In the Act of Learning

My first series of writing classes came to an end yesterday. I'll do it again for six weeks, beginning April 15.

I had four students in the session that just ended--not many but given the quality of their work and their participation in discussion, and most of all the generosity of spirit they brought to class, it was just swell.

It was interesting that of the four, or five including me, three learned English as a second (or fourth) language. I was the only native Southerner, hence the need to explain to all that bbq in North Carolina means pork and only pork.

As you might guess, the most challenging student taught me the most. Now, he was not a challenging person--quite the opposite, a very kind spirit--but he doesn't share all of the popular culture references that the rest of us had in common. I needed to comment on his work in greater depth and more clarity. No shortcuts. I had to stretch for an analogy that would make my point for me, rather than scribbling "It's a Seinfeld episode" or some such thing in the margin. I hope I can take that concentration forward with me.

I didn't just learn this because I already know it: there are a lot of good writers out there. I was blessed to meet four more of them, and I'm eager for more!

Show, Don't Tell

Lesson #1 for a writer: show, don't tell. Meaning, involve the reader's senses and get her imagination working for you, rather than going blah-blah-blah at her. It isn't as easy as it sounds.

The ArtsCenter in Carrboro had an open house yesterday. It gave those of us who will be teaching there in 2012 a chance to mingle with prospective students. I will teach a class called In the Act (of Writing). I sat at a table with two other writers and we smiled to encourage people to wander over and chat.

The movement teacher had a video of herself dancing. The stained glass teacher had her light box and was demonstrating. The sculpture teacher had a dramatic and fine example of his work. The music teacher was playing a keyboard. The acting teacher showed how to choreograph a fake fight on stage. And the whole time, the tap dancers were practising. They sounded like so many amplified sparrow heartbeats. Lots of showing, lots of senses, lots of fun.

All we writers had, besides our smiles, was telling. Oops.

For next time, I'm thinking we'll need cheese cake, wine and dark chocolate. Let's see the tap dancers compete with that!