Tag Archives: learning to write

Apr 24 2015
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Teaching

I’ve Surfaced Again!

Le_Morte_d__Arthur_by_ThorleifrTwo months to the day since I last blogged, here I am again.  After beginning the year with so many challenging goals, reality is creeping in, which brings the realization that some adjustments are in order.  I’m currently thinking through what those adjustments will look like.

So, in the last two months, I’ve taken on another composition and literature class.  We’re reading Le Morte D’ Arthur, which I hadn’t even read before, much less taught it.  In one way, it’s kind of difficult to connect with knighthood, the age of chivalry, and the quest paradigm.  However, Malory is forthright about the failures of both Arthur and the knights.  The Round Table is a community that aspires to live a virtuous life.  The inability of the knights to live up to their ideals doesn’t invalidate the ideals.  Rather, it shows that these are worthy of striving for.  I’m also teaching journalistic writing, which is something I’ve never done before.  I’m enjoying both the content and the students very much!

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Jan 16 2015
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Writing

Blogging and Editing

editingQuestion:  How much do you edit and revise your blog posts?

I’m really conflicted over this.  I’d like to post “finished writing,” but find that in order to produce consistent content at the pace I’d like to and to keep up with my other commitments (work, family, fitness, church) that the process more often is to draft a post in my journal on Evernote and do an extremely quick edit.  Ideally, I’d work on skills like literary present tense, strong verbs, consistent point of view, and continuing to make my writing simple, clear, and direct.

What I’m noticing is that the benefits that I’m striving for in my writing process are happening already.  I’m able to church out 400-500 words at any given time on just about any topic I have some level of command of.  I’m also remembering the stylistic emphases that I’m working to incorporate as I write.  So, benefits are accruing faster than I expected, and carrying over the writing that I do in my employments, which is a real plus.

So, I’d love to hear from you how you handle editing, revision, and style!

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