In “Habituated Practice Can Lead To Entrenchment” by Chris M. Anson from the book Naming What We Know, he talks about the idea of repetitive writing and how the ways in which you do your work can become automatic. When writers are placed in a new situation where they have to write in a new genre or, write about something they have no idea about, it can become a bit scary. This can be true with any line of work as Anson talks about how veteran police officers can apply habituated practices to their work by writing hundreds of the same reports per day when a new strategy could have been used. Or, when someone says they still use the “old school ways”. Anson talks about how these habituated practices may cause struggles for even the most experienced of writers. Being exposed to new things and ideas can truly help you and the way you write because you learn more and more each time you are exposed. Breaking old habits may be very challenging but can bring you to a new level in your work. By branching out and learning more, you can expand your audience and have more people interested in what you are talking about.
Something that has become automatic to me is a five-paragraph essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This may not have been a problem for me in high school but college writing is far more intense and complex than a standard essay. My English teachers throughout high school would almost force it into my mind that I needed a thesis statement and three solid reasons to back it up which again, is okay for the level of writing we were doing. Still, I find it hard sometimes to break that habit and switch to different types of writing. Now, I have been exposed to various types of writing and I feel as if I am more experienced in writing. Although there are advantages to having these old skills and habits because I can whip out an essay super easily and have it be pretty good, the disadvantages are far worse in my opinion. Growing up and learning in school, I was not taught different ways to write a paper. I do not think habituated practice is good for writers because as a writer you always need to be thinking of something new. The same, old writing style is not going to cut it every time.
