[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Megan H – WT: Revision #863

Simple and kind. Is there a better way into the blank page? And in the classroom?

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Megan H – WT: Revision #862

Simple and kind. Is there a better way into the blank page? And in the classroom?

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Revisions #861

Exactly! Let yourself off the hook! And if Butler did write it in one go, I’d wager that he revised it about 100 times in his head before sitting down.

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Joshua's response to WT: Ch. 7, Revision #860

Absolutely! Reading your words out loud to attentive and good listeners breaks the solitude, get us out of our own heads and truly supports composing ‘better’ drafts.
Glad the chapter was useful. 🙂

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Megan H – WT: Revision #854

Megan,

Thanks for sharing your experience as a teacher. I feel very much like your students…wanting to get it right and get it right the first time knowing full well that revision is part of the process. I do, however, find myself with the same questions that you end with. The biggest being WHY? Maybe because some way and somehow it matters?

Chrislande

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Megan H. Austrian Soil #846

A really thoughtful and important response about the power and danger of memorials….but in the end necessary for remembering, honoring, bearing witness and moving us forward. As Patrick commented, amazingly similar to writing memoir.

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: On Austrian Soil – Daimys Garcia #844

That’s great, Daimys. Yes, you get nowhere without listening carefully to who is in the room and what they are saying (and not saying). You can only start where they are and then aim to build bridges.

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Maggie_Response to On Austrian Soil Part II #843

That’s a hard question and it probably differs with each class. As a general rule, I’d say “less is more” — depth more important than breadth (since full coverage of any topic is impossible anyway) and if hot topics arise and conversations are real and good, then you are on the right track. You are acting morally and ethically by being present — and that also comes across in unspoken ways…at least we can hope so.

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Marguerite : Looking at Evil #842

Yes, Nazis are the perfect embodiment of evil…and yet they were, truly, ordinary human beings. What does this say about who we are and our own capacity for evil? And, yet, there were some who opposed it all and died for their beliefs. It is dizzying to contemplate.

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Patrick James Response: Second Half #841

A beautiful and profound rendering of forgiveness. I love “holy foolishness.”

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Revision notes: Behind the Door #840

Sounds a lot like Picasso’s bulls…..over and over again, adding weight and depth and detail, but finding in the end that it’s the trimmed down refined version that is what you want. Can’t wait to see it!

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Writing the ordiary woman #839

Great point about the tension between myth and the mundane. Cynthia Ozick also calls it ‘finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.’ What we are all trying to do when we write about our lives, isn’t it?

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Maggie_Response to WT Chapter 7 #838

Your parentheticals worked great here!

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Revision – Daimys Garcia #837

Yes, that’s a real constraint that affects probably all graduate students.

[Sondra Perl]

in reply to: Joanna Siwiec Response: WT: Ch. 7, Revision #836

Great quote!

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