Overcoming “I’m Sorry”

How often have you sat down with someone–be it your tutor, your fellow classmate, or your friend–and mumbled some variation of “I’m sorry” before handing them a piece of your writing to review and edit? Chances are pretty high that this has happened to you more than a time or two, and that’s okay! I can promise you, every one of us here at the Writing Center has uttered those same words at one time or another when sharing our work. No one is perfect and neither is their writing. That being said, your work–whatever state it may be in–is not something to apologize for. 

For many, one’s writing is a reflection of themselves. For this reason, it can often feel as though you are handing over part of yourself when you give your work up for editing. Sharing your work is a nerve wracking process. You have just spent your time working on a piece of writing and whether you are proud or embarrassed about your work, it is daunting to give it over to the ~scary peer editor~. Upon doing so, you likely word vomit some variant of “I’m sorry,” as if instead of giving them words on paper, you have given them a punch to the face…Except you haven’t, so let’s talk some tips on how to overcome this habit. 

When you sit down to have your paper edited, try the following steps to avoid apologizing:

1. Take a deep breath
2. If you are embarrassed/already nervous about your writing, point out three things you like most about your paper; if you are proud of your paper, point out three things you’d like to improve on your paper
3. Remind yourself that perfection does not exist!
   1. The root of our apologetic nature, especially in relation to writing, is because we compare our work to someone else’s or to the abstract notion of “perfect writing.” The bottom line? No writing is perfect. 
4. Go into your review session with a positive mindset
   1. Prepare yourself for constructive criticism
   2. Remember that your tutor, classmate, and friends want to see you succeed
      1. If you are meeting with one of us in the Writing Center, remember that we are not experts! We may work in a professional capacity, but we, too, are in need of improvement! We are all human.
   3. View your rough draft as an opportunity for personal growth

As daunting as it may be to let others read and review your work, revision and editing are part of writing. You will not grow and improve unless you are challenged and pushed out of your comfort zone, so embrace the process and happy writing!

 

 

Contributed by: Allie Everhart, Writing Center intern