The 2023 fall/winter edition of Teach. Write. is now available at teachwritejournal.com. I hope you will go take a look at this first volume I’ve produced since my retirement and since we’ve become members of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses. The print version will be available soon. Onward and upward!
Since the fall of 2017, I have edited and published a literary journal designed specifically for composition teachers. Although I am open for submissions that follow the guidelines from anyone, anywhere, my emphasis has always been on writing that explores the art of teaching. I love to have the opportunity to build up teacher/writers like me, who have had limited time to write and market their own work because they are so busy helping their students learn how to write.
The 2023 fall~winter edition of Teach. Write. comes out tomorrow, continuing the tradition of showcasing the work of teachers and the art of teaching, along with other work that I hope simply inspires all to enjoy well-crafted and timely stories and poems. This edition, however, now that I have more time to work on improving the journal, has resulted in some changes:
When I first started Teach. Write., the journal was primarily an escape from the pressures of teaching composition and literature at a small community college in an increasingly contentious bureaucratic environment where I was experiencing the slow erosion of the autonomy I had at first enjoyed. I’m not escaping anymore. I’m fighting.
Teach. Write. is my Sting.
It’s only a rusty dagger gripped by a little old warrior, but she is inspired and empowered by those, represented in her journal, who love words and stories, rhyme and rhythm, form and style. She is dedicated to those who care about sharing that love with others, especially students, in a world that is strangely hostile to their profession at times but one that needs those who practice the art of teaching more than ever.
I am writing a book about teaching. It’s non-fiction, but other than that, I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s part memoir and part teaching methods to begin with. In many ways, it is also like my blog–musings and mutterings about my life’s work.
I don’t mind telling you, I’m struggling. It’s not writer’s block. Oh, no. I’m not sure I believe in writer’s block anymore anyway. The only way I’ve ever written anything of any length is to write six days out of seven. The biggest excuse for not turning in work I heard over my years of teaching was some form of “I’ve got writer’s block, Mrs. Winkler.” It’s hogwash, I would tell them. Well, no, I wouldn’t say it that way. After 40 years of teaching, one learns how to spin. I would dress it up with the appropriate metaphor, analogy, etc., but in the end my student was more than likely procrastinating and not even trying to write.
You can’t write anything, if you don’t write something. Hmmm, that’s pretty good. I wonder if I ever used that one in class.
So, again, no. It’s not writer’s block. The first day of my official retirement, August 1, I set a daily average quota for the book in order to finish a rough, rough draft by the end of the year. I’m well ahead of schedule in that regard; I haven’t had trouble writing pages and pages and pages. Because I’m not plotting (I’m a terrible plotter), the words, stories, feelings, and ragings about my life in teaching just pour out.
Frankly, my struggle is having a point. But, no, it’s not that either–I have so many points, so many things I want to say about teaching, that the book is just a hodge podge of memories interspersed with my concerns (aka fears) about what is happening in education, especially higher education in America, especially here in North Carolina.
Sometimes, I think I’m writing two books, but if I want to keep the memoir part intact, the part that reflects who I was as a teacher, how I changed, and why teaching was more than a career, if I want to do that, then maybe this mishmash of a book is exactly what I want to write.
However, I still feel that the book needs to have a central theme, something on which to hang all the dangly pieces, and entice the reader to hear what I have to say. Also, even though it faces the truth about the educational perils of our time, I want the book to be, overall, positive in its outlook as it promotes the intrinsic value of education.
I think I’ve got it now–at least the germ of an idea.
Relationships.
Education begins and ends with relationships–between student and teacher, yes, but it doesn’t end there–also between student and family, family and teacher, teacher and other teachers, teachers and administrators, administrators and staff, staff and students, staff and teachers, and civic leaders, business owners, the community at large, and, okay, you get it. Success in education depends on the health of all these relationships. I think my book already reflects that, but I want to strengthen that theme in revision.
So far, my book not only reflects some of these personal relationships, but also the relationships between events of my life and teaching. A large chapter in the book, for example, is showing how my travels in America and Europe reflected themselves in my teaching. I also want to talk about the relationship between socio/cultural shifts and the classroom, how I had to adapt my lessons to new trends (after I got over being furious about them).
I’m not sure. I’m still struggling, but I’m not blocked. I’m not discouraged. I am practicing what I preached all of those years: “Just get started. Vomit.” Yes, I said vomit–always got their attention. “Vomit it all out on the paper and then start cleaning up through revision and editing.” That’s where the heart of good writing lies.
More about that later.
Other than writing the book, I have also been putting together the fall/winter 2023 edition of Teach. Write.: A Writing Teachers’ Literary Journal, which will publish Oct. 1. As I mentioned in my last post, the journal has its own website now! The spring/summer edition is there as well as submission guidelines and some other information. Why not take a look? Just go to teachwritejournal.com.
So, it’s true. Retirement after almost 40 years of teaching English composition is, number 1, freaking awesome! Not having the constant class planning and paper grading has been true freedom for me. I guess I didn’t realize what a huge chunk of my life was wrapped up in doing those two things. Even in the summer when I wasn’t teaching, I was still spending on average a couple of hours each day tweaking old assignments, writing new ones, and updating online material (necessary but oh so tedious), among other college-related things I would just as soon forget.
The second true thing is that I have planned way too much for the first few months. So many people told me that I would be busier than ever when I retired, but I didn’t believe it could be true.
It is.
Here are a few of things I’m working on:
These are only my writing and teaching-related activities. Despite all I’m doing as a writer/teacher, I don’t feel as stressed because I know I don’t have to do them. Also, because those two huge responsibilities–planning classes and grading papers–are no longer looming, I have time to do all the things I’ve been able to barely do and do them better. At least, I’m trying to do them better.
Yes, retirement suits Mrs. Winkler very well.
My father always said, in his loveably corny way, that he wasn’t ever going to retire, but refire! I think I will take his mantra as I embark on this new phase of my life. I have taken a few days to just re-evaluate things and decide what I want to spend my time doing.
So much of my time the last 55 years and more has been about getting an education or being an educator that it is going to take time to learn how to focus on other things, but I’m eager to try. I am already loving the freedom to order my life according to what is important to me, not my teachers or my employers.
Where to begin? Sheesh, now that it comes down to it, I’m having trouble even putting anything down. I know I want to spend more time with my family without annoying them, and I want to do things for them without hovering or being bossy.
But when it comes to the non-essentials, I guess the first thing I want is to write. I know that! Of course, I will continue writing this blog—my goal is to write a post once a week. But more than that, I want to start marketing the blog more and learn more about the business side of blogging and up my game a bit in that department. So, I guess I will be going back to school in that sense, but again, I want to do it. Nobody can make me anymore. Or voluntell me!!
It’s been a year since I worked on my podel (podcasted novel) Campus: A Novel That Wants to Be a Musical, so I want to pick that back up. I think I will shoot for one episode a month and try to increase that gradually. I want to improve the quality of the productions as well, which I am looking forward to doing.
I have already started working on the book that my mother suggested I write—a memoir of my teaching career. My goal is to finish by the end of the year, which means averaging about 600 words a day, so I’m on track. I am pleased with the format I’ve chosen and the writing is coming so much easier now that I am not spending so much of my summer vacation days planning my classes for the fall semester.
Spending more time with each edition of Teach. Write., the literary journal I founded, edit, and publish, is also something I want to do. I feel like I have made small improvements since the first edition in 2017, but I have always felt rushed to get each edition out. I am glad that retirement will afford me more time to work on this passion project.
So many other things I want to do, but I never want to forget that I also want to leave room in my life to be less busy, to listen more, read more, and have times like today to just sit on a porch in Alabama with a cup of coffee on a cool summer morning before the day heats up, listen to the collared Eurasian doves coo, pet a soft German shepherd puppy, and talk about life with my baby brother.
It’s a good life.
The print version of the 2023 spring~summer edition of Teach. Write.: A Writing Teachers” Literary Journal is available for purchase. Go to this link if you want to order a copy.
Also, an updated online version is also now available here.
I am currently seeking submissions for my first post-retirement edition of Teach. Write. Submissions will close on September 1, 2023. Click here for submission guidelines. I would love to see your work, especially if you are, or were, a writing teacher.
Well, she’s up to her neck, actually, but trying to remember that this too shall pass and that after this spring semester will be three more small, short summer classes, and then RETIREMENT!!
Of course, only Katie Winkler would say yes to doing a play right at the end of the spring semester–our second to last performance will be on graduation day! But, I am actually glad I said yes because I am spending time with old friends and making new ones. Also, it keeps me busy and makes the days feel like they are rushing by!! When the horse is headed for the pasture, she needs time to fly!!
The play is called The Savannah Sipping Society by Jesse Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten. If you are in the Asheville area May 5-14, why not come see this cute little play? It’s mainly a fun frolic but does have its poignant moments that get to the core of what makes for true friendships and how important they are in our lives.
As well as the rehearsals, I, of course, have had all of the end-of-semester grading that comes along with teaching English at a community college. That along with so many other things has set back editing and preparing the print version of the spring-summer edition of Teach. Write. I just want all my contributors to know that I haven’t forgotten and will be working on the print version this week.
Today’s my birthday, and though most of it will be spent at the theater and grading papers, the day is a reminder of all the grand adventures I’ve had in my life. I feel blessed and humbled to have had the opportunity to be an actor, writer, teacher, friend, sister, daughter, mother, and wife.
It’s a grand life. Happy birthday to me!!!
Thank you for your patience! I am grateful to all of the wonderful writers who made this edition–the last one before my retirement–so special.
Click below to access the online journal. A print version will be available in about two weeks.
Teach. Write.: A Writing Teachers’ Literary Journal–Spring~Summer 2023
The 2023 Spring~Summer edition of Teach. Write. is supposed to be published today, but my impeccable timing led to a large number of essays and other assignments I have had to grade just as I was preparing to work on the final stages of putting the journal together. Therefore, I have been teaching and writing (notes on freshman comp. essays, responses to discussion forums, and e-mails responding to unhappy students after they receive the grades on their essays) like crazy, but not editing and proofreading my journal.
I have written to my contributors about the delay, but I want to let all my loyal readers know that the journal will be here soon and that it will be worth the wait! I am excited about this edition. Please come back to take a look at the next edition of Teach. Write. I’m predicting Friday at the latest.
And that’s no April Fool!
Teach. Write. is an online publication, but I like to make print copies available. I don’t know. I just love seeing my work on a real printed page, and I think many of my contributors feel the same way. It wasn’t easy getting the print version ready, though. Work has been crazy busy with finishing up one eight-week composition class and starting two more next week, plus a four-week student success course (crazy, man). Despite my schedule, however, I wanted to get this publication out before tomorrow because something special is going to happen.
One of my contributors, Jeff Burd, and two of his writer friends whose work also appears, have arranged a special virtual reading tomorrow. Nine contributors will be reading their work. Jeff will introduce each one, and I will follow each reading with a word or two about why I chose that work for the journal.
What a great idea!! And to top it off, Jeff and his friends have arranged everything because they are teachers, too, and know I wouldn’t have had time to make it happen. All I have to do is show up and be proud!!!
Since I started publishing Teach. Write. in 2017, I have, of course, been impressed with the talent that has come my way, but even more than that, I have been thankful for the kindness of my contributors. Something special about Teacher-Writers.
That’s for sure!
Hey, Mrs. Winkler! 