16th Feb 2008
aaargh
You know, just ’cause I’m the professor, doesn’t mean I know how to write. Just got back a piece that I had written that I asked a senior colleague to give me feedback on. I knew the structure didn’t work, I knew the argument wasn’t clear, and I needed another set of eyes on it. Just like most of my students, I knew what I wanted to say but not exactly the best way to say it (and yes, this goes back to the theoretical writing post and maybe I should go back to five-paragraph essays). Still, knowing all that, when I got it back and saw her comments — there was this first feeling that I had failed. I didn’t. I get to re-do and re-do this before I send it out to the journal (although I am not sure how to keep working on this and the book at the same time. Do I switch back and forth? Focus only on the article until it is done? Any suggestions).
The moral of the story is that even (or maybe especially) teachers hate getting their work back with lots of comments on it– and we’re the ones who should know better. At least I should. So, for all my students out there reading this — I do not write things in one sitting, I screw up my writing sometimes, and often I am not clear. If there is perfection, I am nowhere near it.
Feel better?
Dr. Dana, I have that Jack Johnson CD you were interested in. I can bring it to class for you to borrow it if you want to burn it or give it a listen.
Hey, I feel your pain. Just got another revise and resubmit with somewhat amorphous feedback. It’s really important that developing writers realize that there is a a mess of spaghetti underneath what looks like a nice smooth narrative of writing. I’m sure the piece you just got back with feedback will develop into something good. Hang in there. You’ve got important things to say. Part of it is figuring out what it is exactly we want to say. The other part is figuring out who we want to say it to. Neither task is easy.
Hello Dr. Dana,
Don’t be too upset. Everything wil always work out in the end. I can’t wait to read your book. Sometimes people make comments, but these comments do not have to say that everything is wrong. Probably it was just your student’s opinion. Anyways, thanks for the comments on my blog. I know you are a very busy person. It was very nice of you to leave comments. Your student, Karolina