Should I be worried?

[azurite]

After work today, I got my last 2 textbooks-- my Creative Writing book and my Syllabus (which isn't really a syllabus at all, it's a workbook of weird pages and random stories). I'm kind of worried that the teacher seems so obsessed with himself, using his own works as examples, but then again, maybe he's proud in a good way. If any of you guys who write fanfiction taught a Creative Writing class, would you ever use your own writing as an example? Why or why not?

My Mythology teacher scared me at first-- kind of chubby with a double-chin, very pale with light eyes and pink lips-- he looked like a corpse with crooked teeth. But once he got talking, he was very funny and the class looks like it'll be interesting. Many class activities will be conducted online, which I'm grateful for.

Back to Japanese... Scott was called on today, and he either wasn't paying attention or he seriously needed the textbook (which I picked up at the bookstore before class; QuickCopies took forever to assemble the binder of notes, but I got it in less than 10 minutes). He didn't know what to say... I tried to help him out, but I think I might have made things worse. He didn't seem upset at me or anything, now that I think about it, but like I said earlier, he rushed off to Aikido, and he never saw or said anything to me after we parted ways. :P He owes me lunch tomorrow.

Wednesday is what I'm really looking forward to, though, because aside from Japanese and Mythology, I'll also have my 2 Journalism classes, my WRPII course (with Salido again!) at night. I wonder how I'll get home? I do have to learn to drive though, and I'd like to have learned by December. Time to research some driving schools... (I don't even know what course to take)

I'm glad people are submitting alternative lists at 30kisses. I really have to finish my SxA pairing for that, so I can either pick a new pairing (a few of the other pairings I write for were taken, but the authors have PROBABLY given up... *sigh*) or focus on my 100 icons. I've gotten a few more done lately, but I want to do all "batch posts" where I have at least 5 icons at a time, so it might be a while before I post at iconfiend100 again.

*yawn* I'm so tired! It's so hot! I need to learn sign language, and I have to stop blushing when a Japanese person orders at Jamba Juice!

Comments

[shockman.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I think I'd pass on introducing my own fanfics. Reason being that [to me] submitting personal work to your class is a huge gamble. If they like it, cool. If they don't, it gives them ammo to use against you giving them a bad grade or something.

Ugh... why do teachers have to call on people in class? Why don't they just ask for volunteers or do it themselves? [actually, you CAN refuse to answer if you want. Since you're paying for the class, they can't force you.] -shockman

[azurite]

Well, fanfics are a whole other breed of animal. You couldn't legally introduce them in a class about creative writing unless you explained that they're self-published, not-for-profit, and that the fic world is more of a training ground than anything remotely professional. True, I take writing fics a lot more seriously than others (I insist on editing, spell-checking, etc.) but that doesn't change the fact that it's FANfiction, not my own personal fiction.

I'd probably feel a lot more comfortable about introducing fanfiction in a class, actually, because I have that nice little disclaimer saying the characters aren't mine, and if the story doesn't appeal to you, oh well. But with real fiction, the writing either draws you in or it doesn't.

As for teachers calling on students, that's their job. Students PAY to get put in that environment, and teachers have every right to grade them down if they don't participate. Teachers can't possibly do everything themselves anyway, otherwise what would be the point of being a TEACHer? This is especially true in a discussion-based class that is subjective-- revolving around other people's opinions of writing. Hopefully this guy can handle being critiqued. :P

[rhapsody-dragon.livejournal.com]

:S If I was asked to use some of my work as an example by the students, I might just to show I know what I'm doing... Then again, if I was ever teaching a CW class I would make darn sure that I was very qualified to do so...

But otherwise, probably not. ^^; I would think it would make the students feel awkward and obligated to praise me... not that that would be all that bad...;p Kidding. No, I wouldn't do that to them.

I've taken a CW class and while the structure of it was craptastic, I was grateful we didn't have to look at the teacher's work... we did look at her son's poem, but it was actually pretty funny...so that flew over well. Maybe keep your own work down to a bare minimum?

[azurite]

I sincerely hope that the teacher thinks enough to allow us to write what we feel (one of the worksheets in the syllabus pretty much defined every little aspect of a scene/story which we're probably going to have to write. I didn't like it at all) and expose us to other writers besides himself and the usual suspects (Shakespeare, Dickinson, Hemingway, etc).

[cyperian.livejournal.com]

My mythology/English teacher in college used one of her own stories as a sample in her class. Our job was to critique it... It was written under her maiden name to conceal her identity from us so that we'd be honest. ^__^ When SHE did it, it was to put us at ease; after all, she was going to be judging our writing skills - why not let us judge hers? Naturally it was written when she was our age, but still. I suppose it helped the class connect with her. Don't know if that was the creepy chubby man's goal, but it's something to think about. ^_~

Well..

[azurite]

The Creative Writing teacher who is using his own work as an example is one I haven't met yet. ^^; The creepy chubby guy (my Mythology teacher) is actually pretty cool thus far.

And he's not disguising the fact that it's his work, either. And when I first looked at it, it wasn't that good. I just hope he's not all puffed-up and egocentric just 'cause he got published. Heck knows we get enough of that from fanpoodles in the fic world.

[shadowesque13.livejournal.com]

...I think we HAVE a creative writing course that my English teacher does...I think...O.o; I remember a thing going around last year that she was thinking of doing one, and anyone interested would sign... But maybe it's not for sophmores...*CURSES her luck if that is, because she NEEEEEEDS that class so much*
Sure, I'd use my own things. We used to have a very short-lived, unfortunately creative writing club last year, and I always brought in my fics. I tried, of course, to make it things that they wouldn't have to know the fandom like me to get, but I did, nonetheless. So as long as I didn't bring in anything like, say, one of my many depressing fics about the whole of Seto's crappy life and about Noa and Gozaburo and Yuugi and dueling and all that, then...sure. Don't see a problem. It's creative, it's writing, and as long as you ALSO teach them about copyrights should they want to write fanfics, too, then I think that'd be an excellent idea.

[staplerx.livejournal.com]

I would not use my own writing when making examples of certain things in a class. It comes off as arrogant, and what I say about it might be biased. A lot of artists I talk to always end up saying 'my art sucks' and junk like that. That shows creators, no matter the art, start with a biased opinion of their own works. That's partially why you let others proof-read your writing, right?

Oh, and which Jap. text are you guys using?

[azurite]

Yeah, that was my initial impression about the class, too. But tomorrow is when I'll see for sure. If he talks too highly about his own work, I'll have to wonder. :P

And we're not using a textbook, we're using class notes assembled by the Japanese department chair and another teacher. It's as thick as a textbook and within a binder.