Another Writing Dedication - John Galligan

10 April 2006

Another Writing Dedication - John Galligan

Posted by Bob Keith at 4/10/2006 1:30 AM 

Categories: Writing Inspirations

     John Galligan taught the Creative Writing II class I took at Madison Area Technical College.  As far as I know he is still teaching there.  That particular class was the only class I took in the spring of 2001.  It was all I could do to take the one class because my wife and I were taking care of my mother who was in the end stages of cancer.  Anyway, I made the arrangements to get away from the twenty-four hour care vigil to escape to some writing.  I had also exhausted just about every writing and sociology class I could take in tech school before moving on to a university.  

     Mr. Galligan impressed upon us the idea that the biggest part of writing a thoughtful piece is "process."  Now in retrospect I figure for me, about 90 percent of my writing involves the trial and error process.  Thank God this Web site and blog allows me to go back in and correct spelling and grammar after publication.  Keep in mind I was 45 years old at the time of the class.  It struck me that before I took that class, I never conceived the time process involved in writing an article or story.  That I think, is the sign of a good class and instructor - being able to plant some new stuff in an old head.  I think half a good story or article is the honing of the idea and having it roll around in your head for weeks - even months.  I have since noticed that process is everywhere.  Years later we would rebuild a house.  When is the last time you saw a house rebuilt in one day? - no, it took several months of process from idea to completion to living in the finished product.  

     Mr. Galligan required us to present our writings in a round table setting.  Another student would read our work out loud to the group.  We as the writers, were not allowed to speak as we first heard our work in another voice other than our own.  Then, we were also to remain silent as the class proceeded to deconstructed our little master pieces before us.  Althought Mr. Galligan insisted on us being respectful and polite to each others' work, after the first week the anxiety and complaints flew about ad nauseam.  Mr. Galligan just smiled and said, "Hey, would you guys rather have this painful criticism of your work done for the first time at your future employer, or would you rather get used to it now where it will likely be forgotten shortly after this semester."

     Great point Mr. Galligan.  I hope your pursuits outside of academia in the literary world come to fruition. 

More Writing Dedication - Mike Irwin

6 April 2006

More Writing Dedication - Mike Irwin
Posted by Bob Keith at 4/6/2006 1:30 AM 

Categories: Writing Inspirations

     Thinking in tech school I might like to explore journalism, I took a feature writing class.  The problem with tech school (especially a large tech school) as an older student, is it is like being a kid in a candy store.  I started taking classes in several fields.  So much for being focused as an old dude (another urban myth). 

    Anyway, the instructor was a salty guy named Mike Irwin.  He was a seasoned writer and it sounded like he had some type of farm or farmette.  He would ride an old motorcycle to a creative writing class I also took with him.  

     In the feature writing class us students were all excited to write our master pieces.  However, no one seemed to know when to shut up on paper.  Frustrated with our long winded stories, Mr. Irwin passed to each of us a business card.  "Now," he said. "Write your next story on the back of this card."  He also said in response to people that just could never seem to finish a story, "you just got to know when to quit moving comas and sentences around."  

     In the spirit of efficiency and economy of words in writing, here's to you Mike.

Writing Dedication - Bob Brien

5 April 2006

Writing Dedication - Bob Brien

Posted by Bob Keith at 4/5/2006 1:30 AM 

Categories: writing inspiration

My English 101 Instructor at Madison Area Technical College (they are called Instructors at tech school) was a guy named Bob Brien.  Enthused for writing by his determination to instill some notion of good taste in our writing, I asked him if I could read some of his work.  "I've never written anything," Mr. Brien said.  "Why not," I asked rather taken aback.  "- Never had anything to say," he said, and then a bit of a smile could just barely be detected on his ruddy Upper Peninsula face.  

I think in my struggling ability to understand unwritten and colloquial communication, Mr. Brien had just thrown me the old caveat of, "If you ain't got nothing good to say, you might want to explore keeping your pie-whole shut."  Here's to you Mr. Brien.  I always seem to remember your thought on the issue of written necessity just about the time I am about to write something.