Practice
Composition as Conversation Seven Virtues for Effective Writing Heather M. Hoover Teaching writing is not for the faint of heart, but it can be a tre- mendous gift to teachers and students. Students often approach writing courses with trepidation because they think of writing as a mystical and opaque process. Teachers often approach these same courses with dread because of the enormous workload and the often-unpolished skills of new writers. This approachable compo- sition textbook for beginning writers contends that writing can be a better experience for everyone when taught as an empathetic and respectful conversation. In a time in which discourse is not always civil and language is not always tended carefully, a conversa- tion-based writing approach emphasizes intention and care. Written by a teacher with more than fifteen years of experience in the college writing classroom, Composition as Conversation explores what happens when the art of conversation meets the art of writing. Heather Hoover shows how seven virtues—including curiosity, attentiveness, relatability, open-mindedness, and gen- erosity—inform the writing process and can help students become more effective writers. She invites writers of all skill levels to make meaningful contributions with their writing. This short, accessible, and instructive book offers a reflective method for college-level writing and will also work well in classical school, high school, and homeschool contexts. It demystifies the writing process and helps students understand why their writing matters. It will energize teachers of writing as they encourage their students to become careful readers and observers, intentional listeners, and empathetic arguers. The book also provides helpful sample assignments.
JUNE 2023 • 176 pp. • paper • $19.99 • 9781540966032
Heather M. Hoover (PhD, University of Tennessee) is professor of English and composition at Milligan University, where she devel- oped and has directed the writing program for fifteen years. She also directs the Master of Arts in Humanities and has held the George and Janet Arnold Chair of the Humanities since 2013.
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