Styling Your Writing: Mixing and Matching Academic Writing Techniques to Create Something Uniquely You

157 Pages·2022·3.55 MB·English

by  Jen McConnel

“Not all writing experiences are the same and McConnel invites readers into
writing their way. Using student perspectives, promising writing practices, and
a dash of personality, she gives readers permission to move beyond traditional
college-level writing. Styling Your Writing is a gem that encourages writers to
honor their voice in order to find a writing style for every occasion.”
Andy Schoenborn, co-author of Creating Confident Writers:
For High School, College, and Life
“Styling Your Writing is a ‘Show and Tell’ for the new academic writer. McConnel
shows readers how to find their academic voice by modelling her journey as a
writer and sharing clever practices that empower an authentic academic voice.”
Christopher DeLuca, Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies,
Professor, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University
“McConnel embraces writing as an emotional and social process of self­
expression. The activities she suggests will empower writers to try new strategies
for beginning and sustaining their writing process, all while keeping their specific
situation, needs, and style in mind. I strongly recommend this book to writers
looking for a personalized approach to developing their craft.”
Mandie Bevels Dunn, Assistant Professor of English Education,
University of South Florida
“Through the application of engaging and relatable contexts and frames, Jen
invites writers to think about the process metaphorically and prepare to wear it
well. New and experienced writers alike will gain confidence and deepen their
skills by seeing their work in an entirely new and yet, delightfully familiar way.”
Angela Stockman, Author, Teacher, and Professional
Learning Service Provider
“In Styling your Writing, Jen McConnel has created an innovative, engaging, and
accessible resource for student writers. The connection McConnel establishes
between writing and stylistic looks will help writers think deeply about what
writing means for them while facilitating their continued development as writers.
As I engaged with the ideas in this text, I found myself developing a greater
understanding of myself as a writer—this understanding was a direct product of
McConnel’s insightful approach. I am extremely excited to share this resource
with the student writers I teach. I believe that writers of a variety of experience
levels can significantly benefit from this book.”
Sean Ruday, Associate Professor of English Education
at Longwood University
“Styling Your Writing speaks to the heart of writing and is a necessary companion
to inspire writers to achieve their own writing style and find joy in writing. This
style guide for writing shares ready-to-use strategies for a variety of writing types,
narratives from students, and tips to navigate through all parts of the writing
process. Teaching writing can be tough, but. McConnel shifts away uneasiness and
hesitation while making even Academic writing meaningful and personal.”
Ashley Walker, High School Assistant Principal and President of
Virginia Association of Teachers of English
“All writers struggle to find their voice. In Styling Your Writing, Jen McConnel
brings her sensibilities as a writer, a teacher of writing, and a fashionista to help
others “change their writing outfit” from casual to formal and everywhere in
between. While I don’t pretend to be a trendsetter, I do understand what happens
when we try on new strategies, and McConnel’s approach to style one’s writing
will fit both teachers and students well.”
Troy Hicks, Professor of English and Education at Central Michigan
University and co-author of Creating Confident Writers
“McConnel’s voice and personality shine through in this text! It is an engaging
read that breaks down barriers that impede writing tasks with the use of a clever
metaphor: getting dressed. With heartfelt emphasis on encouraging writers
to explore their identity, I particularly loved the ‘style quiz’ for readers. After a
particularly tumultuous time for teaching and teachers, this book will help you
refresh your (writing) wardrobe!”
Pauline Skowron Schmidt, Associate Professor,
English Education at West Chester University and
Director of the West Chester Writing Project
Styling your Writing

This text helps developing writers in the academy and beyond think through
their writing process and develop strategies for styling their writing to meet the
demands of a wide range of goals.
The book imagines writing as an assortment of “outfits” – bundles of styles
and strategies through which one approaches a writing purpose, such as writing
focused on experimentation and growth or writing focused on a professional task.
By assessing the outfits writers feel most and least confident in, and examining
how to be more at home in the outfits that matter to them, this book helps
students develop both specific skills and their overall identity as writers. Readers
are guided through before-, during-, and after-writing strategies and techniques,
including: freewriting, outlining, visual planning, and composing in multimodal
forms. Readers are also introduced to the importance of setting clear writing goals
and sharing their work in a variety of ways, both in preparation for classroom
success through peer review and writing center visits, and beyond the classroom
in virtual and in-person spaces.
This book serves as a core or supplemental text for writing courses at the
undergraduate, graduate, or high school level, or as a writing guide for individual
readers.
Jen McConnel is an assistant professor of English education at Longwood
University. Her research focuses on supporting teachers and students and centering
their voices across contexts.
As a former English Language Arts teacher, beliefs and practices surrounding
literacy are central to her work. Most recently, her research has emphasized the
emotional component of writing in secondary and post-secondary contexts, as
expressed by student and teacher metaphors for academic literacy.

Styling your
Writing
Mixing and Matching Academic
Writing Techniques to Create
Something Uniquely You
Jen McConnel
Cover image: Ajwad Creative, DigitalVision Vectors
First published 2022
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 Jen McConnel
The right of Jen McConnel to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. The purchase of this copyright material confers the right
on the purchasing institution to photocopy or download pages which bear
a copyright line at the bottom of the page. No other parts of this book may
be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without
intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-032-15553-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-13977-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-24465-3 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003244653
Typeset in Bembo
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Access the Support Material: www.routledge.com/9781032139777
For the 2017 Cohort. Writing and learning with you
was wonderful!
And to the students and teachers at VAHS, who planted the seed
that led me to this work.

ContentS

Lists of figures xii

Lists of tables xiii

Acknowledgements xiv

Introduction: What Does it Mean to Style Your Writing? 1

1 Finding Your Style 5

What’s in Your Writing Wardrobe? 6

The Quiz: What’s Your Look? 8

Crafting Your Look Book 9

Now What? 10

2 Getting Comfortable with Writing: Comfy Pajamas 13

What Does This Style Look Like? 15

Vulnerability: Do Not be Afraid of Being Afraid 16

Student Style: Advice from Student Writers 20

Pick Out Your Pants: Before You Write 20

While Writing 23

Strut Your Stuff: After You Write 28

Student Style: Advice from Student Writers 30

Accessorizing This Look 30

Check the Mirror: Reflecting in Your Look Book 32

Advice from Students Who Prefer Pajamas 32