Two days away from an extended trip to the USA and Nicaragua (far enough away to escape the Scottish summer?) I've spent the week drawing this term's community education classes to a close, and finishing up some editing work.
Inevitably then, it's been a week of evaluation, reflection and reviews. Tricky as it is to come up with an original, interesting and useful evaluation form, it's often harder for the respondent to pass on his or her views via a standard, often dry, bit of paperwork. Nevertheless, there are some past* comments from writers that sit, immoveable, in a little corner of my mind.
What better to do on a lazy Friday evening, when I should be packing a suitcase, than share them with you?
I do hope every one of these people finally found what they were looking for; I'm not sure if being quoted on my blog would have been the type of recognition any of them was looking for, but I certainly appreciate their feedback!
On that note, I'm giving the last word to Simon, who has an uncanny knack of keeping me in my place. This is his side of a recent conversation:
Inevitably then, it's been a week of evaluation, reflection and reviews. Tricky as it is to come up with an original, interesting and useful evaluation form, it's often harder for the respondent to pass on his or her views via a standard, often dry, bit of paperwork. Nevertheless, there are some past* comments from writers that sit, immoveable, in a little corner of my mind.
What better to do on a lazy Friday evening, when I should be packing a suitcase, than share them with you?
- 'Class is quite good but we have to spend too much time writing'
- 'I still can't think of anything to write but at least I can do it grammatically now.'
- 'Creative writing? Seems that there are so many rules about grammar and punctuation and formatting and style and POV and how to submit your MS that being creative is the one thing it's not.'
- 'A new tutor would be nice. What about getting the person who writes JK Rowling's books for her?'
- Overheard: Ms A (whines) '...yes, but I don't think I'm being sufficiently stretched...' to Ms B (snaps) '...well, there's Pilates next door. Why don't you try that next term?'
- 'I had hoped to meet some proper writers but mostly it's people like me'
- 'Sometimes there are no Jaffa cakes left at break time.'
- 'I thought creative writing was those fancy letters you see on signs. It's not. But I'm glad I stayed anyway because now I know that is calligraphy.'
- 'Very good for my social life. Now I can tell women I'm a writer as well as a postman and they are much more interested in me.'
- 'I wrote a book of short stories before I joined. The tutor hasn't been that helpful, I still need someone to rewrite the ends and beginnings and some bits in the middle. And to type them.'
I do hope every one of these people finally found what they were looking for; I'm not sure if being quoted on my blog would have been the type of recognition any of them was looking for, but I certainly appreciate their feedback!
On that note, I'm giving the last word to Simon, who has an uncanny knack of keeping me in my place. This is his side of a recent conversation:
'NO, mummy, close up your 'puter RIGHT NOW.... NO. Writing is not work. Building towers is work. Help me, please.'
*none of these come from any of my lovely, talented and appreciative current students - I promise!
