How A Blog is Like a Fulltime Job
Sunday, December 7, 2008 at 08:18PM | Lynn I have finally gotten caught red-handed with a mistake in a blog entry. But I will tell you more about that later. First, I have to ramble. I tell my writing students that a writer cannot afford to make a spelling error even in a personal e-mail. Ah, the agony of re-reading and revising an e-mail. Oops! That is not a sentence.
My webdesigner, Melody Watson, chides me about not blogging everyday. It is impossible for me to grade essays, teach classes, write books, and think all in the same day. That does not include doing the laundry, cooking meals,and cleaning the house. Maybe that gives people a clue why visits to my house are temporarily on hold. Something has to give and right now it is blogging everyday and picking up everything in my house and putting it in the trash can.
And that has a lot to do with why blogging is like a fulltime job. Unlike some websites, I cannot afford to write a stream of consciousness or have one misspelling. (See the comments at the end of "Letter to A Student.") And, yes, even though I had to beat my brain into writing non-sentences in my novel, Firefight, I usually have to write everything in full sentences. The effort of composing a blog that is good enough for a reader is a time consuming endeavor. Then, there is the revision and the rewriting. Rewriting a blog is a "bear." I generally have the urge to analyze how I have written each sentence in the same manner in which I write books.
I have written the same comments on student essays so many times that one night I realized I had taken 45 minutes to give an online student the same tips I've given over a hundred times before. I thought it might be a good idea to post the letter and ask my face-to-face classroom students to take a look at it and write a one page response.
I intentionally left a misspelling in the blog hoping that my students might catch it and have the nerve to write about it in their response. Chris R.'s essay ("Response to Letter to a Student") was the only one out of 60 papers that mentioned it. When I read his essay to my Jamestown Campus classes, other students nearly "broke their necks" (ha...a cliche) hitting the sight to find it.
While going through all of this, a librarian hit this site and picked up on the misspelled word and commented on it. Now, read the comments under "The Letter to a Student" blog.
I have come through all of this full circle to prove my point. Even when I'm conducting a classroom project for students, I am not immune from being considered a poor English teacher just for having one tiny typo. Believe me, I did not get a friend to post the response. This was totally unsolicited. But, dear students, this proves that even one misspelling can earn you the label of being a poor writer. Now, get cracking on reading and re-reading and revising those essays. If I can get an "F" for one typo, just think of the grade you deserve for shifting tenses 10 times, having 35 typos, using passive instead of active voice, and changing person 3 times in one paragraph. Is there a grade lower than an "F"?
Oh, by the way, I now have corrected the typo. Therefore, if you have not found it by now, you've missed your chance.
Reader Comments (4)
In response to the blog, dont forget that there isnt a perfect person in this world. I cant imaging how hard and stressfull it can be with all you have in your every day life. In my broad opinion I think you have the best grading for a paper, so if my first paper would of gotten graded by the "criticiser", I probably would of scored an F. In knowing the person you are I wished I would of been there when you first read it. I could of made a documentary about it. There's always going to be some one wanting to put their two cents in some ones progressive life. Luckly it happen to my teacher, that does'nt have time for coffee breaks, and has a family at home. From the way the "criticiser" wrote she obviously does'nt have a clue of what your agenda looks like. Maybe you should give her a copy, and maybe she would offer to help you with the grading of papers. Like you need it! I have learned alot from this class this semester, and specially from you. When my girlfriend told me about the way you were, I couldnt wait to get in your class and hear you speak. With all your advises I think I can be a better man for myself and my family. I hope you teach 114 next fall because I will be looking for you. I wish you the best with your career as an author, and I know that soon you will be making big bucs.
-Hermes fashion shoes I hope you teach 114 next fall because I will be looking for you.
Wonderful post!!!
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