Comments on: What To Do About Excellence?

By: Lollie

Lollie — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:21:04 +0000

Thanks for the article, Cheri. It’s a good reminder for me not to get bogged down in wanting to present a “perfect” picture when I write. I want to do my very best, and yet at the same time, I’ve overused that crazy ‘delete’ button feeling many of my stories just weren’t good enough. I had to give myself permission to blog imperfectly or nothing would get written.

By: Cheri'

Cheri' — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:11:48 +0000

Thanks everyone!
Kathy: I loved the “first draft” mentality!
Marilyn & Dave: Great stuff! I’d say the primary thought is to let the creativity flow and out of it God can be glorified as we take time to go back and shape it into something a bit more excellent.
Marilyn: I didn’t quite understand your question. Email me on FB and let’s talk

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:55:48 +0000

I revise as I write. That means I start out just saying what I want to say. I feel free to plop it out there knowing I can pause at any moment and correct something. (I’ve changed this sentence a couple of times). I try to live in the freedom of First Draft, always aiming to keep working until I finish the project, day, or life with a clean copy of a final draft.

By: Marilyn Johnson

Marilyn Johnson — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:28:54 +0000

I found this post to be thoroughly thought provoking. I struggle with the same issues when writing as I feel a need to be grammatically correct while at the same time present my thoughts and ideas in a creative way.
I find that I personally just “throw it out there” and then go back and adjust. If I stop while the thoughts are coming and try to make sure everything is correct, the thoughts just do NOT come for me. It also depends on what I am presenting and why. Caps, exclamation points and squiggles are a frequent part as I write merely for pleasure. If I am writing for something other than pleasure, I make sure at that point to make the presentation, clear, concise and grammatically correct.
I guess I am totally agreeing with Kate and love her ideas regarding this issue.
I also have a thought that I would like your take on as well. Do you not feel that our creativity can be held to a standard of excellence as well and one that God takes pleasure in? I personally feel that excellence comes different ways and in different areas. I would love to know how you feel about that or if I am way off base with that thinking…(there I go with the “extras”!!!!!)
Marilyn

By: Dave Pingel

Dave Pingel — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:12:44 +0000

My thoughts about this tend toward- are you taking pride in YOUR excellence? Your own creativity? What YOU can do? If so, then you get whatever earthly rewards others care to give – and that’s it. I think that if your heart is in the matter, then God sees whatever you do unto Him as creatively excellent worship – and He smiles greatly. THAT – is storing up treasure in heaven.

I like to write, too. It is a creative release that God has gifted us with. He takes pleasure in us using his gift to please and encourage others. And why muzzle the ox when working? So, yes – we are to enjoy and nourish ourselves with what we write. I often go with the flow as it comes – and then do the edit later. And sometimes I over-edit because I, too, am wanting to get it just right. Sometimes, however, in “the desire to do it right,” there’s a little too much “me” in there. Just some thoughts…

Keep writing. I enjoy reading.

Dave

By: Cheri' White

Cheri' White — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:32:08 +0000

Thanks Kate, I appreciate your insight. I think I lose sight of the the creativity side when I’m teaching grammar — so I’m going to use your idea with my students — and with myself as well

By: kate

kate — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:52:36 +0000

wow! thank you for writing this post! it helped me to realize that i am that student that struggles with exactly what you described- excellence versus creativity. i’m working on my senior capstone project for school, and i continually feel this angst about focusing too much on technical details and not enough on creativity…

i don’t have much wisdom to impart, but what i’m learning is that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. for example, with the graphic design stuff i’m working on, i start out brainstorming, letting the creative juices go thru the roof, and then attack the creative plan with all the detailed, technical (boring!) stuff. with your own writing (and maybe teaching it as well-?) a similar approach might be useful- encourage students to be as creative as possible and then to view the grammatical stuff as the carrying out (or communication) of the creative idea they just came up with.

thanks again!
kate