What's Next?

It's happenend. We're only two weeks into the First-Year Writing, and the question has surfaced: What exactly should I write about? My response: What are you interested in? What do you have an opinion about? What do you care about? Writing is a process that starts in your mind and your heart. It requires enough curiosity to keep you moving forward, and enough resources to keep you interested. I can tell you about collecting your writer's inventory, planning your essay, and developing it to its fullest, but your thesis, your lead, your main idea -- that's up to you. And sometimes, especially when you are young, that's the hardest part of writing. When I assigned Choosing Civility for your first reading, I did so for a variety of reasons. It's good information, and it will be useful throughout your life. A great deal has been written about civility in all areas of life, so library resources on your chosen topic should be abundant. Yes, you WILL have to do libra...

The classroom has changed since my previous teaching experiences, so I took a major leap of faith when I decided to have all 88 students in my English 1101 classes create blogs. Would I be able to get them started? Would they be able to write? As it turned out, they are doing just fine. I'm the nervous one! They've never lived in a world that didn't have blogs and Windows and computers and cell phones. Some of them might remember the world before texting, I don't know. But blogging has turned out to be the writing practice I hoped for. My students have impressed me! Mrs. B

I finally made the trip to Hilton Head last weekend. I've been transplanted in Statesboro for nearly three years, and my golfing friends in the snowbelt found it hard to believe that I hadn't made the trek. To be fair, I did try it once before, but I only made it as far as the outlet malls on Rt. 278. Last Saturday, with my favorite traveling companion at the wheel, I got my first close look at the golfer's paradise. Since I don't golf, I was looking for other positive attributes. One interesting thing about Hilton Head was the decorative way that foliage runs rampant along the highway, and businesses lurk behind the foliage. And I do mean lurk. Unless you are a fast reader of those classy signs--many hidden by the foliage--you'll have hard time finding grocery stores, pharmacies, and most everything else. All those trees are picturesque but not practical. We explored Coligny Plaza, an interesting place for strolling and shopping. We went into Tail-Waggers, a pet su...

Being a writer means that you're always volunteering for something. You volunteer because you believe--mistakenly--that no one can write a better letter, or press release, or newsletter, or sermon, than you. Yes, I wrote a sermon. Pastor G. was going on vacation, and I agreed to fill in so the church would not have to pay a supply pastor. Before he left, the pastor gave me material to develop my thoughts and focus my writing. I read through it very carefully, and then I wrote exactly what I wanted. My sermon touted the inescapability of death, taxes, and change. I talked about the need for a steady force in our lives, because each day brought something new. I'm remembering that sermon today as I embark on a new step--teaching First-Year Writing. I've earned a living as a writer for several decades, but now, I'm going to make an effort to help first-year students develop the writing skills they will need to succeed in their academic lives and their future employment. I...