Blog 5

Chapter 8, 9R: I totally related to the recipe analogy because I love to cook and experiment with recipes, but only when I have the time, which is kind of like writing for me. I thought the description of thinkers vs. formula writers (115) was an accurate one, and I related to it because, in journalism, you're always warned not to go into an interview with your story already written. In other words, let the story reveal itself to you. Don't try to make the information you get fit the story that's already in your mind. I also pictured every teacher I had in high school cringing at the thought of more than one thesis or an overriding implicit thesis (117), but if that's what makes the most sense, then why not? "Thinking is hard - hard to achieve and, consequently, hard to assess. Formula lets us off the hook" (121). I think it would be easier for teachers to grade formula writing, and to justify those grades, but I also think I would be bored as a reader, and my students would be bored as writers. I think the extra effort from both sides would be worth it.

Chapter 9, WW: Smith strikes again. There's something about this guy that just bugs me. I think his writing makes him seem pretentious, not to mention long-winded, whether he really is or not. He did manage to make one point that actually made sense to me, though. "It is a mistake to regard the thinking that underlies writing as something special, as a unique kind of activity that calls for unusual efforts and abilities" (122). I think this is true because, as we've talked about in class, there are so many people who are convinced that they can't write. In reality, they're probably just intimidated by their misconceptions of writing. After that point, though, the pages and pages of brain activity all sort of ran together.

Sommers, WTL: I'm not sure if Smith just makes anyone else sound good, but I really liked this story, probably because it read more like a story than a textbook. I loved the descriptions and how everything seemed to connect to everything else in a way that didn't feel forced. "...days folding one into the next, overlapping deadlines, breathless dashes from meeting to memo, from conference to classroom, each day an unfinished draft" (175). Who can't relate to that? I think the alliteration grabbed my attention at first, but the image at the end of each day as an unfinished draft is universal, at least for those of us who often find that there just doesn't seem to be enough time in a day. If you don't get everything done, and I usually don't, how do you know if you've "made your day," especially in a classroom setting? I'm not sure I have an answer for that one yet, but it's definitely something I'll be thinking about.