You ever read something about writing that made you put your pen down and just sit there? Not because it was confusing. Because it was true in a way you hadn't heard said out loud before.
That's the kind of quiet disruption E. Shelley Reid pulls off. Her "ten ways to think about writing" isn't a checklist for better commas. It's a reset for how you see the whole messy act.
If you've been stuck, or bored with your own sentences, or convinced you're "bad at writing," this is worth a look.
What Is Ten Ways to Think About Writing by E Shelley Reid
So here's the thing — E. Shelley Reid is a writing teacher and scholar who took the usual "how to write" noise and flipped it. Instead of telling you to outline harder or avoid adverbs, she offers ten ways to think about writing as lenses. That's why not rules. Lenses And it works..
The short version is: she wants you to stop treating writing like a product and start seeing it as a set of relationships. Between you and the page. But you and your readers. You and the sources you're arguing with. Even you and the version of yourself that wrote the bad first draft Which is the point..
Reid's approach shows up a lot in writing pedagogy circles, but it's not locked in a classroom. On the flip side, the ten ways include stuff like thinking of writing as conversation, as redesign, as inquiry, as power. Each one is a different pair of glasses. Put one on and the same blank document looks like a different job.
Easier said than done, but still worth knowing.
Not a Formula
Look, most writing books sell you a formula. She's clear that these ways of thinking aren't steps one through ten. That's why you don't do them in order. Reid doesn't. You borrow the one you need.
That's why people keep coming back to it. Because of that, a grad student uses "writing as translation. " A blogger uses "writing as performance." Same source, different rescue.
Where It Came From
Reid wrote this out of frustration with narrow models — the ones that say "good writing" is just clear, correct, and done early. In real terms, she'd seen too many smart people shut down by that. Her ten ways came from watching what actually helps writers move when they're stuck.
Why It Matters
Why does this matter? Because most people skip the part where they decide what writing is for them before they start Not complicated — just consistent. Less friction, more output..
They open a doc, feel panic, and blame their skill. Even so, it's that they're using a "writing is correctness" lens on a task that needed "writing is exploration. But often the problem isn't skill. " Those don't run on the same fuel The details matter here..
I know it sounds simple — but it's easy to miss. Day to day, we inherit a school version of writing: sit down, don't talk, produce the right answer. Reid's work says no. On top of that, if you think of writing as conversation, suddenly it's okay to sound like a person. If you think of it as redesign, the messy draft isn't failure — it's raw material.
Quick note before moving on.
Turns out, when students and everyday writers try her lenses, they write more and hate it less. Which means that's not a small thing. Writing shame is a real blocker. A different frame can dissolve it.
And here's what most guides get wrong: they tell you to "just write.That said, " Reid tells you to think differently first. That's the reach No workaround needed..
How It Works
The meaty part. Reid's ten ways aren't equal, but they overlap. Here's how a few of them actually function when you're at the desk.
Writing as Conversation
This is the one most people need first. You're not transmitting facts into a void. You're joining a room where others have already spoken.
In practice, this means you start by asking: who am I talking back to? A critic? A friend? Plus, a past version of me? Once you name the other voice, the page gets less scary. You're replying, not performing Simple as that..
Writing as Inquiry
Stuck because you don't "know what you think"? This leads to use this lens. Good. Writing as inquiry means the draft is where thinking happens, not after it.
You don't need the thesis on line one. Day to day, you need a question you actually care about and some willingness to sound uncertain. The clarity shows up three paragraphs in. That's normal Surprisingly effective..
Writing as Redesign
Most people think revision is fixing errors. Reid's redesign frame says it's rebuilding the thing for a new use. Like turning a bike into a cart.
So when you revise, don't just swap words. Ask what the piece is now, and what it should do for the reader who lands on it. Then reshape.
Writing as Power
Real talk — this one makes some folks uncomfortable, and that's the point. Practically speaking, writing isn't neutral. In practice, who gets to write? Day to day, whose voice counts? What does your style signal?
Using this lens, you notice the politics in a citation, a tone, a "professional" rule. You get to choose, instead of inheriting That's the part that actually makes a difference. Practical, not theoretical..
Writing as Translation
Ever explain a hard idea to your mom and suddenly get it? That's translation. Reid includes it because academic and technical writing often forgets the human on the other side Took long enough..
The move: write the dense version, then translate it for someone outside the field. Practically speaking, keep both. One proves depth, the other proves reach.
Writing as Performance
But writing isn't only meaning — it's presence. In real terms, Performance means your voice, rhythm, and timing do work. A blog post with no you in it reads like a brochure That alone is useful..
Try reading your draft aloud. If it sounds like a robot, the performance lens is missing.
Writing as Process
Obvious, but skipped. Practically speaking, reid reminds us process isn't linear. That's why you'll research, dodge, write, panic, walk, rewrite. That's why that loop is the job. Not a detour from it Less friction, more output..
Writing as Craft
Here's where the sentence-level care lives. Craft is the difference between "he said" and "he muttered." Not decoration — precision.
Writing as Memory
We write from what we've read and lived. Now, Memory as a lens means your influences are material. Steal like a reader.
Writing as Identity
Last one. The you who finishes the essay isn't the you who started. That's why you write as whoever you are right now — and writing changes that self. Worth knowing.
Common Mistakes
Honestly, this is the part most guides get wrong, so let's be straight about what people do with Reid's ideas.
They turn the ten ways into a rubric. " That kills it. "Did I use conversation, inquiry, redesign? Check, check, check.These are mindsets, not boxes It's one of those things that adds up. Practical, not theoretical..
Another miss: picking the wrong lens for the task. Plus, trying to write a tender personal piece through power alone can make it cold. Trying to write a policy brief as pure performance can make it flaky Simple as that..
And people love to read the list and not try one. Now, reading about writing isn't writing. The lens only works when you're stuck mid-sentence and reach for it.
Also — some teachers assign all ten at once. In practice, don't. That's like learning ten sports in a week. Pick one per project. Let it teach you It's one of those things that adds up..
Practical Tips
What actually works if you want to use Reid's ten ways without turning into a theorist?
Start a draft by naming your lens. Which means literally write at the top: "using writing as conversation. " It focuses you.
When blocked, switch lenses. In real terms, stuck on inquiry? On the flip side, try redesign. The shift loosens the knot.
Share a draft and ask: what lens do you read here? If they say "none, it's flat," you skipped the human ones Most people skip this — try not to..
Keep a one-line note after each piece: which way helped, which didn't. Over a year you'll know your defaults.
And don't force the academic ones if you're a blogger. Craft and performance might be your daily drivers. That's fine Most people skip this — try not to..
FAQ
Who is E. Shelley Reid? She's a writing educator known for reframing writing instruction around multiple ways of thinking rather than rigid rules.
Is ten ways to think about writing only for students? No. It's used in classrooms, but any writer facing blank-page dread can use the lenses That's the whole idea..
**Do I have to use all
ten lenses in every piece I write?**
No. The point of Reid’s framework is to give you options, not obligations. Still, a clear memo might lean on redesign and craft. A personal essay might live in identity and memory. Most strong pieces are held together by one or two lenses that fit the purpose and audience, with maybe a third showing up briefly to add texture. In fact, trying to force all ten into a single article usually produces a scattered, overwrought mess. You reach for the others only when they earn their place.
What if I don’t know which lens fits?
That’s normal at the start. Try this: before drafting, write down what you want the reader to do or feel. If you want them to argue back, conversation is probably your lens. Plus, if you want them to see something familiar in a new shape, redesign fits. If you want them to trust your voice, performance or craft carries it. The mismatch between goal and lens is usually why drafts feel off—not because you can’t write, but because the frame is wrong.
Can the lenses contradict each other?
Sometimes. Power and conversation can pull in different directions; identity and memory can overlap so much they blur. When two lenses clash, the friction often shows you what the piece is really about. That tension isn’t a bug. Don’t smooth it out too fast.
Conclusion
Reid’s ten ways to think about writing aren’t a system to master or a checklist to survive. They’re a reminder that writing is bigger than grammar and faster than any single method. Plus, the lens you pick changes what you notice, what you cut, and who you become by the final sentence. Use one well, switch when stuck, and let the rest wait on the shelf. The page stays blank until you start—and the fastest way through is to choose a way to look at it, then write like you mean it.
