Teaching by Telephone

Saturday I taught a workshop on revision for the Redwood Writer's Club. "Taught" might be a bit over-stretching it..."presented" perhaps? At any rate, I had a lot of fun doing it. I haven't yet figured out the magic formula that makes me able to be "on" for some gigs, and totally out of body for others. I find that the great ones feel natural--like I'm being myself, but at the same time it's a more outgoing, chatty, knowledgable part of myself than I usually have access to. It also seems that when I over-prepare, but then sort of leave my notes off to the side and don't really use them, I have a more fluid style of delivering the info. I mean, trust me, there were flaws and I even got a few gentle suggestions from folks after the fact, but it was truly a fun and wonderful time.

What I find so interesting is what the participants glean from what I say. Someone might say, "Back when you were talking about X"...and I have to stop and think, Did I really say that? But no, learning is very much like a game of telephone. The teacher talks, the students hear what they hear, as filtered through experience and practice and a whole lot more, I'm sure. I received a slew of emails, too, that suggested that human experience is vastly wide and differing--that all 40 people in that room probably received a slightly different lecture :)

Don't forget that tomorrow is a day that much of the blogosphere will be devoted to talking about Patry Francis, author of the Liar's Diary. Be sure to stop on by here, too. I'll be giving away some free books!

Jordan