Taking a Stance

Well, my friends, we've had an awesome semester! This class has been full of learning, laughs, and some hardship, but we're better for all of it! While we've always written, we've not always known what we've done. Now, we do. We have a name to the processes that we've chosen to follow, and a bit more of a technique, not to mention practice at pointing out flaws and strong points in others' writing.

Taking an approach. . . . Aptly named, this concept appears to be a re-working of someone else's ideas. It has nothing to do with your own thoughts and ideas, although those do enter in. Everyone has their own worldview, and their own stance on life. Our writing often reflects that. (For instance, I'm a quasi-liberal, straight, American female with some serious quirkiness. My writing reflects that.) That's how I approach my life. I run another blog, and everything I write is from MY point of view. However, another blogger may take my post, and approach the ideas it contains from a male, British, conservative stance. They're my ideas; they remain my ideas, but he is taking a different stance with them. He is adding to my thoughts, but in a different means. He is taking a viewpoint different than my own in order to continue the possibilities of my thoughts.

It also seems that this is an adaptation of style. "I really like so and so's style of writing; I'm going to use it in my own, or, at least, attempt to do so." You have taken their entire work, or overarching theme, and have adapted it for your use. Here's where it can be a bit touchy. . . . Plagiarism is taking someone's words or ideas. It is imperative that credit be given where credit is due. If someone's entire philosophy is the groundwork for YOUR work, then make sure you say so! Taking an approach is a give and take between author and writer. The original idea influenced the writer's take on it, but the writer ALSO has something to add and an expansion process to go through. The idea is not original, but the approach the writer takes is.

I have not been able to find a blog that uses this concept. All of my blogs are very firmly planted in their viewpoint; they have no need to consider anyone elses'.