Welcome to ENC 1101 Composition 1

Let’s face it; writing is hell. --William Styron, American novelist

Writing is physical work. It's sweaty work. You just can't will yourself to become a good writer. You really have to work at it. --Wil Haygood

I know what you're thinking about this class.

How do I know? Because you're not the first who'd rather do anything--and I mean anything--than write. (Take a look at what Styron had to say about it--and he's an accomplished writer.) Writing is hard. I know it is. I write, too.

But what a terrific feeling it is once you've figured out what you want to say and you've found the perfect words with which to say it. Dorothy Parker, a 20th-century American writer, nailed it when she said, "I hate writing, I love having written."

My goal for you in this class isn't to get you to love to write--I don't know if that's even a possibility. What I do want, though, is to give you the opportunity to experience writing in a different way. Let's throw out all of the rules you've been told never to break in all of your English classes (okay, maybe not all of them. That would be stupid--we need some rules if we're going to be able to communicate effectively, right?) Let's read what writing theorists, or rhetoricians, have to say about the writing process, and then, let's see what you think.

That's right: you get a say. A voice. I'm interested in hearing your ideas, and I encourage you to challenge the theories we'll be introduced to as the semester progresses. And we'll write. A lot.

Plan to get sweaty.

Instructor Introduction

My name is Luann Henken, and I will be your guide through the strange land that is more commonly referred to as Freshman Composition. I will help you navigate this foreign territory. So come on; let's get started. Click on the "Modules" section in the bar to the left to proceed to the "Start Here" section of our course. You must read each of the categories in that section in order to unlock the Writing Project One activities.