Writing for Myself: Writing to Teach

Writing for Myself: Writing to Teach

Today, the Missouri Writing Project went to Rocheport. It was a beautiful day. 83 degrees. Very windy. Blue sky. When I blog, I think of Marcia. She was on her way to Stanford to do a presentation. I can't wait for her to present her round table about blogging to the other teachers in the institute. She is having everyone make their own blog, and I think it will be pretty neat. I'm wondering if we should post everyone's blog on our blackboard site. It might help keep us in touch better or help us to read each other's writing more.

I'm thinking right now about doing what is hard for you. This also make me think of Lesley's round table. Breaking down to break through. June Rae Wood broke down. When it is important, some times we shed a tear--we break down a bit, but that is when the good writing comes out. I wondered today about how I am not writing about important matters. Not that everything has to be important, but I am not tapping into myself like I could. I'm playing it safe. Isn't that the way we prefer to do it? Not share. Somehow, maybe subconsciously, avoid writing about the events that matter. We think that others can't possible understand, or maybe that we feel a little shame for some reason.

I asked today in my freewrite if we are committed to the writing life (thanks, Annie Dillard, for the term), but by the end of the 2nd week of the institute, we should start thinking as writers. We are writers.