SQR1

Lisa Marie Lopez August 30,2010
English 1301 2:30-3:50p.m
Summary:
“Understanding Composition”
In the article “Understanding Composition”, Sondra Perl writes about analyzing and studying the actions taken by a composer. Someone could be sitting at a desk trying to compose an essay and while that person sits and thinks, there is so much going on in the frontal lobe of the brain. The frontal lobe is a part of the brain that helps us with planning, structuring, reasoning, and speech. This is where all the information is being collected and processed into something that will later on be written on a piece of paper. This is the first part of the process we call composing. Basically Sondra is figuring out how the brain works when producing a written and verbal, or oral product.
The analytical research that Sondra was put to do, helped her understand and learn that you can dissect the ways and actions of a composer. There is so much more happening than just the movement of a pencil on a piece of paper. You can go into depth with the thinking process of a composer. Sondra writes about recursive elements and how some are visible to the eye. An example would be when a writer writes without looking back on what they have written. Without looking back, there is a high chance you’ll repeat yourself. Many composers have different ways of revising their writing. Sondra also writes about felt sense, which is a feeling the writer gets when they are inspired to write about something. Then after felt sense occurs, the writer will eventually want to find words that flow with what they are feeling at the moment.
This article is basically based on the thinking process of a composer. I can relate to it in many ways because I have to go through it whenever I write something. This article is based on explaining and understanding the process and ways of a composer.

Question: How is your way of writing different from other composers? What inspires you to write whatever it is your going to write?

Response:
Whenever I compose an essay, story, journal, etc, I look around the room and try to find something that could take me back to a past experience. Not only can something take me back, it can also give me some random ideas on what to write about. My way of writing might be very different compared to others. What makes my way of composing unique is the fact that I just write whatever comes to mind. Sometimes it’s hard to actually write about anything because I might not be in the mood at the moment. Some things that inspire me to write would be music, movies, stories, books, sounds, scents. Anything having to deal with the five senses inspires me to jot down a story, or an essay.
The five senses are useful tools that many composers utilize in order to create the perfect essay. An example could be a certain scent that you have smelt before, like lotion. That scent of lotion could remind you of one of your best friends that moved away, and that could be a story you might want to write about depending on the prompt. There is a certain ritual I do before I write an essay. First I turn on some music, which gets me pumped, and then I get up and eat some fruit. The reason why I do this ritual is because first of all, if you don’t get yourself in the mood to write, you’ll probably end up writing a sloppy essay. If you eat something before you start writing, you’ll give your brain food for the mind. Food is a necessity that everyone needs in order to function properly. If I don’t eat something before writing an essay, I’ll probably feel weak, easily distracted, and my stomach might gurgle. Basically the important thing to do before you start any essay should be to take care of your health first. Sleep is very important for me because if I don’t get enough rest, then it would probably take me awhile to think and compose something. Sleep is another necessity in life that we as humans need in order to function well. These are some of the tools and things I do that inspire me and make me different from other composers.