Two Quotes about Writing

Question: How should one teach writing?

Answer: “ ‘Writing is not too difficult to be achieved,’ wrote Lou LaBrant in 1957, adding, ‘but the components call for direct, full experience rather than for mere learning about the process. Despite this there are today in the freshman classes of our nation’s colleges some hundreds and even thousands of freshmen who are having their first experience in selecting a subject and writing their ideas about it. They have outlined, parsed and punctuated bits, have perhaps written paragraphs (parts of pieces), but they lack experience with the full production.” P. 103.

“In the end, LaBrant leaves us with a vivid metaphor for the distinction between school writing and authentic writing: ‘Knowing about…writing and its parts does not bring it about, just as owning a blueprint does not give you a house.” P. 104.

Comment: A reminder. Grammar exercises are not the same as actual writing. RayS.

Title: “Revisiting LaBrant’s ‘Writing Is More than Structure’ (English Journal, May 1957).” PL Thomas. English Journal (September 2011), 103-104.