Auto-Ethnography

RWS-1301 : Consuelo Salas

UTEP
9/11/2015
By Hector Barron

Analyzing video of myself from the process of a writer, I started off the Portrait of a
Writer essay doing small writing session of about 30 minutes to 1 hour, one to two times a day
for about three days. While these first sessions accord I noticed I would get distracted by my
phone mostly getting into different sources of social media. My surroundings differed for the
first three days of writing the draft being at different locations like the University library, a
friends house, and my kitchen. I was mostly writing a couple sentences before being distracted
by my phone. My writing process was being affected by when and where I chose to write, that
being said I also noticed that I wrote more affectively in quiet surroundings during late hours.
When writing at my friends house I noticed the louder surroundings would not let me
concentrate and distracted me from doing the assignment.
The recordings shows a differences to what I explain in the Portrait of a Writer. The recording
show I sit and brainstorm on the next couple of sentences. A pattern I also noticed is that I tend to
get up and do other activities like cook, clean and take my dog outside for periods of about 45
minutes. I like to brainstorm the whole writing process in my mind before I start to write. I first
start with writing the introduction/thesis then lead on to my body paragraphs and counter
argument and finish with my conclusion. I then return to my essay and read out loud to make
sure it makes sense to myself I also did this on going back to revise and to fix any corrections on
two paragraphs. In the video I finish my process by having a completed essay and creating the
cover. I also have a habit of preparing my process by having a full understanding of what Im
writing about. When Im writing a persuasion essay I like to make strong arguments and prove
my argument by using 3 to 5 points. I also have the habit to prepare my environment and my
surrounding by having a playlist of my favorite music playing in the background and my favorite
snacks must be around as Im writing.

The habits and patterns I notice in my writing are both positive and negative. The positive habits
help do what needs to be done without really trying as it comes naturally is thinking along with
the patterns I noticed. The negative patterns I noticed are mostly when I get on my phone and
stand up to do other things that distract me. For many the witting proses is very time consuming
and for many it could take a long time and as a writer we all have habits that help us to complete
the product all while happening naturally. For myself, I notice I do both long siting and short
sitting but usually doing long writing session while ideas are still fresh and my mind zoned in the
subject. When writing the Ported of a Writer essay I started with shot sittings and as the days
passed my writing sessions got longer and longer and ended writing 2 housrs to 4 hours.
Writing a proper academic essay can be accpmplished in many different ways but, has many
rules and guide lines writers must follow. One rule I follow the most is having an
introduction/thesis, argument points, counter argument, conclusion. There is no patterns I was
though that I dont use because I have always used the way I was first though and I have only
strengthen.. The patterns and technic I noticed that help me the most is having the counter
argument because without the counter argument you do not allow the reader to have a full
understanding of your topic. It also helps give the writer a better understanding of what the topic
is because it lets you know what others think. I have always been thought the pattern of revising
your paper to make sure you are finish product makes you feel confident. Revising to edit also
mean to return to your product and make week argument strong with evidence that might be
missing or would like to add. When I revise I look at my spelling and the point Im trying to get
across are strong. I also revise the structure of my essay to make sure it is laid out orderly. I focus
on my argument and that everything backs my introduction. I delete or replace issues that might

have gone off topic with strong facts that help me back up my evidence. While looking at the
video I notice I do go back to revise to rewrite and do it as Im about done with the paragraph.
Some parts of my actual proses do match with the Proses of a writer. I was mostly writing about
what I think I do in that essay, compared to when I reviewed the video I noticed I did not do a lot
of the things I said I did. One example I said I did was that I did long sittings and after reviewing
the video I noticed I did some short sittings and some long sittings. Al though I did match the
part when I stated I like to give myself time when writing longer essays. The auto-ethnography
does take longer to process because of reviewing the video, Another difference is that one has to
have more patience and done in a timely manner. My actual strengths as a writer are that I like to
write and find joy when doing so, that being said I have more strengths writing persuasion essays
that any other type of essays mostly because I have more experience in that genre. My
weaknesses as a writer are when in the process of writing I tend to get distracted easily and
procrastinate. Another weakness is that if Im not interested in the subject Im writing about I do
not put in 100 percent of my focus. My process is different yet same in some ways because I do
most of my essay to per sway my reader and different because some writers do there process in a
ways that best fits them. I say this because everyone has their own way of doing things alongside
writing an essay. I have not meet anyone with the same process of mine but do have similaritys
in others processes, One example I noticed in others process is going back to revise and edit after
finishing the essay