Comments for Read Write Poem http://readwritepoem.org because poem is an action Sat, 17 May 2008 12:03:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Katherine http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7967 Katherine Sat, 17 May 2008 09:56:56 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7967 Christine- I'll definitely check the book out in ... late November, when I'll be back in the US. Books are a commodity here, and unless you're into British novels (snore), you won't find much at the used bookstores. My biggest problem is that the people around me just aren't interested in writing, or reading for that matter. They write to pass their exams, they write to do their jobs, but stories in the local languages are generally spoken or sung, and don't often get told at all in English. The idea that English can be a means of artistic expression, rather than just a garden hoe, is quite foreign. There are some stories and poetry published in the newspapers, but they're almost all the same story with the same moral: witchcraft is bad and you need to be a good Christian, or something BAD will happen to YOU. It becomes dull pretty quickly. It just gets lonely, you know? I'm glad I'm here, I'm so thrilled to be experiencing the world more directly than through the evening news, but FORK if I wouldn't give five hundred kwacha to chat about alliteration with somebody for an hour. Oh well. The grass is always greener on the other side of the Atlantic, at least until the rainy season starts again ... then it's definitely greener over here. That's why I heart the internet. Christine-

I’ll definitely check the book out in … late November, when I’ll be back in the US. Books are a commodity here, and unless you’re into British novels (snore), you won’t find much at the used bookstores.

My biggest problem is that the people around me just aren’t interested in writing, or reading for that matter. They write to pass their exams, they write to do their jobs, but stories in the local languages are generally spoken or sung, and don’t often get told at all in English. The idea that English can be a means of artistic expression, rather than just a garden hoe, is quite foreign. There are some stories and poetry published in the newspapers, but they’re almost all the same story with the same moral: witchcraft is bad and you need to be a good Christian, or something BAD will happen to YOU. It becomes dull pretty quickly.

It just gets lonely, you know? I’m glad I’m here, I’m so thrilled to be experiencing the world more directly than through the evening news, but FORK if I wouldn’t give five hundred kwacha to chat about alliteration with somebody for an hour.

Oh well. The grass is always greener on the other side of the Atlantic, at least until the rainy season starts again … then it’s definitely greener over here. That’s why I heart the internet.

]]> Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Christine http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7965 Christine Fri, 16 May 2008 16:40:14 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7965 Katherine, thank you for responding to this post! I've done the training, but now that it's behind me, I haven't started the work to begin a group. Why is that? Fear? Don't know. If you really want to start a group, Pat Schneider details the process in her book, Writing Alone and with Others. The training isn't necessary of you want to have a group, only if you want to be an AWA affiliate. Maybe you should try it! Even if you only meet a few times, the experience of writing together would be worth it. And I'm jealous of your travels. I bet you have many interesting adventures to write about. I have to keep my wanderlust in check for now. Katherine, thank you for responding to this post!

I’ve done the training, but now that it’s behind me, I haven’t started the work to begin a group. Why is that? Fear? Don’t know.

If you really want to start a group, Pat Schneider details the process in her book, Writing Alone and with Others. The training isn’t necessary of you want to have a group, only if you want to be an AWA affiliate. Maybe you should try it! Even if you only meet a few times, the experience of writing together would be worth it.

And I’m jealous of your travels. I bet you have many interesting adventures to write about. I have to keep my wanderlust in check for now.

]]> Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Katherine http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7964 Katherine Fri, 16 May 2008 15:40:40 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7964 I'm so jealous! Despite living at an educational institution (the school where I teach has boarding as well as day students), writing isn't really a part of the culture here. Being an expat has its downsides. I do have an online writing buddy who spends half of her year in Oregon and the other half doing peace work in a Palestinian village in the Holy Land. I really wish we could get together and write, but it doesn't seem likely anytime soon, unless I end up in Israel next year, which is a possibility ... stupid wanderlust. Anyhow, I write with my Writers Club students, but writing with 10-13 year olds just isn't quite the same. Let us know how things go when you start your group with your new training! I’m so jealous! Despite living at an educational institution (the school where I teach has boarding as well as day students), writing isn’t really a part of the culture here. Being an expat has its downsides. I do have an online writing buddy who spends half of her year in Oregon and the other half doing peace work in a Palestinian village in the Holy Land. I really wish we could get together and write, but it doesn’t seem likely anytime soon, unless I end up in Israel next year, which is a possibility … stupid wanderlust. Anyhow, I write with my Writers Club students, but writing with 10-13 year olds just isn’t quite the same.

Let us know how things go when you start your group with your new training!

]]> Comment on get your poem on #26 by Wine-dark Sea http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/12/get-your-poem-on-26/#comment-7962 Wine-dark Sea Fri, 16 May 2008 09:07:27 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=156#comment-7962 <a href="http://winedarksea.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/16/" rel="nofollow"><i><b>Birthed</b></i></a> Birthed

]]> Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Christine http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7961 Christine Fri, 16 May 2008 00:26:11 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7961 Jessica, in her book, Pat Schneider mentions the idea that in order to identify what needs to be improved in a writer's work, it's important to also be able to find what works. I think when approaching critique it's important to keep this thought in mind. It's more respectful to the writer. As for writing in a group– it's an amazing experience, especially if there's a leader to keep the group safe from inappropriate remarks. Each writer reading raw material... I've come to think that the process is far more important than the finished product, espeically when I see piles of unwanted paperbacks headed for a landfill! But, it does feel good to complete a piece and send it on its way, ready for a life away from you. Jessica, in her book, Pat Schneider mentions the idea that in order to identify what needs to be improved in a writer’s work, it’s important to also be able to find what works. I think when approaching critique it’s important to keep this thought in mind. It’s more respectful to the writer.

As for writing in a group– it’s an amazing experience, especially if there’s a leader to keep the group safe from inappropriate remarks. Each writer reading raw material… I’ve come to think that the process is far more important than the finished product, espeically when I see piles of unwanted paperbacks headed for a landfill! But, it does feel good to complete a piece and send it on its way, ready for a life away from you.

]]> Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Christine http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7960 Christine Fri, 16 May 2008 00:21:07 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7960 Thanks, Linda. Maybe it'll free the kids up. It's not good to make assumptions about people, so I guess we shouldn't about their writing. Teaching in a school can be tricky, because of laws that bind teachers to report information about any harm coming to the student, but in general, this process should work well for any age. Thanks, Linda. Maybe it’ll free the kids up. It’s not good to make assumptions about people, so I guess we shouldn’t about their writing. Teaching in a school can be tricky, because of laws that bind teachers to report information about any harm coming to the student, but in general, this process should work well for any age.

]]> Comment on get your poem on #26 by One More Believer http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/12/get-your-poem-on-26/#comment-7954 One More Believer Thu, 15 May 2008 20:08:10 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=156#comment-7954 i wasnt gonna, but then again... why not.. it's all abt writing... getting late, now it's later... <a href="http://pieceofpie.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/bornlost/" rel="nofollow">bornlost</a> i wasnt gonna, but then again… why not.. it’s all abt writing… getting late, now it’s later… bornlost

]]> Comment on read write prompt #27: gulls like white handkerchiefs by art predator http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/14/read-write-prompt-27-gulls-like-white-handkerchiefs/#comment-7953 art predator Thu, 15 May 2008 19:55:59 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=155#comment-7953 my 4 year old son and i trade similes all the time so i will start writing some of them down and post them...they are mostly silly but fun! my 4 year old son and i trade similes all the time so i will start writing some of them down and post them…they are mostly silly but fun!

]]> Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Jessica http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7952 Jessica Thu, 15 May 2008 18:57:15 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7952 This is a lovely article, Christine! You have a lot of great ideas for groups. I've been in both good and not so good writing groups, and the ones that are not so good are ones in which we only critique previous work. Maybe I need to get back to the type of group where we write new work too. Thanks! This is a lovely article, Christine! You have a lot of great ideas for groups. I’ve been in both good and not so good writing groups, and the ones that are not so good are ones in which we only critique previous work. Maybe I need to get back to the type of group where we write new work too. Thanks!

]]> Comment on get the lead out, it’s noting really: writing groups by Linda Jacobs http://readwritepoem.org/2008/05/15/get-the-lead-out-its-noting-really-writing-groups/#comment-7951 Linda Jacobs Thu, 15 May 2008 18:13:11 +0000 http://readwritepoem.org/?p=154#comment-7951 I love the idea that the writing is fiction! I teach a poetry-writing course to tenth through twelfth graders and some of them are so reluctant to read out loud. This concept would really help them, I think. Thanks for the idea! I love the idea that the writing is fiction! I teach a poetry-writing course to tenth through twelfth graders and some of them are so reluctant to read out loud. This concept would really help them, I think. Thanks for the idea!

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