leaps and bounds.

I have been involved in a couple internships- one with the Marquette Athletic Department and another with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin- that have emphasized the need for quality writing skills in the work place. Having an idea or a concept and being able to express it clearly and in a concise and catchy manner is a task often underestimated. In this way, being able to develop better writing skills also improves the way you organize your thoughts, which helps the message of your writing appear more strongly throughout the piece.

Writing is something I really enjoy, if I have the time to concentrate. I also think it's helped me a ton in becoming a more polished future employee, or at least I hope.

What writing means to me.

It wasn't until recently that I became very interested in writing. My interest in writing began with sketch comedy writing in January. I joined a group called Sketch 22, where we gather together once every few months and write and perform sketch comedy in 22 hours. Along with sketch comedy writing, I write for the Marquette Tribune and write feature articles covering the Milwaukee comedy scene.

Because of these two organizations, the meaning of writing has become very important to me. I thoroughly enjoy doing it as well as all of the aspects that go into it (research, organization, etc). I hope I keep up this hobby for the rest of my life and perhaps make it a part of my career!

what writing means to me

To me,writing is one of the best ways to express your feelings.
I have always loved great writers, they have that amazing talent to find the most beautiful words to describe feelings.
I am not very comfortable with dealing with the heavy stuff of life (love, death etc.) so I will put it down and write those letters to my family and friends, of course I am far from being an Jane Austen, so I am sure it sounds cheesy, but I do not care, it is off my chest!
Writing is my therapy and it is cheaper than a shrink!

What Writing Means to Me - Shannon Walsh

Writing is my preferred method of communication and represents everything I'm about - planning, thoughtful choice, premediation, caution. I grew up wanting to be a journalist, and after my first semester at Marquette, changed to public relations. But writing will always be my primary focus - I struggle with public speaking, and even the simple act of communicating verbally at times. Writing lets you plan your words carefully, ensure that they convery the appropriate emotions and suggestions, and voice your opinion or message in a way that helps people understand. Any day, I would rather craft an email or document than speak with someone verbally - which might also lend itself to the power of social media - most social media focuses around the written (typed) word rather than auditory sound.

What Writing Means to Me

Writing for me is the ability to communicate ideas through the use of symbols. However, there is a lot more to it than that. For me, writing is something that is very personal. It allows me to express ideas, wishes, and dreams with those around me. It acts as a looking glass into who a person is. Sometime this is difficult, where the message that is written lies somewhere deep in the lines, and it is necessary to delve deep, to act as a mole, in order to get to get the meaning of things, but without writing, this would never be possible

What Writing Means to Me

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

What Writing Means to Me

Writing has always been my favorite form of expression. When I was younger, I kept daily journals/diaries. I still have some of those journals and it is interesting to look back and see what I once found to be "so important" or life altering when I was ten years old. My writing style has (naturally) changed since then, too. I still use writing as a the main way to express my thoughts, only in a different style.

I've found slam poetry to be one of my favorite ways to express myself. I often write down what I'm feeling and it comes naturally in poetic form. Rarely do I rhyme, but I do feel that one reading my poetry can genuinely feel what I was going through at the time I wrote it and understand the emotions I was trying to convey through my writing. Many pieces I've accompanied to music, changing them to fit lyrics that flow easily together in a song.

I know I still have a lot to learn as writer, especially when it comes to writing as a professional. I am open to learn new things in order to improve my skills to the best of my ability.

What Writing Means To Me- Ellie Kemmeter

What writing means to me

Writing allows the expression of myself in various ways. I can express happy thoughts, sad, thoughts, anger, or joy through my written words. I feel through writing I can communicate a more thought out, concise, and articulate message than when I simply am talking to someone. Writing allows me to reach more people than just talking to someone. I can communicate to all 800 of my Facebook friends at once, rather just a few people in a single conversation. I find creative writing a comfort and a release, but formal writing is just as enjoyable.


One way in which I am able to reach out to people is writing through social network communication. I have included a link to my twitter to this post!

Tom's Blog

As a college student, there are plenty of nights (or early mornings) where I wish no one had ever written anything. Wouldn't it just be that much better if we all sat around fires and cooked our most recent wooly mammoth before retiring to a nice damp cave every evening? Then again, nothing quite gets me as excited as breaking open a new chapter of Aquinas come the beginning of a new semester.

I can't understand people who don't like to read. I don't read outside of my coursework on a nightly basis, and I certainly don't think that people should necessarily (I like a good hour of TV just as much as the next person). However, a good writer can touch the soul in such a way that television simply can't. Just think of how much time it takes to read a book and yet we've all suggested to our friends that they read something you've just read. It's such a time commitment that I impose when I do it- yet there is no way I would ask my friends to watch a 6 hour miniseries and then get back to me. There must be something special about reading someone else's thoughts that inspires.

Writing is an investment of the heart, an opening into the mind of the greatest thinkers. To be perfectly honest, thinking about it right now makes me wonder why I have been given such a gift as to even know how. Either way, when it comes down to it, more and more people are taking up writing, I just hope that the quality doesn't become less and less with the advent of blogging taking over traditional journalism.