Moment of truth time: my freshman composition students turned in their first major papers this morning, and afterward I asked them to free-write for five minutes on the topic "What I've learned about writing so far." They wrote and they shared ideas with partners and the rest of the class, and then I told them what I had written about: the value of writing regularly. "When I make an appointment with myself to write every day," I said, "then when the appointed time comes, I find ideas waiting to meet with me."
Blank stares.
"Writing regularly improves the fluidity of my writing," I insisted.
More blank stares.
"How many of you write a blog?"
No response.
"A daily journal? Diary?"
Nada.
"Regular e-mail messages to a particular person?"
Crickets chirping.
"Does anyone in this room besides me write anything aside from class assignments?"
Silence.
The sound you now hear is the professor's head banging against the wall.
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