essay on anthony's essay

“This quote applies to me because up until my senior year of high school I'd been told what to write about, and how to write it.” –Anthony Diers

I empathize with Anthony because I have had a similar experience in my educational career. My teachers always told me what to write about and I felt extremely limited. It always seemed like I was not able to truly express myself. The point of writing is for an individual to express his personal thoughts and feelings. It seems unrealistic to force someone to have feelings on a topic that he is not passionate about. Also, it seems unfair to force someone to care about something he is ignorant of, or does not have a particular opinion on. On the other hand, I can see why teachers assign specific topics. Teachers want the students to become well-rounded, well-educated individuals. Teachers aspire to assist the students in learning the material presented in the textbook, as well as information about themselves as individuals. Writing outside of one’s comfort zone increases his knowledge of himself and the world around him. One can find new interests, passions, and traits to his personality by expanding his horizons and writing outside the box. It is said that “what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” This is extremely true of writing. The experience and growth is what is most important. When it comes to writing, practice is what helps one to grow. Practice provides a writer with confidence, ease, and experience for the future. The more one writes, just like with anything else, the better one becomes at it. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It is also true that great writers are not created over night. It takes time, patience, and practice to develop one’s unique voice and style. Also, unfortunately it means doing things that one does not necessarily want to do, which includes writing about topics that may not seem “appealing.”