No, not that Chronicle; the Saint Rose Chronicle. One of my good students told me about there being a piece which featured members of the English Department -- including me. It's too late to get a print edition, but there's an on line version of the story. No quotes from me because, well, I didn't know about it.They did publish the link for my personal website, about which I feel a bit uncomfortable. In academic email or on Facebook, I always list my Saint Rose website (although there is a hidden link to my regular website). I have tried, perhaps artificially, to keep a wall between my personal writing and my professional. That's one of the reasons I don't link this blog to Facebook. Maybe it's foolish, maybe it's an endeavour that will inevitably fail, but for some reason, I have felt the need to maintain that barrier.
Maybe I should give up...
4 comments:
First: Congrats on being discussed in the article! It is too bad that the paper didn't talk to you beforehand or let you know when it was published, but the recognition is still great!
Second: The college knew about your non-academic writing before they hired you, and now you teach creative writing here. I can see why you might want to consider your personal and professional writing "different," but to me (at least) they're all of a piece; they all influence - and are influenced by - each other. Embrace your "you"!
(There's also the argument that it's very easy for fans of your personal writing to find out about - and be interested in - your academic writing; they just come to this blog. Why shouldn't those interested in your academic work have the same opportunity to learn more? Plus, The Google renders these sorts of distinctions invisible anyway...)
"Knew about" and actually appreciate are two different things. My fellow creative writing faculty have made very clear how they think about "that kind" of writing.
It is all of a piece, which makes it that much harder to know that one part gets praise and the other dismissed. I embrace me (?!) -- I think one of the distinctive things about my work (if I can be egotistic enough to say so) is that I don't distinguish between the high and low, the academic and the popular. It's all of interest to me.
Somehow, though, it seems "safer" to remain an enigma as much as possible; maybe that's only my concern about the tenure-track process. So, two years to go...
Curious and motivated students will Google, but they're always a relatively small number. Most students have enough to do just keeping up with assignments and social lives.
Congrats, Kate!
I can totally appreciate your apprehension regarding personal vs. professional websites- I don't share the Queendom with coworkers or students as it's far more reflective of my personal self than my professional.
That said, I have to agree with Gene regarding your non-academic writing being accessible to your students.
Thanks, QoE!
It's a sticky question. I think I'm relatively okay with the wall falling on its own, but I'm not willing to give it a push. Not yet, anyway.
I figure students who really want to know anything will just Google anyway as a first step. That'll probably be enough.
Post a Comment