Reflection: Round One

Through my first couple of blog posts, I've been able to interact more efficiently with my readers and I've embedded my seed more smoothly.

My initial lack of interaction is evident in my first blog post - Unsuccessful Undertakings. In my first 3 paragraphs, there isn't any direct attempt to interact with my readers at all, but consists solely of written text. My 2nd half isn't

much better, but along with the text, I added an image with the quote "shoot for the moon... even if you miss you'll land among the stars." Without this image, the entire blog would've been very plain and dry. However, even with this, it only briefly addresses my last paragraph, where I start off with "there is no shooting for the moon, with the comfort that I’ll end up among the stars."

2 blog posts later, in my 3rd blog post, I did a much better job of handling interaction. When talking about the reviews of Mario Kart Wii, I attach a link to a video review. By adding, "a great example is this video review: https://youtu.be/he2q4vzU7XU", I'm able to give my readers an opportunity to explore further. Towards the end of my 3rd blog post, I talk about how competitive Mario Kart Wii captivated my attention. By embedding the video after mentioning "A video that particularly stands out to me is this compilation celebration video for the 7th anniversary of the game", my readers again have direct access to what I'm specifically referring to, and can easily interact.

My readers are now also able to understand the connection of my seed and blog more smoothly. In my 3rd blog post, I was very direct about my seed. In the very 1st sentence of my 1st paragraph, I state, "We've continued to practice rhetorical analysis in our English class by analyzing an article in support of video games." Although this does an effective job of communicating how my blog relates to English class, it isn't a smooth introduction. I do a much better job of communicating this in my 4th blog post. Instead of a direct reference to my seed, I start off with "we all have our own opinions on different ideas." By starting off with a general perspective in the 1st paragraph and then getting more specific with my seed in the 2nd, I'm able to transition my readers more smoothly. This helps a lot with the overall flow of my blog.

Although I've improved throughout these previous blog posts, I certainly have more room to improve. After rereading my blogs, I've realized that I'm uncertain what my voice is. I'm still figuring out how I want to communicate my ideas in my blog posts. When the author doesn't know their own voice, the author's work diminishes in quality. By finding my voice, I'll be able to share my thoughts even more effectively and interactively. With all of my blogs, through interaction with my readers, smooth transitions, and an intentional voice, I want to provide my readers with a meaningful read.