"Writers Write"

Last spring, I started out the semester with a reading from Stephen King's book On Writing. The selection focuses on this main point: "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut." I found the selection when teaching at the community college. The reader that I had to use came with this little gem, and I've carried it around with me ever since. Or, ever since this semester.

For some reason, I didn't assign it this fall, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's that I was trying a syllabus that I'd never used. Maybe I just forgot. I don't know, but I wish I had used it. I was reminded of the reading as I looked over chapter 11 in Boice. Somehow, I've read this chapter 11 a few times this semester, and I'm not sure why. What's interesting, though, is that it wasn't until my second or third read through that I realized that Boice and King kind of offer the same message: write. write often. write even when you don't really want to. do it a little bit every day.

So, even though we're almost at the end of the semester. And, even though my students have few to no readings left before the semester comes to a close. I think I'm going to bring out the King chapter. In past semesters, it's really increased morale. Students like it when they get to read "popular" authors, and they relate well to the tone of the piece. Maybe this will help motivate them to keep going, keep reading, keep researching, keep writing as they finish up their projects. I can only hope, right?

PS: I really liked Boice's idea of "social contingencies" (found on page 141). I think I could use someone to keep me accountable for writing as I try to finish my own seminar projects and presentations this semester. Anyone interested in pairing up?