Too Many Days Since Thursday!!

One of the most difficult aspects of this class (for me) is that I want to provide you with an adequate amount of background for each essay, enough information so that you feel as if you have a set of training wheels as you begin to tap-dance your fingertips across the keys. The truth, however, is that I can talk to you about writing your essays until I'm hoarse and you're asleep, but until you finally take action (think Nike commercial here: "Just do it!") nothing that I say will matter. No matter what I say or do, you'll be nervous about your first essay. You won't know what to expect until that paper is written, evaluated a couple of times, revised, and finally submitted for a grade.

Writing is not easy--not even for those who make their living by it. True enough, writers, journalists, and any others who make a living by the written word do so because they have found a certain niche that suits them, but . . . it's still work. Stephen King (yep, him again!) makes the comment that talent is may be an "almighty" gift, a huge one, but that the talent alone will not make a writer. The only thing that makes a writer is working at the craft, the talent that he/she possesses. Talent, intelligence, ability alone will not garner success (which translates to an "A" in college); whatever talent and intelligence you possess MUST be combined with work.

On Tuesday, I'll give you the "rubric" or the guidelines that have been established by Macon State (much like other colleges & universities) which outlines the criteria for papers. You'll have a chance to self-evaluate and you'll get a chance to post it on your blog, as well as offer comment on other essays. We'll also look at something in the Brief Bedford Reader that relates to grammar, mechanics, and the like.
Finally, you and I might both discover that if we work on posts shortly after class that our memory is much more fresh than the night before we see each other again. I find myself vaguely remembering last Thursday, knowing that it is connected to what I have to do now and what we will discuss tomorrow . . . hmmmmm. "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow . . ."