Why strive to read like a writer?

1. The method of reading like a writer involves systematically picking apart the text and analyzing its contents from various perspectives. Although RLW (reading like a writer) is very beneficial in many literary situations, the techniques described can actually be inappropriate in approaching certain materials. Historically, English classes almost make RLW a necessity in understanding the curriculum. Mike Bunn seems to think like a rhetorical analyzer, which is why I have used RLW in the past to set up my thought process for a rhetorical analysis assignment. However, in a science-based class RLW would detract from the intentions a teacher has in his or her assignment. The writing in science text books is usually poorly constructed, and paying too close of attention to the rhetorical strategies can completely diminish the important of the text’s contents.

2. While writing, I like to define and analyze as much as possible. A reader may recognize my attempt at framing ideas from different vantage points, explaining each side to a certain issue or concept and eventually moving into the formulation of my personal perception.

3. I always enjoy reading an essay that begins or incorporates an anecdotal backbone its main theme. This particular paper starts with a story that leads very nicely into Bunn’s thesis. He begins by explaining his seemingly unrelated experience at a theater, but fluidly moves into a reason why that experience perfectly captures the importance of RLW. The shift is clearly seen in one sentence that sticks out as its own indented area, “I came to realize that all writing consists of a series of choices.” Although usually I feel that introductory anecdotes are cheesy and unprofessional sounding, the way Bunn places one in his essay encourages me to use the same technique in an assignment for this class.

4. Context is a crucial factor in understanding a piece of writing. Before reading, as RLW suggests, the situational components surrounding the writing should be identified. These contextual building blocks can be found in a broad historical examination of the text or in an evaluation directed at the author’s personal intentions. The broad examination would include understanding the typical perception of whatever topic is being discussed, and more specifically during the time period that the author wrote about it. After establishing what other people were thinking, it is even more important to find what the author’s thought process and purpose was in his or her writing.