Max and I are gearing up for another round of pleading for contributors. We’re all very busy in at least three different rings of this circus called life. Politicolor will be a lively place to exchange ideas if we each make a commitment to our own professional development and write. A commitment to think like we thought when working at the Academy or Montpelier. A commitment to exchange ideas like we did in those rare moments when we weren’t reading or trying to make sense of our notes.
In an effort to charge my battery, I dusted off a book from my “to read” pile. Have you looked at your pile lately? Ideas aren’t nearly as much fun to collect as they are to read, consider and share. This one is Stephen King’s On Writing and I just saw an essential idea I wanted to share with you. Perhaps you’re not opposed to writing something for Politicolor. You just can’t figure out what to write.
Here’s what Stephen King has to say about that…
Let’s get one thing clear right no, shall we? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up.
Think Hobbes and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Think Federalists and their Rube Goldberg Machine. Or Einstein and a Federalist approach to teaching. Or poetry and constitutional theory. These ideas happen and they happen fast. They’re flying by right now while you’re thinking of the hundred other things you should be doing.
Politicolor is an invitation to catch a few of those “new things” and play with them. If you’d like to join us as a contributor, say so in the comments and we’ll get you started. While you might believe there is pure horror in this proposition, Mr. King suggests “the scariest moment is always just before you start.”
Once you get started you might find you enjoy it and that it supports your continuing to cultivate your craft as a teacher. Then we’ll want you to write about that too!
Hi,
Posting can be as easy as clicking LEAVE A COMMENT (your email may be required but no one will ever harass you).
But writing a post is not much harder than that! Stepwinder’s put together a great list of plot-points for writing; I’m sure she’ll be sharing that here or upon request.
I hope no one is at all intimidated, as 1) I email with a lot you and know the intense level of intellect out there, and 2) I write stupid things often, which I regret for 3 seconds before I realize that no one around here casts judgments.
Hope to hear your voice soon. When you do write, the toast in my pic is for you!
Hobbes21 (aka Maximus)
I have never exercised my mind like I did at Montpelier and I find myself longing for situations where I can engage in those type of discussions. This website does that for me. It is an energy boost for my “inner geek” and I find myself re-charged, energized & having a higher motivation to teach American Government after I spend time on this site — it’s like chewing gum for the mind! And I’m sure that there are others out there who feel the same — if for no other reason than it helps me feel better about my geekiness.
I love finding new posts and I would be willing to contribute from time to time.
Have gone to two of the Center’s weekends and have learned so much, I would like to try to contribute.
Thanks