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To me, Juska's ethos is an amazing thing. Why teach people "without a date" how to express themselves in writing? I wrestled with my own self perceived insensitivity on this point for a while, finally realizing that the purpose I was originally attaching to 'teaching writing' was wrong. I had thought the life prisoners could not gain anything by better writing ability. I mean, it's not like they'd get a better job or into a better college. Then I felt truly the fool because I had forgotten what writing was really for. It is a way to communicate, but also to think, and to learn about yourself and other people. And if I were incarcerated for the rest of my life, I know I'd want to understand the people confined with me, and be able to share my experience and self with them.

Spandel, bandel, bo-bandel, banana fana fo fandel...Oh, sorry, got distracted. Yeah, assesment can be the breaker of a beginning writer and compassion is needed badly. But the balance has to be maintained; if a piece has a lot of "suck points" then the writer needs that feedback. I realize you shouldn't tell a beginner "Hey, this really beats a preacher" (you figure it out, it sounded mean to me) but if I write a transition that reminds you of rolling lead bricks, then ONLY pointing out my strengths won't help me. I don't think this is what Spandel is suggesting we do, but it's easy to forget that blind encouragement can fool people into believing they don't have any need to try hard or revise.

"Nothing is as unhelpful as a blank sheet of paper when words refuse to come. But assisting with a theme is not the same as imposing a topic to write upon." As always, I find myself willingly accepting the label of the Smithophile. This is yet another area where that balance of roles (in this case the roles are collaborator vs. tyrant) is the most helpful thing. This is what Julie did to us that very first time with the "no verb prompts." She gave a nudge, not a prescribed route. To use a different analogy many writers are like wagon on a hill. The only reason they aren't careering (careening? I always confuse those two) wildly down the road is because they've got a little block next to one wheel preventing the start. If someone can come by and either nudge them over the block or kick the block out of the way, they'll pick up speed the further they roll on their own. The hope is that soon they'll roll along so quick we'll have trouble keeping up, never mind giving pushes.