I learned many things from my freshman comp students, but the most surprising (to me) was they had no idea a book doesn't come out in the finished form they read. This says more about my own limitations, than theirs. I wasn't able to imagine (at first) what you've described so well: how could they know? They never saw a writer working. They knew you can't just pick up a guitar or sit at a piano and play perfectly. Or a bake a perfect cake first try. Once I understood this, I could attempt to teach. But your George and Martha example would have been a great way to reach them. After all, those photocopied scribbled drafts of famous authors, came from… well, finished, perfect, books. Well done! 🙂
Thanks for the delightful, encouraging words!
Exquisite as always. Thank you for the reminder that it's okay to write for myself.
How delightful and thoroughly satisfying. Thank you.
I learned many things from my freshman comp students, but the most surprising (to me) was they had no idea a book doesn't come out in the finished form they read. This says more about my own limitations, than theirs. I wasn't able to imagine (at first) what you've described so well: how could they know? They never saw a writer working. They knew you can't just pick up a guitar or sit at a piano and play perfectly. Or a bake a perfect cake first try. Once I understood this, I could attempt to teach. But your George and Martha example would have been a great way to reach them. After all, those photocopied scribbled drafts of famous authors, came from… well, finished, perfect, books. Well done! 🙂
Thanks for this, I'd totally forgotten these stories, and love the exposition on revision.