Jessica Brin Richardson
Dr. Steven D. Krause
English 328
February 16, 2009
When in doubt – just write. You are so RIGHT!One of the most fundamental pieces of good style is found in good revision. In order to complete an effective revision, one must first have a piece of writing to work with. In ideal situations, an individual can take time to plan out a piece of writing, but in situations where this is difficult, it is best to just start writing. (- this might be a better place for your first sentence. It is a concise bold statement of what you are saying, your topic, and a good way to end your intro with a punch)
The style rule I conceptualized that is an awfully big and important word Jessica. might sound too informal when compared to Williams’ Style Toward Clarity and Grace or Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. In reality, the principle of writing when you don’t have an idea maybe reorganize to say "when you have no idea.."of how to go about writing is one that lends itself to these authors’ principles.

Strunk and White emphasize the importance of revision. They say “few writers are so expert that they can produce what they are after on the first try” (Strunk and White 72). This statement has proven itself to be true time and time again, but the piece that is often overlooked is that fact that it requires a first try this is so true!. Without a completed work, it is impossible to go back and rework a piece to make it more effective. DUH

Williams addresses the point of “just writing” in a more explicit manner than Strunk and White do. In his second chapter on coherence, Williams says that if “you don’t know your point, just start writing and hope” (112). This seems to contradict his previous advice on how to pre-plan a piece of writing, but for many people it is the most effective route to take. Why is this? Williams points out that “in the act of drafting you will have discovered something more interesting, more compelling, more pointed than you thought before you began” (112). Often, it is the act of writing itself that brings the best ideas to the surface. The most essential part of the writing process is the act of writing itself, because that creates the foundation for all the other steps that need to follow it.

Another principle that Strunk and White present supports my style rule. (You might want to combine these two sentences somehow - RS) They instruct writers to “write in a way that comes naturally” (Strunk and White 70). For many writers, the process of planning a piece removes their natural voice and creativity from the work. These individuals might benefit from an approach that is initially freer from the constraints of writing conventions that often hamper writers from getting started on their pieces.
Maybe you could clarify the piece itself more, to appeal to any audience, not just our class, yeah I do it too. Look for other ways I mean words to say "writing", play around with word choice. MM