Each of us have our own way of writing. We all put words together differently, use different syntax, different vocabulary, and express our thoughts differently. This is our writing footprint. It is important that we empower our student writers to develop and expand their own writing footprint. Our students come to us with their writing footprints firmly established based on what they have learned about themselves and how they have written up until the time they enter our classrooms. It is up to us, as instructors, to help them refine that footprint and to get them to realize that since we all have our own footprints that it is okay to express themselves differently than other people. It is important that students realize that there is not one correct way to write an academic essay. If they persist in this thinking then they begin to doubt themselves and think that their way of writing is wrong which can lead to difficulties for them especially if they are trying to write like someone else. We have to nurture our students' ways of expressing themselves and help them develop their writing footprint so they become more confident writers.