Madman, Architect, Carpenter, Judge: Roles and the Writing Process

Madman, Architect, Carpenter, Judge: Roles and the Writing Process:


by Betty S. Flowers

Professor of English and

Director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library


"What's the hardest part of writing?" I ask on the first day of class.


"Getting started," someone offers, groaning.


"No, it's not getting started," a voice in the back of the room corrects. "It's keeping on once you do get started. I can always write a sentence or two-but then I get stuck."


"Why?" I ask.


"I don't know. I am writing along, and all of a sudden I realize how awful it is, and I tear it up. Then I start over again, and after two sentences, the same thing happens."


"Let me suggest something which might help," I say. Turning to the board, I write four words: "madman," "architect," "carpenter," "judge."



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