In the article All Writers Have More to Learn by Shirley Rose, she talks about how writers will always have more to learn about writing. Writers must struggle to write in new contexts and genres. Deciding what quote to use and choosing evidence is not something that can be learned just once, it takes practice. The threshold concept is helpful for writers to understand and enable them to recognize difficulty in writing. On the same note, in the reading Learning to Write Effectively Requires Different Kinds of Practice, Time, and Effort by Kathleen Blake Yancey, she discusses how we become familiar with writing through practice. Practicing writing provides fluidity, writers become familiar and it starts to flow. Another kind of practice is refined technique. We can create things that seem out of reach by combining words. Practice can also involve people. With their responses, we can revise and communicate more clearly. The threshold concept is learning to write effectively in different contexts or communities. Research has demonstrated that effective writer’s practice is key. Practice helps to develop into competent writers.
These two readings are important to a writing class because it helps to let the students know that writing is not a one and done thing. Writing takes patience and practice. It is okay to fail and mess up, but you have to stick with it and use your time to revise to achieve the grade that you want. Writing students need to take time to reread and revise their work. They need to not get stressed or upset when they do not succeed their first time.
