Purposeful Writing

Writers must have a purpose in mind when they begin to write, even before they consider the nature of their intended audience. Ask most college students why they write papers and most will tell you that the purpose of their latest paper was to meet the requirements of a particular course. Even in a highly experiential curriculum, some amount of formal writing, often research-based writing, is required. So the purpose of academic writing is, at heart, to please your teachers and get to the promised land of that diploma, right? 

Well, partly. But writing to pass a course isn't the most exciting reason to write and that external reward you're seeking may actually be making it harder for you to get the writing done. That's because we are typically more motivated--i.e. purposeful--when we are intrinsically motivated rather than driven by external demands or requirements.

So why write that paper or thesis chapter that's due by the end of the semester? Among the best intrinsic reasons are these:

• "I have something important to say or teach to a particular audience on the topic I've selected."
  
• "Writing this paper will allow me to analyze or synthesize what I've learned from my research/fieldwork/reading this semester so that I can retain it better."
  
• "My writing will bring new questions/answers/issues into focus for my audience that are not expressed elsewhere in the literature."

The purpose of this post is to remind you that every successful piece of expository writing has a unique purpose of which the writer is fully aware. First, the effective writer decides what work her or his piece of writing must do in the world by answering the question "What do I want to accomplish with the words in this paper?" Only then can the writer contemplate "Who do I want to reach with my writing?" which leads to the equally important question of audience awareness. 

Without a goal beyond filling the page or meeting a requirement, your writing is bound to be dreary and difficult. Make academic writing more fun by selecting topics and themes that are meaningful to you and that serve a purpose you are passionate about. Finding your purpose for a piece of writing needs to happen near the beginning of your writing process--it is not something you can 'revise in'. 

To get started on setting intrinsic goals for a paper, chapter, or thesis, talk out your intent with a writing coach before you begin to write in earnest. This is a great way to encourage yourself to do important work with words and meet your deadlines.

Clean1982 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC