Our first week of class got off to a rousing start as we welcomed our first guest speaker, the amazing
Kate Dernocoeur, to Au Sable Hall on Wednesday, September 2. In addition to being a veteran paramedic, K-9 trainer, firefighter, and skilled equestrian, Kate is also an accomplished writer and teacher who graciously agreed to visit our class to share some tips about how students should approach writing their blogs, as they embark on what will, in many cases, be their first experience with blogging this semester.
After getting us warmed up with a fun "popcorn" exercise in which we shared the words that we most associated with nature and reminding us of our collective tendency, as human beings living in an increasingly tech-obsessed era, to avoid engaging with the natural world around us, Kate proceeded to share some wonderful stories about her first experiences as a writer, when she was attending a summer camp in high school and took over the writing of the camp's newsletter, and also about her experiences at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) as a young woman, where she acquired training in how to survive in remote locations in the wild, an experience which fueled her lifelong interest in nature as well as her commitment to pursuing careers that would enable her to spend as much time out of doors as possible--something which she has certainly done in her myriad roles as a first responder and through her many trips to some of the most breathtaking places in the world, which she has detailed on her own blog,
Generally Write (
http://katedernocoeur.com/). Using her own life as an example, Kate encouraged us to be curious about the world around us as well as open to possibilities that would enable us to live the kind of rich and fulfilling life that she has.
Before giving us a quick tour of some of her own blog posts and sharing a beautiful passage from an essay she has recently finished entitled, "The Peace of Quiet," Kate offered these suggestions for how to get started with any writing project and how to begin blogging specifically:
. First, create an "incubator" for new ideas, such as the "Get, Be, Do" file that Kate keeps, in which she tosses any and all ideas for future projects and adventures.
. Recognize that good writing requires multiple drafts! The essay that Kate shared with us represented her twenty-sixth--and it showed: Kate's language was clear, thoughtful, and focused.
. Aim for 500 to 800 words when crafting a blog post, since this amount of text is about all that most readers will have time to read,
and be sure to eliminate anything that isn't central to what you wish to express--or, as Kate calls it, the "throat clearing" with which so many of us begin any writing project, which we can jettison through careful revising once we have committed our initial thoughts to paper.
. Be vivid! Use sensory imagery to add richness and detail to your writing.
. And, finally, BE COURAGEOUS about saying what you need to say and sharing it with others. Your insights and experiences are unique. Be confident that what you have to share has value and that there are readers out there who will appreciate your honesty!
We appreciated Kate's insights and honesty--and the time she took to visit with us!--and look forward to seeing her again as our semester progresses.