- After the discussion, ask students to respond to the following writing prompt individually:
- Think of a recent writing task you completed (e.g., a research paper, an email, a social media post, etc.). How did the genre of that task shape your approach to writing it?
- Reflect on how the genre influenced the structure, tone, and content of your writing.
- In what ways can understanding genre more deeply improve your writing in the future?
Post your short response in the comment section below.
If you have any questions, let me know.
-My latest writing assignment was a personal statement telling my experience of going back to college. Because it was personal narrative recounting my experience, I felt that the best way to go about it, would be to convey it through experience and emotions, as opposed to summarizing the work and merely stating fact. I utilized memories, feelings, and stories to invite the reader in and demonstrate how I have grown. This genre gave me more access to candidness and transparency; especially in relation to my experience of education and career pathways. It allowed me to write from the first person, included dialogue, and infuse my cultural background and language. This genre compelled me to be reflective and vulnerable, which shaped the narrative structure I chose.
-My writing was definitely influenced by the personal narrative genre. The structure was organized chronologically, starting from my childhood and moving until the present, which took much of the anxiety out of writing the actual story. I also made sure to keep the tone sincere and emotional, as I wanted readers to experience those emotions I felt at the significant moments in my life. The content was very personal and shared a great deal about my family, my profession, as well as my hopes and dreams, so it felt like a perfect match for this type of genre. I also used specific memories from my life, cultural references, and experiences that gave more context to my experience. Because this was a personal experience, I didn’t feel the need to restrain myself, and the work felt real and representative of me.
-Gaining knowledge and understanding of different genres can help with my writing in many ways. It can help me to modify my writing style according to context. A college essay will certainly be written differently than a social media post. Genre tells me how to think about organizing my thinking and what kind of language is appropriate. It also tells me what the reader is expecting, which assists in effective communication of my ideas. Lastly, the more comfortable I become with writing in different genres, the more confident I will be in moving through any writing project I encounter in the future.