My Writing Memo
Purdue Fort Wayne
2101 E Coliseum St
1/20/25
To: Prof. Kevin Smith
From: Derrick Bates
Subject: Tech. Writing
Reflecting on My Writing Journey
Throughout my academic career, I’ve written many essays—so many, in fact, that I sometimes
feel like I’ve become an essay-generating machine. Over the years, I’ve tackled countless
complex writing prompts, and through that process, I’ve come to recognize some of my
strengths. For one, I’m pretty good at coming up with ideas that align with the topic. Once I latch
onto a solid idea, I can articulate it with confidence, giving off the vibe that I actually know what
I’m talking about.
Another strength of mine, and one that I’m proud of, is my ability to make my writing sound like,
well, me. I don’t write in that robotic, monotone voice that makes readers zone out halfway
through. Instead, I try to infuse my personality into my work, which I think makes it a little more
engaging—or at least less likely to put someone to sleep.
Weaknesses? Oh, I’ve got a couple. My biggest struggle is overthinking. Once I find a strong
idea, I sometimes get stuck trying to come up with the next one because I’m too busy
second-guessing myself. It’s like my brain gets stuck in a loop, and I just sit there staring at my
screen. Also, as you’ve probably noticed, I’m not the fastest or most accurate typist. Typos are
my nemesis, but I’m working on it.
Looking ahead, I have a few goals. I want to learn how to make my résumé pop—to really
represent who I am and what I bring to the table. I also want to sharpen my ability to articulate
my ideas even better because, let’s be real, there’s always room for improvement. Most
importantly, I hope to take what I learn in this class and apply it to the real world one day. Future
me will be thankful for the skills I’m building now.
So here’s to growing, improving, and maybe even learning to type faster.
Sincerely,
Derrick Bates