Tag Archives: writing

Let me start by saying that I haven’t learned this yet. In fact, I’ve only begun my quest just now.

I’m incredibly (can I use this word? yes, I think it applies:) burdened to learn this, though. This year I had the extreme pleasure of teaching a high school English class for three weeks, and I enjoyed the experience tremendously. I also realized that I had no idea how to teach writing. I managed to teach literature and some of the basic facts, and I hope I passed on some critical thinking tips, but when it came to teaching how to write, I really really had no idea what to do. It’s too bad, tool; some of those kids needed some help with their writing, and I still feel like something of a failure for not being able to guide them.

The whole thing got me thinking, though–how do you teach people how to learn how to write? Don’t get me wrong: I fully (completely, utterly, absolutely) believe that we can all learn to write well. (Yes, sure, some people will always be better at it–Hi, Shakespeare–but that doesn’t mean the rest of us won’t be any good!) We all have the same tools–words–and writing well is just a matter of knowing how to arrange those words. But how exactly do you go about it? What do people need to learn to do, and how could I help them to do it?

Previously, I wrote a post that mentioned Stanley Fish’s five favorite sentences, as quoted in Slate Magazine. A journalist for Slate Magazine quoted Fish as saying he carried sentences around with him “as other might carry a precious gem or a fine Swiss watch” (How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One, p. 7). I noted the source of that quote when I read it, and, fascinated, I decided to get a copy of this book. I have to admit: I mostly got the book because of that quote and the fantastic title. I, too, carry sentences like other carry gems. I think of Tim O’Brien’s words, “the things they carried,” and think that the things I carry are mostly words.

Fish’s book came in the mail today. As soon as I started reading, I realized this book might very well help me pin down the nebulous question that I had when teaching: How do you teach someone how to write? Enthused, I decided to continue reading this book, and to go on and see what I could learn. I’m hoping that this book will lead me in the right direction…

Fish claims that Strunk & White’s Elements of Style (widely considered a sort of primer for writing) isn’t actually the best place to start; Strunk & White assume that their reader knows something about sentences and writing–but what if he or she doesn’t? Then, Fish says, you need to start at the very beginning. You need to start by asking: “What is a sentence?”

This makes a world of sense to me. Even for those of us who do know the basics of writing–it may not be a bad idea to start with the most fundamental thing we can. I’m certainly getting a lot of help from this book myself! Other chapters in Fish’s book are called things like “What is a Good Sentence?,” and “It’s Not the Thought That Counts,” so I can’t help but feel hopeful. I’ll keep you posted… (haha–no pun intended :)