Writing & Teaching

My own experience teaching, so far, has been explaining Robert Olen Butler to a class of students at a vocational school.  The experience left me red faced and exhausted.  I came home and slept for 3 hours, between 4-7 PM, when nobody sleeps.  This doesn't mean I don't want to teach creative writing down the road, but I think I'd rather be well into my thirties before I give it a go.  There's a great article in the New York Times about writing and teaching that examines both sides. Basically, it would seem to me that teaching and writing novels would be like dividing your efforts and your mind in two halves, at best. 

2 comments:

Aaron Wilson said...

Wow.

Somehow you are able to write and work retail. You and your finished, published, soon to be published novel. Yes. I’m jealous.

Meanwhile, I just turned in my Thesis to Sheila and Larry this week. I’ll defend October 22.

When I get home from the Call Center, I’m burnt out. All I want to do is watch TV and eat and sleep. Writing is not even on the radar.

I will agree with you that “work” saps the creative energy like no other leach. However, it is good to hear that you have a teaching gig! Gives me hope that someday I will no longer manager of hourly wage-slaves.

David Oppegaard said...

Yeah, I hear that about the sapping, Aaron. Good luck with your defense.

Actually, no, I don't have a teaching gig. That was just a teaching practicum coursework thing three years ago through Hamline. And I don't have a day job at the moment either, though soon I see myself as a valuable temp employee!

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