Thursday, April 27, 2006

Workshop or Woodshed? You be the Judge.

I haven't posted since Sunday. Not because I haven't been writing. Because I've been writing for MY CLASS, the one taught by Da Teach [see earlier link that I'm too lazy to link to.]

Boy, has it been time consuming. And it won't pay me any money when I'm finished. And I don't get a grade either. But it will give me the satsifaction of a job well done. Sheesh. I am so beyond that. Show me the money.  


The exercise started with a three hour interview at a restaurant on Monday, during which I recorded what we said AND I took copious unreadable notes. The people sitting at the next table kept looking over to see if I was Barbara Walters or something. This was followed by an hour and a half interview of another person at his "emporium" on Tuesday, also recorded and noted. Both so I could write a rough draft for an article that was due on Wednesday at my non credit Magazine Writing for Dummies class. However, after the interviews I also had to transcribe them so I could get accurate quotes and have my facts straight before writing up the draft.  Well, i didn't finshed transcribing -- in fact listening to people talk with all the extraneous noise in the background pretty much sucks.  But I managed to write almost 1000 words -- the max we're allowed for this -- which simply means I sure can sling the BS. 

Well, Da Teach [once again, I recommend reading the earlier entry that I'm too lazy to link] took a quick look at what I wrote, threw it down on the table and said THIS SUCKS!!

Just kidding. He actually did that and said that. But he was just kidding.

He then read my BS out loud and we started to "workshop" what I wrote. Eviscerate it, rip to shreds, tear it up. You get the idea.
 
Now I get to start over. For free. Again. This whole going back to school for no credit or pay is something I'm probably not going to do any more. What did I spend four years in college for anyway?  So I could have a do over?

If I ever finish the thing I'll post it here and you can WORKSHOP it yourselves. Here's my new opening quote -- it's a real quote by the way:  "In a former life, I was a pimp in China."  For an article about wine cellars. 

Bring your hammers and nails. 


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to find my dictionary. It has the definition of "insanity" somewhere in there. I don't know why you bother with outside help - we've known your stuff was crap for two years now.

That'll be $250.00. Cash or Visa?

Anonymous said...

Why not just hammer those nails to a board and lay on it?  Surely that would be more enjoyable than a public evisceration, and it might help out that crick in your neck.

That'll be $75.  (I'm a bargain compared to Remo.)
Anna

Anonymous said...

Pimps in China........I think you're on the right track now.

Anonymous said...

I see mombzbe undercut my price. See what happens when you don't control immigration?? Those crazy Chica's come in and work for practically nothing, leaving the average American lazy-ass loking for a clue.

They do make remarkably subservient wives, however, or so I hear. Apparently they are handy in the garage also.

See if I watch her damn kid for free again.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the scene from Sure Thing when she reads the paper in class...first the pizza one & then later the Sure Thing one. HA!

Anonymous said...

a mulligan, huh?

sorry bebe'

Anonymous said...

This entry SUCKS!

Just kidding.

In my speech class in freshman year, I still remember one of the comments from a fellow student regarding my presentation.  "How much change did you have in your pocket, anyway?  You must have counted it 4 times."

Ouch.  At least I learned not to fidget in presentations.

Chris
http://inanethoughtsandinsaneramblings.blogspot.com/