The Northern Nevada Writing Project

Hi there, it’s Kristina and I am starting my discussion on Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott. This was a great book to read and I highly recommend it. One reason you might like to read this book is because of the author’s voice. I just love how you can “hear” her in her writing. The book is easy to read, humorous, and sincere giving you a glimpse at what a writer’s world might look and feel like. Having just gone through many of the issues she discusses with the summer institute, I was able to identify with many of the topics she discussed. Lamott shares of her personal experiences as a writer. Her audience is that of classroom writing from the writing teacher’s perspective. You may want to use this in your classes as a read aloud, sharing a book from a published author’s viewpoint. Then, the kids aren’t just relying on what you tell them, hey it’s written in a book, it must be good right? Lamott really walks you through the writing process word by word, or as she says, bird by bird. She offers practical advice about getting involved in a writer’s group and how to seek and find those individuals.

One thing you may not like (personally I rather enjoyed them) are the religious, Catholic undertones. Her spirituality is evident in many parts throughout, but don’t be fooled she uses some foul language too (and I love that also). One example Lamott wrote was, “The best way to get quiet, other than the combination of extensive therapy, Prozac, and a lobotomy, is first to notice that the station is on.” I won’t tell you what the station is, but it involves a bad, bad word.

I think she wants us to realize a few things that are a good reminder from this past summer. First, write daily. Secondly, this is a process, we are never done. Third, if we are writing simply to get published, well then, we are doing it for the wrong reasons.

One of my favorite lines from the book is this, “Watch her carefully right now, because she’s teaching you how to live.” This was about one of life’s great lessons when we least expect them. Remember, when in doubt write about it. This book moved me to tears, literally, with a little bit of sadness in the middle, and with her hilarious tales throughout the entire book. I wonder a few things after reading this book.

Could this book be used as one of the “required” books for this class? If so, what might the writing assignment(s) be? Are there others who have read this book? What are your thoughts on a writer’s group?

Hi, Rebekah here, and I chose a fascinating book by Joyce Carol Oates, The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art.  She collected a variety of her essays about writing that she had written and put them together. I loved it. Each “chapter” provided much inspiration, mostly because she constantly discussed how other writers write. She referred to some of my all-time favourite writers (William Faulkner, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, etc.) and thoroughly demonstrated how writing truly is a process. Much of what she wrote about furthered my belief that writing has much to do with faith—faith in ourselves as writers, faith in what we do with our craft is not only valuable but effective, faith in our readers. She covered topics of inspiration from our first memories of school and writing to our first loves of literature. She wrote how inspiration comes in such a variety of forms and places, and that failure isn’t quite failure at all: “Is the artist secretly in love with failure?” (60). And her dissertation on the pitfalls and joys of failure was eye-opening and heartening at the same time.

So, my major questions that have sprung from the reading…..first, if inspiration comes in so many different forms and from so many places which are specific to the individual writer, how can we as teachers create lessons and plans that spark inspiration? What if there is someone we don’t reach? What is a writing teacher to do? And tied in with that, how do we feel about failure? What does it truly mean? Oates repeats that writing is a solitary act and that what we perceive as failure might actually be our best works and what we consider our best often isn’t. She mentions several authors who feel this way as well as authors who even tried other writing niches that didn’t work (for instance William Faulkner considered himself a failed poet and Henry James was a failed playwright). What does that all mean for us as writers and as teachers? If I (or my students) feel that we are “failures” at writing, are it that we just haven’t found our niche or is it something more? Overall, after reading this book, I have come away with much more faith (so to speak) in my own writing but am wondering even more how this translates into the classroom…..any thoughts?

We’re so glad you’ll be joining us this summer.

First…Please share a paragraph with us about your classroom.  What are you proud of in that room?  What do your students do while they’re with you?

Then…Please share a paragraph with us about what you’re considering as the topic for your 90-minute demonstration lesson.  What’s your background with this topic?  How did you decide (true enough, you may still be deciding) that this was the best topic for your demonstration?

These paragraphs will be discussed in small groups at our retreat at Granlibakken.  Please include enough details in each paragraph so that those who read your words can formulate some deep-thinking questions to ask you. 

The books you independently choose to read this summer will be discussed here.  You will not only post two discussion starters about your two books, but you will also participate in the conversations started by five of your fellow Fellows.

To Start a Conversation about one of your books:  (instructions coming soon!)

To Participate in a Conversation started by another Fellow: (instructions coming soon!)

Welcome!  This is the Blog of the Northern Nevada Writing Project’s Summer Institute.

Here, fellows will be able to talk among other fellows about their classrooms, demonstration lessons, and the books and articles they are reading.