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There are very good arguments to be made that stifling or constraining
creativity is like giving it steroids. Total freedom is total bull
(well...mostly, anyway).
> [RB] Responding to R Lippincott's comment about the value of
> journalism training... I experienced similar value from writing
> advertising. After so-so grades for a couple of years in college, I
> dropped out and worked for a radio station writing ads. Every
> advertiser tried to cram volumes into a 30-second spot. But 30 seconds
> can accommodate only about 80 words. So... I was forced to determine
> the most important content, organize clearly, and cut ruthlessly. I
> went back to school and, without really thinking about it, applied the
same processes to term papers.
> Much better! Now the same principles apply to tech writing. Since
> then, I've always thought that first-year English classes should just
> have students write ads for one semester.
I've seen this happen also. I think that students should avoid English
classes that first semester and take Journalism 101 instead. But it'll
never happen. Too many poets running the English Department in every
college. "Don't stifle creativity. Our Department might discover the
next Plath or Stein."
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