The Art of the Re-draft

I’m so damn lucky! I have worked with some pretty incredible human beings over the years, Professors from Hunter College, the CWP and the English Department of the University of Houston, and the Bennington Writing Seminars in Vermont. I was given some bad-ass notes on my writing from teachers over the years. 

Here’s one that sticks and was given by so many different writers: when writing argumentative prose be clear. Never give the reader the advantage to assume what you mean—otherwise, they will.  

Nothing has changed.  Today students will meet with their Professors and they will hear the same comment: “This isn’t clear.  What exactly do you mean?” If they are lucky, it will be hand-written in the margins too. 

That’s what caring teachers do best, and we all agree that some students don’t get the same care we did. That is the best argument for keeping the English Department and CWP Department alive: literacy. 

I’ll say it again: I am so damn lucky!!

Our students are important for this reason.  They buy books.  They keep tabs on their teachers and listen to what they say and don’t say. So don’t act like we don’t know what’s going on here. 

I watched last night’s show and waited for anyone to mention it.

I watched and heard last night’s prepared speech by so many accomplished writers and I waited to hear mention of the hostages in the hands of Hamas. 

Here’s my straight-to-the-point commentary about their prepared speech, which I assumed was re-drafted several times:

It would have been better if they had mentioned the hostages. Otherwise, we have no idea why they were not included, and unfortunately, tongues will wag: “I know why…” 

#EndAntiSemitism #BringThemHomeNow

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