Reflection on “Understanding Composing” by Sondra Perl

When I started reading Sondra Perl’s “Understanding Composing”, I felt right away the connection that I had with the text. It was like talking to me personally and I could relate to what Perl is trying to say. For me it was a very interesting study and it grabbed my full attention to what the author is trying to expound about writing. As I read further I found myself wanting to know more and more about the important aspects that should be considered when composing a piece of writing. I could also very much relate to Anne, the short excerpt at the beginning page about what was going on in her mind while she was writing is pretty much like me. I find my self most of the time struggling every time I have a paper to do. All the distractions around me and the different things going on in my mind takes away my flow of thought and keeps me from finishing my writing fast. However, this short reading helped me to understand and know how a writer would be able to compose a piece of work effectively.

As I enter the tutoring world I could definitely use the important elements and processes that Sondra Perl discussed in the reading. It would really help students who are struggling in writing and constructing thoughts down on paper. I think that these elements and processes will be effective in helping students craft and construct their ideas into writing. Rereading, using key words, going back to the topic, and most especially paying close attention to the "felt sense" are all important recursive elements that will keep them from moving forward. Moreover, the two composing processes that I can also use to assist writers are "Retrospective" and Projective Structuring". Retrospective means to look at the words of a paper and see if those words capture what the author is trying to say. On the other hand, projective structure means the ability to write not only for themselves but also for the reader’s needs and expectations. These are all very essential in helping student develop in their writing. Being able to understand and apply these elements in tutoring writing will benefit the tutees a lot. I learned a lot from this reading, and I hope that I would be able to use this to help students be a better writer.