does College Comp help with writing

[joannbeatty]

Does anyone here think that college comp helps with writing fanfictions? I honestly have just finished my first online term of college and have just finished college comp and during my two weeks off I want to try to write fictions again in hopes to stay in practice. I have written a fanfic in 6 years.

[BronxWench]

I think it can depend on what's covered in the course. I know that the niceties of grammar, punctuation, and spelling are often neglected UNTIL you hit college, resulting in a great deal of shock. So, if the course helps with the technical aspects of writing, then I am all for it.

As far as creative writing, I might be a little more on the fence. I like to follow the advice of a good many published authors who say that writing is a muscle that needs exercise, and if you're serious about writing, write at least 2,000 words a day. They can be rough, and you might throw them out later, but write.

And if you think that's a lot to write a day, it works out to roughly 4 pages of 12-point Times Roman, single spaced. That's not too bad, is it?

[pittwitch]

For grammar, sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, word usage, etc., by all means, YES, a general composition course will help. As far as creativity, that cannot be taught, only encouraged. Go forth and write - like Bronx said. Although she knows how I feel about that 2,000 words a day deal -- I don't have enough time for 200 words most of the days.

[Letoria]

I took Freshman Comp 101 in nursing school 25+ years ago. That's the sum total of my formal writing education. I'm a pretty good writer. At least I know what a semi-colon is and how it's used, and I know all about paragraphs.

After I graduated nursing school and entered the real world, I immediately learned Comp 101 was utterly useless in writing nurse's notes, which consists of a highly specialized form of writing that values writing in a specific form of shorthand. I also learned that Comp 101 notwithstanding, very few of my peers could write a complete sentence without spelling errors. I used to laugh at the astonishing errors -- things they should have known in 7th grade -- of the nurses who graduated from the four year Bachelor of Science program, which requires several advanced writing classes.

So, does Comp 101 have any value? It all depends on the student's level of motivation and interest, and whether or not the professor/instructor actually expects students to learn. In my case, it was pointless. I learned to write by reading and writing. There are no better teachers.

[DrunkenScotsman]

As someone who teaches such courses for a living, I'm professionally obligated to say "yes."

As other posters have pointed out, it can help teach the skills needed to write clearly - spelling, grammar and punctuation, paragraph organization and overall coherence. However, as the above poster pointed out, it's also a specific kind of writing for a specific purpose - academic essays. What s/he described is one of my main critiques of colleges requiring essay-writing courses for all students (especially colleges who cater to students headed for non-academic fields, like nursing).

Sadly, even courses in creative writing can be a hit-or-miss proposition, since each professor will have specific ideas of what constitutes good writing. If you can find the right person to mentor you - in academia or outside it - that person will both encourage you and constructively critique you to help you improve while maintaining your unique voice.

[magusfang]

No, al english coarses r a waist of tyme...

Never taked one/ speak good

Go chew on cow now...

Edited December 18, 2014 by magusfang

[BronxWench]

No, al english coarses r a waist of tyme...

Never taked one/ speak good

Go chew on cow now...

On second thought, have more pain meds!

[magusfang]

On second thought, have more pain meds!

Dont mind if I do...

[PervOtaku]

The mechanics of things, grammar, sentence structure, you really should have down by the time you get to high school. Classes on writing would, I expect, help you with things like story structure, common themes and how to use them. Though honestly, it's likely nothing you wouldn't pick up by spending time at TVtropes or just reading/watching a lot of stories.