But: When we started out together, I told him my publications were all in poetry, that I'd never been paid for fiction, and that a special hell awaits people who teach creative writing in genres they've never published
A few years ago I'd have agreed with you. And then I was asked to take over a module on Crime Fiction. I'm a Historian by training and I've written a grand total of three short stories in my entire life. I am not a fiction writer, I have no intention of being a fiction writer and I'm not a fan of crime fiction.
I now teach Crime, Horror and SF. Only the last of those is my reading of choice.
I'm swamped with ambitious writing students, and the external examiners are saying things like "best undergraduate fiction" they've seen.
As far as I can tell it's for not disimilar reasons to your student's choice of you. I don't tell students how *i* would write something, and I can explain *how* a particular technique was achieved. Ages ago I saw Ellen Datlow speak and in response to something or other she said:
"If your reaction to a story is 'I can do better than that', then you are writer. If your reaction to a story is "I can show you how to fix that" you are an editor." I think we underestimate the benefits of having the editorially minded (which you clearly are) actually teaching.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-10-13 06:42 am (UTC)But:
When we started out together, I told him my publications were all in poetry, that I'd never been paid for fiction, and that a special hell awaits people who teach creative writing in genres they've never published
A few years ago I'd have agreed with you. And then I was asked to take over a module on Crime Fiction. I'm a Historian by training and I've written a grand total of three short stories in my entire life. I am not a fiction writer, I have no intention of being a fiction writer and I'm not a fan of crime fiction.
I now teach Crime, Horror and SF. Only the last of those is my reading of choice.
I'm swamped with ambitious writing students, and the external examiners are saying things like "best undergraduate fiction" they've seen.
As far as I can tell it's for not disimilar reasons to your student's choice of you. I don't tell students how *i* would write something, and I can explain *how* a particular technique was achieved. Ages ago I saw Ellen Datlow speak and in response to something or other she said:
"If your reaction to a story is 'I can do better than that', then you are writer. If your reaction to a story is "I can show you how to fix that" you are an editor." I think we underestimate the benefits of having the editorially minded (which you clearly are) actually teaching.