The Big Fresh June 24, 2017 Meeting the Challenge

There’s nothing an artist needs more – even more than excellent tools and stamina – than a deadline.

                                                                                                 Adriana Trigiani

“I don’t want to write anymore,” I said in a whiny voice.

I was having a student moment. You know them — one of those moments where you find yourself in the exact situation you put your students in sometimes. I was trying to push myself to write a little more. It was after 8:30 p.m., and a group of us were in the living room of a bed and breakfast at a writing retreat. By that point I had been on and off writing for 11 hours each day for two days straight. I was tired. My brain hurt. I had writing in front of me that needed revision, but I just didn’t want to do the work.

“Jillian, just get 200 words by nine o’clock,” Gretchen said from across the room.

Oh, sure. It was 8:45. I had 15 minutes. 200 words – no big deal. Ha.

I really didn’t want to accept the challenge, but I had to try.  How many times have I seen my students in this spot? A panicked look on one face, a stubborn look on another, a disheartened look on yet another. Stuck. Not sure what to write about.

I realized I’d have to start a new piece, not a revision, if I was going to produce 200 words that quickly. Luckily I had a notebook with a list of ideas I could write about.

I spent the next few minutes thinking about which one I could do. Once I thought of one that could work, I thought more about it and started to rehearse and compose thoughts in my head.

Finally I had that spark of an idea and wrote it down before I lost it. I’ve seen something similar many times with my adolescent students – the light-bulb moment: when the idea comes and the student quickly grabs a piece of paper or the keyboard and starts writing, seeing where the idea will take them, not wanting to lose the thought.

I can picture the relief that must have been on my face, because I’ve also seen that in my students. Can I take what I learned about a short writing challenge into my classroom? I think so. I learned there are stages to even the shortest writing task that is imposed unexpectedly on anyone: stalled out, initiation of the challenge, panic, denial/refusal, think time (SO important), acceptance, spark, rehearsal, draft, relief, re-energized.  Because I am a writer who faced an impromptu timed writing challenge, I know better now what my students go through in facing similar challenges.

This week we look at a Book-a-Day, a favorite challenge for students and teachers of all ages. Plus more as always — enjoy!