I wrote THAT?

Dr. Bell, I write this so that you may consider implementing the right to repair at The University of Alabama. The right to repair is officially stated as government legislation that is intended to allow consumers the ability to repair and modify their own consumer electronic devices, where otherwise the manufacturer of such devices require the consumer to use only their offered services. I am sure you often hear people gripe over the insane cost of education. Students are charged such an extreme amount for education that no one thing can even stand out—tuition costs, campus parking, the cost of books, etc. The right to repair can at least be a step in the right direction.

Alright, this opening paragraph isn't that bad, but I think its is healthy to cringe at even your most recent writing. My latest work at Alabama Alumni Magazine and in my technical writing class has made me consistently self-aware of the flaws in my writing, which has helped me progress quickly. Not really to my surprise, I self-confirmed that I struggle with using superfluous language and not understanding my subject. Writing is inherently appealing to me and others due to its creative value, and I honestly still have a difficult time buying the rules of writing. As much as I want to believe that many technical writing principles are restrictive to the voice I try to command in an essay, that is not the case as I often miss the point of writing. In the example above, I could have moved the second sentence to a completely different paragraph, but I instead over explained too early. My writing can be self-absorbed due to what I think is a constant pursuit of standing out, but regardless of genre, it can't be a frustrating read. I thought that I often do not have the proper skillset required in crafting an interesting and efficient sentence, which made me realize how annoying it can be when someone does not get to the point. It almost feels defeating to me when I write what I consider to be too technical , but that is the coolest part of writing. It serves as a means of communication, so you have to embrace whatever form you take.

My currents strength in writing is my ability to watch sentence length. Making sure that all sentences occupy a set space of efficiency and purpose can be one of the most satisfying feeling in writing. As each sentence is cut down to its right size, the essay begins to grow off each thought in such an organic way. It is like a writers high I suppose. Just like sentence length, my other perceived strength is a recent discovery. The use of active voice helped my progressing habit of beating around the bush of a sentence. Active writing throws the heart of a sentence at the reader, opposed to them being confused on where the sentence is going mid-read, causing them to take multiple double takes. Fixing these issues leads me to wonder what level of creative freedom and rule breaking could fit within the lines of technical writing.