Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Principles of Effective Practice in the Teaching and Assessment of Essay
Principles of Effective Practice in the Teaching and Assessment of Reading - Essay Example The instructors should seek to motivate and stimulate the learners to work at optimum levels. Information should be processed and developed inside the brains of students. Vocabulary is slowly built up in order to ensure that they have obtained exposure to the various language patterns and structures. The final stages of reading involve the ability of students to form complex words and phrases. They are able to decipher the meaning of the text. They can apply outside knowledge in order to obtain an outline of the text. Empirical studies have demonstrated that a staged approach towards reading can produce benefits for young children. It helps to generate interest and passion for young children. It leads to commitment and devotion to reading acquisition skills. Further reading helps to enhance the cognitive and intellectual capacity of young students. Finally, it exposes them to vast literature that can help them achieve educational objectives. The level of understanding of various styles of writing is defined as reading comprehension. The proficiency of reading deeply related to the ability to identify words quickly and store the information in memory. When the identification process is difficult for the students when they use much of their energy of processing memory to read and recognize the individual words and as a result, their ability to understand is greatly affected. Researchers believe that it is very important for the children to learn to recognize the printed text and analyze it, regardless of whether they can read it on their own or not. The process of comprehension begins at the nursery stage. On the other hand, some researchers believe that this approach is not useful particularly for young children because they think that kids should learn to decode different words in form of phonics before developing analytical thinking. Teachers often use the technique of round-robin re, adding. It's a process in which tea cher call upon students individually turn by turn to read a piece of a given particular text. It was evident that this method of reading test focus more on comprehension rather than teaching it.Â
Monday, October 28, 2019
Western Civilization Essay Example for Free
Western Civilization Essay Between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, early modern European society began to fear the possibility that witches existed in their midst. The resultant panic led to massive persecution in the form of the trial and torture and subsequent execution of a 40,000 to 50,000 suspected witches, about 75% of which were women, over a period of 100,000 trials between 1450 and 1750. While estimates written in the mid-1970s place the figures at about 9 million women, this is an exaggerated estimate derived from extremist or polemical feminist accounts which seek to create a proto-feminist depiction of this period. Still, it is difficult to cite any other period in which women were persecuted and subject to atrocities of a similar or larger scale. In any case, it was rapid social, economic and religious transformation in Europe during this time that ‘helped’ set the stage for these witch hunts. Gibbons (1998) notes that the spread of Christianity led to a religious homogeneity that gave way to a declining tolerance towards pagan religions and witchcraft. Additionally, Europe in the early 14th century was crippled by rumors of a ‘malign conspiracy’ to bring down Christianized nations. In essence, the decline of religious diversity that comes with the hegemonic presence of Christianity as spiritual way of life of the common European meant that acceptance of other religions was rapidly diminished. The Black Death or bubonic plague which struck Europe during the mid 14th century intensified the rumors of the aforementioned conspiracy under the allegation that the plague was the creation of witches and other pagans who ostensibly sought to destabilize Christian rule. The implicit impact of the Reformation upon European Christendom also supports this view. During this period, the number of witch trials actually dropped, notes Gibbons (1998). As such, the conflict between the entrenched Catholicism and the emerging Protestant movement resulted in the collapse of Christian orthodoxy. Also, it is interesting to note that only the nations in which rapid development was occurring that the witch hunt panic was at its strongest. Spain, Italy and Portugal did not experience as much panic as the nations of Germany and Switzerland. In any case, the prevailing instability of Europe during this time exacerbated the witch panic. Because European civilization depended heavily on a homogenous grain-based agriculture – but without many of the industrial (albeit environmentally unsustainable) advances and insurances that it enjoys today – it was much more susceptible to the dangers of crop failure. Sociologists have noted that such crop failures are correlated with the occurrence of witch hunts, with the explanation being that there is a tendency within humans to blame inexplicable disaster on a much more ‘known’ variable (albeit one that is not well understood). Communities which experienced the crop failure would take their anxieties out on the community members who were considered deviant and therefore concluded to be responsible for such crop failures. Such a sociological explanation is not far removed from the same conditions which gave rise to the anti-Semitic sentiment that gave rise to Nazism, which blamed the Jewish people for economic problems. By the 18th century, the witch hunts began to subside. Perhaps the most significant macro explanation for this decline was the restoration of stability to Europe, which Hannam (2007) describes as creating an absence of the reasons that started them in the first place. For example, the height of the Salem witch trials occurred when theocratic authority was in question. Greater protections were given to impoverished women when England implemented the Poor Law. Also, radical new works in social thought led to greater acceptance of cultural and religious diversity and pluralism. REFERENCES Kagan, D. , Ozment, S. , Turner, F. (2007) The Western Heritage. 9th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall. Gibson, J. (1998) â€Å"Recent Developments In The Study of the Great European Witch Hunt. †Pomegranate, Issue 5 Hannam, J. (2007) â€Å"The Decline of Witch Trials in Europe. †Medieval Science and Philosophy. Retrieved May 23, 2008 from: http://jameshannam. com/witchtrial. htm
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Breathe Right Strips Essay -- Chronic Nasal Congestion Health CNS Essa
Breath Right Strips Introduction According to the text, Breathe Right Strips were invented by Bruce Johnson, a chronic nasal congestion sufferer. Mr. Johnson Brought his creation to CNS Inc. CNS took the product and primarily marketed it to sports teams, nasal sufferers and night-time snorers. The product really became prominent when Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers wore the product in the Super Bowl. According to cns.com, Breathe Right Strips is also available in vapor strips, clear and tan strips, and nasal strips for kids. Some of the other products include nasal spray, throat spray, fiberchoice and a portable vaporizer. Armed with these few, but strong products in 1995 CNS, decided to go global. Summary of the Facts The facts are that that there are advantages and disadvantages of CNS going global with the product. The advantages are that CNS can attempt to increase its market share and not have to rely on only domestic dollars, partnerships can begin to develop between local suppliers, and they can avoid costs of domestic licensing. The disadvantages are that there are local customs that need to be considered, the lack of name recognition of the brand, there may be stronger global competition, the international company may be used to different marketing, and there may be different trade regulations. The decision for CNS to go global takes careful analysis and an international strategy. Analysis The strategy that CNS decided to use is the three-stage approach. Stage 1 is Explore/test concept. Stage two is the Establish the product, and stage three is Manage the product. Using the SWOT analysis, I will analyze their marketing approach as it pertains to entering international territory. The strengths are that breathe right has already shown that it could successfully market the product in North America and make it a success. They have proven that they can package the product to tailor it to the international market, which would allow then to penetrate the market and refine messages for the local market as spelled out in stage 2 of their strategy. They have the ability to identify potential partners in the local global markets. When they first entered the global market, they partner with 3M, who had a handle on the marketing practices of the global market. According to The Business Journal, they regained control of their ... ...ons to attract people that are unaware of the product. They can also opt to do what they have always done, because the product is successful. To take the do-nothing approach is dreadful, because the competition is out there lurking, just waiting for CNS to rest on their laurels. Conclusion The CNS Company is already a successful company due to the achievements of its breathing right strips. In my analysis we learned that they already do a lot of things right. What they need to be aware of is the different economical situations in the global marketplace, there are different ways that the product is approved abroad, and there is competition lurking. CNS needs to continue to leverage their strengths, but capitalize on their opportunities and benchmark the competition. Works Cited Kerin, Hartley, Berkowitz, and Rudelius. Marketing McGraw Hill 8th Edition â€Å"CNS Inc. to regain control of Breathe Right international sales from 3M†The Business Journal Minneapolis-St.Paul: 11 Oct. 1999 â€Å"Innovative Solutions to Everyday Problems†2004 http://www.cns.com/products/products.html â€Å"1-2-3 Breathe†2004 http://www.ginmiller.com/gmf04/gmfstore/healthbeauty/123breeathe.htm Breathe Right Strips Essay -- Chronic Nasal Congestion Health CNS Essa Breath Right Strips Introduction According to the text, Breathe Right Strips were invented by Bruce Johnson, a chronic nasal congestion sufferer. Mr. Johnson Brought his creation to CNS Inc. CNS took the product and primarily marketed it to sports teams, nasal sufferers and night-time snorers. The product really became prominent when Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers wore the product in the Super Bowl. According to cns.com, Breathe Right Strips is also available in vapor strips, clear and tan strips, and nasal strips for kids. Some of the other products include nasal spray, throat spray, fiberchoice and a portable vaporizer. Armed with these few, but strong products in 1995 CNS, decided to go global. Summary of the Facts The facts are that that there are advantages and disadvantages of CNS going global with the product. The advantages are that CNS can attempt to increase its market share and not have to rely on only domestic dollars, partnerships can begin to develop between local suppliers, and they can avoid costs of domestic licensing. The disadvantages are that there are local customs that need to be considered, the lack of name recognition of the brand, there may be stronger global competition, the international company may be used to different marketing, and there may be different trade regulations. The decision for CNS to go global takes careful analysis and an international strategy. Analysis The strategy that CNS decided to use is the three-stage approach. Stage 1 is Explore/test concept. Stage two is the Establish the product, and stage three is Manage the product. Using the SWOT analysis, I will analyze their marketing approach as it pertains to entering international territory. The strengths are that breathe right has already shown that it could successfully market the product in North America and make it a success. They have proven that they can package the product to tailor it to the international market, which would allow then to penetrate the market and refine messages for the local market as spelled out in stage 2 of their strategy. They have the ability to identify potential partners in the local global markets. When they first entered the global market, they partner with 3M, who had a handle on the marketing practices of the global market. According to The Business Journal, they regained control of their ... ...ons to attract people that are unaware of the product. They can also opt to do what they have always done, because the product is successful. To take the do-nothing approach is dreadful, because the competition is out there lurking, just waiting for CNS to rest on their laurels. Conclusion The CNS Company is already a successful company due to the achievements of its breathing right strips. In my analysis we learned that they already do a lot of things right. What they need to be aware of is the different economical situations in the global marketplace, there are different ways that the product is approved abroad, and there is competition lurking. CNS needs to continue to leverage their strengths, but capitalize on their opportunities and benchmark the competition. Works Cited Kerin, Hartley, Berkowitz, and Rudelius. Marketing McGraw Hill 8th Edition â€Å"CNS Inc. to regain control of Breathe Right international sales from 3M†The Business Journal Minneapolis-St.Paul: 11 Oct. 1999 â€Å"Innovative Solutions to Everyday Problems†2004 http://www.cns.com/products/products.html â€Å"1-2-3 Breathe†2004 http://www.ginmiller.com/gmf04/gmfstore/healthbeauty/123breeathe.htm
Thursday, October 24, 2019
English Teaching Plan
Months & Seasons Vocabulary Games Match the names of the celebrations/ holidays with the months that they take place in. January February March April May June July August September October November December Mother’s Day International Children’s Day US  Independence Day Christmas’s Eve Halloween Mid Fall Festival Vietnam Teacher’s Day International Women’s Day International Left handers’ Day Valentine’s Day New Year’s Eve April’s Fool Now discuss with your partners what people often do during those holidays ? Vocabulary Game (2)Match the words that best describe the weather of each season (work with a partner) dry              humidÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â à ‚  wet                 cold                   freezing               sunny windy           rainy                 comfortable           below freezing     breezy          cool chilly        drizzling            fog/foggy         heat wave       boiling          tropical storms snowstorms        cloudy            snowy        nice          warm           hot Spring: Summer Autumn Win ter Listening Activity A.Listen to the recording and tick the words that you hear winter           outside          prefer              peak of the summer           long lazy days             June                 summer man            autumn grey                     going back to school         autumn leaves          walking in the woods   fan of the winter          December           snow            ChristmasÂ Â Â Â à ‚              celebrations January      worst months of the year        march          april the first            windy         feelings            summer              he at             light dark          have a walk B.Listen to the recording again and decide whether each statement is true (T) or false (F) 1. Richard loves winter 2. It’s December now 3. There’s often snow in the UK in the winter 4. There’re a lot of celebrations and parties during Christmas 5. Both of the speakers were born in the Sp ring 6. Richard loves July the most  in the summer months 7. The female speaker likes all of the autumn months 8. She loves the colors of autumn 9. Today is a wet, cold, dark day. 10. They will probably stay inside today. C. Now listen for the last time and fill in the blanks to complete the conversation F: So this week on podcastinenglish. om, we’re talking about months of the years and seasons. So, richard, it’s December now, and for us, the first of the ____________ months. How do you feel about the winter and the winter months? M: I don’t like them. F: Not at all? M: No, December? Cold, grey, wet, ____________. No.. I’m not a fan of winter, I’m afraid F: Yes, and also in the UK, we don’t really get.. we don’t always get snow. And I think if it’s cold and there’s snow, that’s really nice .. but if it’s just cold and wet, then that’s really hard. At least we have Christmas for December M: Christmas is good.Christmas are.. ________________, parties.. that’s nice.. and it’s not as bad as January. January is to come F:  Yes I think January and February are the ____________ months of the year. But in the spring, then we have the spring months. Both you and I were born in the spring. You were born in March and I was born in____________. Do you like March? M: I’m not a fan of March and April, either.. cause then, at least in the UK, it’s very ___________, wet .. and you know March is the driest month of the year but it seems to be windy, and a bit wet and dam. that’s my ____________anyway
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Action plan for PV Technologies †when they asleep at the switch Essay
Problems / Issues faced by the PV Technologies: As per the information from Sales Manager Mr.Salvatori, PVT might lose the contract against SOMA energy and BJ Solar from the bidding, which is one of the high visibility project conducted by Solenergy Development LLC who won to construct a PV solar energy Power Plant. Mr. Greg Morgan – Chief Engineer conducted the evaluation of the bidders and the assumed outcome is that PVT will be out of the running potential supplier because of the price compared to other bidder though the quality of the product is incomparable. If PVT loses this contract then its reputation and position in the Market Place are at stake as the announcement might through a press conference. Action Plan for PVT: 1. Competitor analysis – We should never underestimate the competitor and should analyse competitor before we bid or approach for any kind of order. They should know what are their offerings, price structure, services offered, value offered and geographic location. 2. Increase Marketing Efforts: The major disadvantage of PVTs lacking in reaching or communicating their product line and service to the clients/customer. They should start PR activities to improve their reach and increase their client relationship as well as customer base. In today’s market they should not rely on only the quality, Sales people contacts and services offered to the customer, rather advertisement / PR activities should drive the customer to approach PVT . There should be a proper line of communication credible source of information and proper way of communication (Internal and external) is needed. 3. Line of Communication: They should also not rely on the information by the sales people which made them react even when the source of information was unethical. Losing a customer like Solar Energy will put their reputation in trouble in the industry. Plan of action to win the current bidding Since the management is concerned about the decision taken by Solenergy, they should have a casual talk with Morgan and know the exact situation of the bidding. Recommendation for PVT would be to offer its new product, accelerate the introduction of their new 1.25MW model which is 98.5% efficiency. Introducing this new product, might be appealing for Solenergy in all means like efficiency, reliability, service and most importantly price of the inverter which is much lesser than the competitor. Choosing other options like extending warranty to 20 years or offering 99% uptime guarantee at no cost will lead to a lot of disadvantages to PVT to sustain in the market and for future orders as well. Disadvantage by offering Option1: †¢  Solenergy will have to pay a high price upfront. †¢  Though the quality of the PVT inverter is reliable still PVT will have to increase manpower for the purpose of maintenance. †¢  This option will lead to additional expenses and more complications in the future.  †¢Ã‚ Offering this option dilute the market (by increasing the service offered will increase the expectation from customer for every order) and will affect future orders too. Disadvantage by offering Option 2: †¢Ã‚ Unexpected cost from the failure of the product ( due to Climate condition / economic factor / Power source ) can put PVT into huge loss. †¢Ã‚ Increasing manpower only for the purpose of maintenance. †¢ Margin in this offering is also very low for PVT. Orders should not be taken for the sake of reputation. †¢ Market will get diluted Overall the competitors can also offer these options (Option 1 and Option 2 – Annexure 1 and 2), as they want to enter the market. Since it will reach a broader segment of people, it will be a value addition for the competitor to offer the same (alternatives), enter the market and acquire a new client. The competitor’s revenue can also increase for the year. By offering a new product (Option 3) they can regain top standard and reputation, and possibly close the deal with them. However, they need to think of a way in which the acceleration of this product will not hurt them financially and can still be delivered to Solenergy on time and possibly reduce the manufacturing cost. Solenergy too can claim that they were the first ones to employ the latest technology and the most robust management system. The advantage by offering Option 3 will be that competitor cannot offer a new highly efficient product in such a short span of time. Since PVT is known for its Research and development and product innovation, this would be the ideal option for winning this bid. Drivers for Renewable energy: Key factors for the competitor to offer a best possible solution. Market for alternative source of energy is in a growing stage. Rising energy cost, unstable oil market, environmental awareness, tax incentives are the main drivers towards the growth of renewable energy. Market value for 2010 was $6 billion more than 100% growth from the previous year and the market for solar PV forecasted to increase by 30.4% CAGR for the period of 2010-15. It’s a vision of a federal government to depend on the renewable energy to produce 80% of the electricity by the year 2035. Around the world, 85% of electricity is being derived from oil, gas and coal and less than 1% are from solar energy, so there is great potential in the market for growth. PVT is a pioneer in renewable energy supply to more than 25 countries with their quality and effective product. The below calculation are done as per the calculation in the PVT option like the following :  Total cost of Sale : 60% of the total Project Value Warranty Expenses & Premium : 18% of the Total Value Maintenance Contract Income : 8.9% of the Total Value Gross Expenses – Guarantee : 38.7% of the Total value Maintenance Contract Expenses : 8% of the Total value Sales Commission : .4% of the Total Value Annexure :1 Considering if SOMA uses the alternative Current Alternative1 Total Project value Warranty Premium Maintenance Contract Income Total Revenue Total cost of Sales Warranty Expenses Gross Expenses – Gurantee Maintenance Contract Expenses Sales Commission Project cost of sales Project Gross Profit 17000000 10200000 68000 10268000 6732000 17000000 3060000 20060000 10200000 3060000 68000 13328000 6732000 Alternative2 17000000 1513000 18513000 10200000 6592385 1369444 68000 18229829 283171 Annexure 2: Considering if the BJ Solar uses the alternative Current Alternative1 Total Project value Warranty Premium Maintenance Contract Income Total Revenue Total cost of Sales Warranty Expenses Gross Expenses – Gurantee Maintenance Contract Expenses Sales Commission Project cost of sales Project Gross Profit 16000000 9600000 64000 9664000 6336000 16000000 2880000 18880000 9600000 2880000 64000 12544000 6336000 Alternative2 16000000 1424000 17424000 9600000 6204597 1288889 64000 17157486 266514
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Expository Essay Sample on a Great Leader Who Is That
Expository Essay Sample on a Great Leader Who Is That Expository essays on what makes a great leader are focused on explaining the difference between an ordinary leader and a great leader. Although these two are both leaders, there is a big difference between the two. There is a debate that great leaders are born, yet, there are those whose argue is great leaders are nurtured. This debate has brought into question what really makes a great leader. A leader should have the qualities that cause him or her to be regarded as a great leader. Not all leaders are great leaders, and the difference is because of the qualities that such leaders portray. A great leader should not be a dictator. Instead, leaders should always be focused, visionary, possess sharp perception, be responsible, and reasonable. Leaders who are effective take into account their strengths as well as their weaknesses. They evaluate themselves when they ask questions like, â€Å"Am I a good leader? What can I accomplish, and what are my limits?†If a leader identifies his or her areas of weakness, he will try to turn his weaknesses into his strengths by working towards improving them. Some leaders tend to think that they have the ability to accomplish anything within or outside their domain. They are disillusioned into the thinking that leaders are always knowledgeable and nothing can outdo their thinking powers. This is a fallacy in thinking because there is no complete individual who is able to perform all duties. Leaders should be assisted by other people who are professionals in different fields and areas of knowledge. These other persons assist the leaders in compensating for their weaknesses. Leaders should recognize the abilities of those who work with them. Doing so helps them to be regarded as effective leaders. The perception of a leader is important. It helps in evaluating whether a leader is an effective or not. Leaders should be effective in their communication and should build a good relationship with those who serve under them. Leaders should ensure a good environment where everyone feels they have something of value to contribute. Conflicts should be recognized and addressed appropriately. A leader will be perceived to be a good leader if those who work with him talk positively about his leadership skills and what he is being able to accomplish. Leaders should also be responsible and accountable just like any other person. They should never be above the law. They should keep in accordance with the rules that govern them. They should never go beyond their limits. They should avoid the notion that they are powerful and, therefore, can bend the rules to suit themselves. The leaders’ incentive should be the goals of the organization or group they are leading. Good leaders should ha ve the goal as their central concern and work towards realizing the goal with the interest of the organization or the group they are leading. Tips on writing an expository essay on this topic: The purpose of an expository essay is to express a personal opinion on a given topic. The topic should be interesting to your targeted audience. A good way to decide on a topic is to listen to news reports and social media on the hot topics of the day. Find something that interests you and do some preliminary reading on that topic. Do you have an opinion? Develop that opinion into a thesis statement. Then develop some major points to support that opinion. Look for examples or personal experiences to add as details for those support points. As always, make sure to organize your ideas logically and to use transitional devices to help your thoughts flow smoothly. Finally, be sure to edit your essay and to conduct a final proof-reading.
Monday, October 21, 2019
5 Reasons Why Every Author Should Start a Journal
5 Reasons Why Every Author Should Start a Journal Considered one of the most important 20th-century writers and a master of the stream of consciousness narrative device, Virginia Woolf was an avid diarist. Having experienced a traumatic childhood- including the death of her mother when Woolf was only 13 years old, a mental breakdown, and sexual abuse- the diaries she left behind give us an extraordinary glimpse into the life and mind of one of the most influential authors in 20th century British literature. Without these journals, much of Woolfs influence on narrative style, particularly stream of consciousness as a narrative device and early feminist thought, would not have happened.Woolf was also aware of how much the process of journaling affected her life as a writer. From a diary entry dated April 20th, 1919, she writes:I got out this diary and read, as one always does read ones own writing, with a kind of guilty intensity. I confess that the rough and random style of it, often so ungrammatical, and crying for a word altered, a fflicted me somewhat. I am trying to tell whichever self it is that reads this hereafter that I can write very much better; and take no time over this; and forbid her to let the eye of man behold it. And now I may add my little compliment to the effect that it has a slapdash and vigour and sometimes hits an unexpected bulls eye. But what is more to the point is my belief that the habit of writing thus for my own eye only is good practice. It loosens the ligaments. Never mind the misses and the stumbles. Going at such a pace as I do I must make the most direct and instant shots at my object, and thus have to lay hands on words, choose them and shoot them with no more pause than is needed to put my pen in the ink.From A Writers Diary by Virginia WoolfVirginia Woolf was not the only writer who developed much of her writing style via journaling. Before her and after her, writers have used the process of keeping a journal as a way to develop their craft and look deeply into themselves as creatives. Simply put, if you are a writer and do not keep a journal, you are missing out on a valuable tool that can help you in your personal and creative life.Lets discuss some of the many ways keeping a journal can help you as a writer.Photo by Hannah Olinger on UnsplashYou learn your personal thought and behavior patternsWhen we journal as writers and authors, we take a moment to get to know ourselves on a deeper level. Thoughts that might be otherwise fleeting (if not written down) are saved and kept, to be revisited later- whether as self-reflection or measuring the changes that have occurred in ones mind and life.In the process of journaling, we find ourselves looking at our own nature. We examine the things that make us afraid, the things we try to hide from the rest of the world and our families, and even the things we have thought that would never make it past our lips in words to someone else. A journal, in this sense, is like a dear, nonjudgmental friend- someone to wh om we can tell anything and everything and not feel as if the words will be held against us in any way.It is free therapyIf youre a writer, you already know that along with the ability to craft a great poem or story is a disposition that leans toward feeling too much. The same trait that makes you the writer you are can also make you struggle in a world that weighs heavy on the creative soul. Journaling, in this sense, becomes a form of free therapy in which you can explore the traits youve carried that youd like to be rid of, or the reoccurring problems in your life that youd like to move past.Consider this entry, taken from The Diaries of Franz Kafka 1910-1913One advantage in keeping a diary is that you become aware with reassuring clarity of the changes which you constantly suffer and which in a general way are naturally believed, surmised, and admitted by you, but which youll unconsciously deny when it comes to the point of gaining hope or peace from such an admission. In the di ary you find proof that in situations which today would seem unbearable, you lived, looked around and wrote down observations, that this right hand moved then as it does today, when we may be wiser because we are able to look back upon our former condition, and for that very reason have got to admit the courage of our earlier striving in which we persisted even in sheer ignorance.The Diaries of Franz Kafka 1910-1913It helps you develop your voiceThe simple act of writing daily will do wonders for developing your voice as a writer. Accessing your thoughts, feelings, trepidations and memories- then putting them in written form- allows you to practice a narrative voice that is uniquely yours. This daily practice will develop into a clear, distinct, voice that can then be used in your fiction, even though it is rooted in a nonfiction world.Anaà ¯s Nin, a French-American essayist, short-story writer, and diarist, put it like this: The diary taught me that it is in the moments of emotion al crisis that human beings reveal themselves most accurately. I learned to choose the heightened moments because they are the moments of revelation.Photo by Hannah Olinger on UnsplashThere is an emphasis on process over productWhen you journal, you dont do it with the intention of it being read by an audience. Although, lets face it- if you ever become a famous writer, your journals are likely to be published (think†¦Anaà ¯s Nin, Sylvia Plath, Virginia Wolf, etc.) Since its not written for an audience and there is no one to judge what is being written as good or bad (or just mediocre), the emphasis then is on the process of writing versus the product that results.As with anything- the more you practice, the better you become at whatever you are practicing. While journaling might be different than writing a novel, it is still practice in the process of writing. You are still putting words on the page and finding your voice through a wide spectrum of thoughts, feelings, and emo tions. This adds to your experience as a writer, even if the product (or journal) is never published.Joan Didion, an American journalist, novelist, and screenplay writer, puts it like this:Why did I write it down? In order to remember, of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to remember? How much of it actually happened? Did any of it? Why do I keep a notebook at all? It is easy to deceive oneself on all those scores. The impulse to write things down is a peculiarly compulsive one, inexplicable to those who do not share it, useful only accidentally, only secondarily, in the way that any compulsion tries to justify itself. I suppose that it begins or does not begin in the cradle. Although I have felt compelled to write things down since I was five years old, I doubt that my daughter ever will, for she is a singularly blessed and accepting child, delighted with life exactly as life presents itself to her, unafraid to go to sleep and unafraid to wake up. Keepers of private notebook s are a different breed altogether, lonely and resistant rearrangers of things, anxious malcontents, children afflicted apparently at birth with some presentiment of loss.On Keeping a Notebook by Joan DidionIt encourages personal growthIn much the same way journaling makes space for therapeutic self-discovery, it also creates room for personal growth. In the process of writing down the events of your life- whether insignificant or significant- and analyzing those events (as well as your reaction to them), youll start to see patterns emerge. If those patterns continue to bring toxic people or thoughts into your life, it will become clear eventually, and youll begin to see the necessity of breaking them. If those patterns bring positive relationships and events to your life, youll see the necessity of keeping them. In doing so, this part of journaling encourages personal growth and the removal of negativity from your life.Jonathan Franzen, an American novelist and essayist, explains t he process like this:I had started keeping a journal, and I was discovering that I didnt need school in order to experience the misery of appearances. I could manufacture excruciating embarrassment in the privacy of my bedroom, simply by reading what Id written in the journal the day before. Its pages faithfully mirrored by fraudulence and pomposity and immaturity. Reading it made me desperate to change myself, to sound less idiotic. As George Benson had stressed in Then Joy Breaks Through, the experiences of growth and self-realization, even of ecstatic joy, were natural processes available to believers and nonbelievers alike. And so I declared private war on stagnation and committed myself privately to personal growth. The Authentic Relationship I wanted now was with the written page.From The Discomfort Zone: A Personal History
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