Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Creativity


I recommend that you grab a copy of the December 2007 issue of Writer's Digest. It was an issue that spotlighted creativity. Several of the articles are available online: "Meeting of the Minds," "Overcoming Too Many Ideas Syndrome," and "Falling Down the Rabbit Hole." There was also an interesting and informative article on mind mapping, complete with references to Gabriele Rico and Writing the Natural Way, which I first read in 1987 during my first Sun Belt Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute. Unfortunately that one isn't online.

I think that as a writing teacher this magazine is an extremely important resource. It helps me to remember to focus on the writing and to remember that it is not as easy as it sometimes seems to be. It takes a lot of work and dedication to create a worthwhile piece of writing. And that is why I am in the job I am: helping the students realize that good writing isn't a matter of luck, but a matter of craft.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I enjoy Writer's Digest and have several years of issues in my classroom. There are always useful articles in every issue - it's one of the rare magazines I read cover to cover.

WeboWord said...

I am smitten by the length and depth of the language issues that you take. I am also a firm believer in exposing the myriad intricacies of languages to the common student.
I am the founder of a Visual Vocabulary site http://www.weboword.com/ where we use cartoon images to explain tough words.
The words are explained in a conversational format,making the usage clear. We also have crossword based exercises to further enhance the retention.

I would be really grateful if you could take some time out and review the service.

Regards
Aakanksha Gaur