To me, working on my Op-Ed essay was fascinating. The concept originated from a private tragedy: my uncle died of a cigarette. I wished to tell his tale to illustrate the true risk of nicotine. Formally, I did not employ an outline. I began to write about any ideas that came to mind. Writing the first draft took a couple of hours, and then I edited and improved it. My key concern was to have my case emotionally and clearly presented and supported by evidence.

I really appreciate how personal my paper is. I contend that starting with my uncle’s story helps the readers feel the problem realistically. I also love the firm tone. I sought it to be more than just educational. I wanted the seriousness of the issue to hit home with people.

The peer seminar aided me. One of the statements I heard was choppy and rather repetitive, according to my classmates. They also advised me to make sure my comments on vaping were clear. I first presented the idea that vaping was as damaging as smoking, but upon receiving feedback, I changed my argument to be more honest.
Given more time, I would polish my word selection and strengthen paragraph transitions. Furthermore, I would include further references to support my position even more.

From here on out, I aim to better plan and therefore refine my writing process. I will break the writing into phases separately brainstorming, drafting, and editing rather than attempting it all in one sitting. This will enable me to clearly review my writing and improve my accuracy legally. I also need to be more clear in my writing. In general, this task really opened my eyes and I will apply these insights in my next writing projects.