On Writing and Blogging

I teach writing. I teach college student, lawyers, law student, elementary school students, high school students, just about anyone who is in my classes or asks me for tutoring. It's a great gig. The best thing about being a writing instructor is that I get to know my students so well. For anyone to write halfway decent, they have to turn off that little voice that says, "This is stupid. You can't write. No one wants to read that. Everyone will think you're an idiot if you say that." I thus encourage my students to write what they feel, with lots of detail from their lives, without regard to that little voice of censorship. As a result, many of them open up to me on paper in ways that they would never dream of in class. My best writers are often mute in class.

I think it works because they write it, and then they hand it in to me. I go home and read it. They don't have to say it to me, and watch my reaction. They don't have to listen to me say something back, something that could be hurtful, demeaning, or irrelevant. Instead, they just have to read my comments on their writing, and usually then discuss them with me. Because of this process, I think my students find it easier to really express themselves on paper.

I think blogging has the same benefits. We get to say what we feel in writing. No one interrupts us, or makes a face, or counters with a story about their own lives because they want attention. We get to get it all out. Then, yes, maybe someone will comment. But it will be in writing, not with a snotty tone and the rolling of eyes. But if we don't want to read the comments, that's okay. It's not rude if we don't reply, and we don't have to stick our fingers in our ears if we don't want to know how others feel. But it feels good to blog, because we get to express ourselves as fully and completely as we want. And no one interrupts. Or walks away. Instead, we get to write it, so it feels full and permanent (even if only in cyberspace). I think that's a good thing.