PWR Lunch

As I may have mentioned, I teach in the York University Professional Writing Program under an agreement between York and Seneca College. The course is "Digesting Technical Information" -- probably a candidate for the worst course title ever written. But I make it work. In class we talk about the process of breaking down technical information into more palatable form for consumption by a variety of readers, many of whom have no technical background. The course is part of the Institutional Writing stream of the PWR program. We have Seneca instructors also teaching in the Magazine, and Book Publishing streams.

On Saturday, I attended the Professional Writing Program Retreat which was designed to get instructors and administrators talking about what we're currently doing, how well we're doing it, and how we can make the program even better.

Normally, giving up one's Saturday to talk about an educational program would be somewhat of a pain. Heaven knows, I have a score of other ways to spend my time. This day was far from wasted, however, and it actually ignited a spark in me that deserves some additional fanning. It was great to meet with my colleagues and talk about our shared passions for writing and teaching writing.

I realized that what I have missed is the sense of being part of a writers' community. Since coming back to Toronto in 1997, I have not had the opportunity to talk about creative writing or that side of the profession of writing. The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Writer, if you will. Sure, I'm solidly a part of the community of Technical Writers. I am immersed in technical and marketing writing every day. But it's been a long time since I had the luxury of writing some fiction, or even some literary non-fiction. (I've given up writing bad poetry, as a service to humanity, cue the applause.)

It's my own fault. I have been concentrating so much on practical, applied, informative writing that I have neglected the equally important impractical, frivolous, inspired writing. Like research, writing sometimes needs to be done simply for writing's sake.

A community of Writers (with a capital W) reminds us that the reasons we write include expressing the inexpressible, and affecting the emotions, the conscience, and the spirit, as well as the mind and the body of our readers.

While there's a great deal of personal satisfaction in completing a 300-page User Guide that makes life easier for everyone who tries to use a particular software program, there just isn't the same impact as having written a short story that makes someone weep in empathy. To use a marketing term, technical writing is a one-to-many exercise; creative writing is a one-to-one exercise.

Lunch conversation at the retreat was interesting and inspiring. I have a new appreciation for my responsibility as a writer, and as a teacher of writing. As a writer, and as a teacher, I've always had the best job on the planet. After Saturday, it's going to be even better.