Short and Sweet

I've written a lot of papers, especially in the last four years. My AP English classes in high school were demanding, and I spent many hours focusing on how to write a quality paper. I always started by brain-storming, writing an outline then a rough draft. Finally, I was ready to write the final draft. Then, it was time to proof-read. Most of my papers were three to five pages, so I had time to express my ideas in a lengthy fashion. I got used to writing this type of paper and eventually ended up writing a research paper. This type of writing is ingrained in my mind, for this is all I really know.

Then came my college CARD 101 class. The first thing I’ve been asked to do is to write a microtheme on a topic of my choice. Not totally comprehending the assignment, I felt I would be writing something about a couple of pages long. I did this and found out it was totally too long. I went on to Plan B and rewrote the paper condensing my ideas. Wrong again! After having another conversation with my professor, I finally realized that this paper had to be really short. It is difficult to express yourself in a few words. It is hard to condense your thoughts and still have them make sense. I now realize that it takes a major effort to accomplish this.

I am now writing my third draft of my microtheme. I know it has to be short, only a page long! I know that I have to concentrate on a main idea and explain it concisely with no frills. I know I have to analyze my topic and have evidence to support it. I guess I need to be a man of few words. I’m confident I can do this.