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Charlotte's avatar

I'm teaching a new grad course--tmrw!--on personal writing in composition, but it's really turning into a class about figuring out who they might be as writers without the constricting ways we're STILL expected to write in academia. So this is perfect for the class, and also very useful to me (your work was already in the syllabus, of course). Thank you!

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Bruce Ballenger's avatar

I'm so glad that you might find it useful, Charlotte. I'm going through my old handouts, trying to figure out if they're worth sharing. This is one of my favorites. It's really interesting that your course (comp theory?) is focusing on personal writing in composition. With the emergence of generative AI, I hear all sorts of talk about how we need to re-design our writing assignments. That makes sense. But I also think that approaches that have been marginalized in the field--expressivism generally and essaying in particular--might be a solution. ChatGPT can't essay, it can't be "personal" in any genuine way. I have a new edition of Curious Research coming out this spring that tries to use this approach with research writing. I'll ask them to send you a copy. Can I just say how wonderful it was to make a new friend those many years ago down there?

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Charlotte's avatar

I agree on all!

I'm actually teaching a seminar grad class, "The Place of the Personal," so it's about all of the ideas you've long been in the thick of. Happy to send you a syllabus if you're interested.

And I completely agree re: AI, though I hadn't articulated it that well yet.

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Bruce Ballenger's avatar

Oh, please send the syllabus! I wish I could take the class!

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Tara Penry's avatar

Welcome! I’m already learning from you and rethinking my narrative posts. Do you think you’ll stick around and post more? (She nods her head coaxingly.) What better to do in the snow? ;-)

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Bruce Ballenger's avatar

Hi Tara! Thanks so much for your kind and generous comments. Of course, I love your Substack and always am eager to see your posts. I didn’t fully appreciate was a beautiful writer your are! I will stick around, I think, especially with this lovely encouragement.

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Tara Penry's avatar

Good to have you here. 📝🎉

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Jenna Newell Hiott's avatar

This is wonderful, Bruce, thank you! And welcome to substack! I began my writing career in fiction and often used the 7-point story structure as a sort of guideline for planning stories. But that didn't readily translate to nonfiction. Your clarification of the two narrators is going to be very useful going forward. Thank you so much!

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Bruce Ballenger's avatar

Oh, thanks Jenna. I’m glad it was useful. I taught cnf for many years, retired a few years ago, and now I’m going through some of my old handouts. This is a favorite. Makes my day that you found it useful.

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Jan 14, 2024
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Bruce Ballenger's avatar

Oh Safar, thank you so much! I’m just learning how this platform works and look forward to learning from you all!

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Tara Penry's avatar

I agree, Safar. I feel like I could chew on this all day, trying this and that to see what it might mean case by case.

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