A Writer's Blog

I've been thinking a lot about how a blog can serve a writer's needs. I've found one by a working writer. She's a good example for us, because she has work in (1) poetry, (2) fiction, (3) memoir, (4) magazine journalism, (5) politics (which permeates evertything!) and (6) academic theory. She is also a friend of mine-one of the core faculty when I received my MFA at Goddard College. Jan Clausen is an amazing writer, and person. Enjoy: http://www.ablationsite.org/Clausen_frame.html

I've been looking at student blogs again.

Steve has two projects worthy of serious research-(1) RFID identification and (2) Podcasting, the audio form of blogging. Great work! :
http://blog.myspace.com/pepplespace

Helm has both a manifesto-like poem and a philosophical discussion related to his ontology project. Powerful!
http://11806confession.blogspot.com/

Deanna has a fine discussion of Chapter 1 of the text, and another take on what it means to be both "inside" and "outside" a culture:
http://www.greatteacherangelbean.blogspot.com/

C.E. has some great thoughts on the difficulties many of us have accessing empirical data:
http://www.myresearchmethodsforwritersblog.blogspot.com/

C625 is using quantitaitive and other empirical methods in research. Some interesting discussion on the project:
http://www.lacavernadelsaber.blogspot.com/

Remember to read Chapter 5 of the textbook--we will be discussing it Tuesday.

Fieldworking

I’m finally back to the blog after last week’s server problems.

The reading, Chapter 1 from Fieldworking. In answer to Powdermilk’s question, “Why should a contented and satisfied person think of standing outside his or any other society and studying it?,” the writers of the text seem to give us a two-fold answer, which I will paraphrase as (1) To sharpen our observation skills, and (2) To make us better (more tolerant) people.

I’ve been thinking of the question and the answers, and it leads me to more questions. For example, how many writers and scholars are contented and satisfied? I’m happy with my life. But contented? Satisfied? I’m not so sure a writer, a teacher, or a scholar ever really reach that state.

Also, the answers the writers of the text give seem to be based upon a set of values it assumes we should adopt: (1) the value of sharp, detailed observations, and (2) the value of tolerance. Many of us would accept these values, but not necessarily all of us. Furthermore, should we accept anyone’s assumptions without first interrogating them? Not in my view.

I did love this: “it is not always objectivity or detachment that allows us to study culture, our own or that of others. Subjectivity—our inner feelings and belief systems—allow us to uncover some features of culture that are not always apparent” (9).

Sunstein, Bonnie Stone and Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater. Fieldworking: Reading and Writing Research. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2002.

Sirc has a nice description of his children's picture book project. I am happy to see the amount of feedback here also: http://www.writingeverything.blogspot.com/

J. Elkins dives into the grammar issue some more, and also discussed her thesis project. There is a lot of feedback from the class here! http://www.folkloreinwriting.blogspot.com/

Ty's Daddy has a really fine discussion of empirical research, and has reaaly used it to find a nice model for his own book project: http://www.researchbt.blogspot.com/

Bruce has some reflections on Fieldworking too: http://www.researchmethods49.blogspot.com/

My Project

While I am not preparing a memo, like you I have a research project I am working on.

I am disatisfied with the textbooks that are available for the course in Business and Administrative Writing (ENG W331) I teach on a regular basis. I want to write a textbook which will serve as the basis for the course. And while I could market it to one of the textbook publishers (I have done textbook work for Longman in the past) I am inclined to self-publish the book. The reason: textbooks are very expensive, and I'd rather have the ability to charge my students less than the textbooks that are currently available, and funnel any earnings back into developing a better writing program at the university. In other words, I'd rather the money be used locally, instead of going to one of the three or four major international companies that control the worldwide textbook market.

My goal is to have a draft of the text completed by 1 July 2006. That will allow me the summer to revise it, publish it, and get it into the system where the text can be ordered by the bookstore, or by individual students on line. I hope to begin using the book in the spring semester of next year.

Some blogs I noticed today:

Angielski has some great observations about the Light conference: http://www.angielski66.blogspot.com/

Sarah has some interesting comments on the obesity discussion, and some of you have responded: http://www.sarahwriter.blogspot.com/

Brandon has a fabulous discussion on journalism. He talks about the Poynter institute, which is an important resource for those of you intererested in journalism: http://www.brandonrentfrow.blogspot.com/

Some interesting thoughts from Blogger18622 on the John Law article. The responses by the class are also interesting: http://www.bloggeripfwblogger.blogspot.com/.

Amie also reacts to that article: http://www.researchmetodsdesertrose.blogspot.com/

John talks about a writing project, and shares a story. This is interesting work:
http://www.canoemidewst.blogspot.com/

I think I've finally commented and linked to each students blog at least once.