Professor David

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

I am currently up in Cape Cod, about to embark on teaching a week long course on writing comics at the Cape Cod Writers Conference. This is genuinely new territory for me. I’ve done single session lessons on story breakdowns and such, but never five ninety-minute lessons. Kath keeps telling me I’ll be fine, and I’m hoping she’s right. That once I’m up and talking to the class, all my trepidations will vanish.

PAD

44 comments on “Professor David”

  2. PAD:

    Having heard you speak at Mid-Ohio Con on several occasions, I am sure you will do fine. Kath is right.

    Good luck anyway.

    LW

  3. Peter, you’ll have no problem with this. I KNOW you can talk that much on creating comics.

    Have fun!

    If you don’t mind, could you record a segment of the course? I’d love to hear a few minutes of Professor David! (and I’m sure some comic book and writing podcasts would agree!)

  4. how about posting video of your lessons so we can all benefit from your teachings

    lenn martin
    student of your last wizard world class (chicago)

  5. Best of luck with it… i hope these guys appreciate the talent they have talking to them!

  6. I’ve seen you speak on this topic several times and pretty much rock and roll on it. Besides, you did write the perfect handbook/class breakdown just last year. Using your how to book, I could teach the class, so it should end up being a cakewalk for you. You’ll be fine.

  7. Hi Peter,

    From one creative writing teacher to another: I’m sure your classes will be wonderful. You have so much experience and excellent writing skills that aspiring writers can learn from. One of the most rewarding things about my job is helping others learn to become the best writers they can be, and I hope that you find this is true for you, too, by the end of your week.

  10. Finally, something that’s in my area of expertise. 🙂

    Speaking as a teacher … I haven’t heard you do public speaking in a while, but based on what everybody around here has said about your recent presentations, I think you’re likely to do fine. You’ve got students who not only are willing to tolerate you, but who are actually paying money for the privilege of being with you specifically. That’s a pretty rare achievement — so have at it, and have fun!

    That said, if you wake up at 4 in the morning the night before you start and say, “what if they figure out that I have no clue what I’m talking about?”, don’t sweat it. Everybody does it. (Seriously.)

    TWL

  12. Having heard you speak several times, PAD, at I-CON and a Barnes & Noble book reading, I’m sure you’ll do fine. When you know the material well, it just flows as the lecture progresses; and you certainly know your stuff!

  13. Oh wow, that’s so cool, Peter. Any chance of you ever teaching the Writing for the Comics course at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts that’s required for cartooning majors there? I had John Ostrander for that subject during my senior year at SVA (with an assist by Denny O’Neil, who came in semi-regularly during the mid-point of the class), but I’d gladly take it all over again, just out of curiosity to see what your curriculum would be like.

  15. I can’t imagine this being anything but entertaining and informative. Good luck! (not that you’ll need it).

  17. You have far more experience than you give yourself credit for. At least you’re used to talking to crowds. I thought I’d die when I had to teach 8 2-hour classes on creative writing; after the first two, the rest flowed easy.

  19. I used to believe one couldn’t teach creativity … until I met a professor who did. I wish I could be in your class, I’m sure it would be fascinating.

  20. I just co-taught my first class a few weeks back. Was I nervous? Pope, Catholic? Bear, woods? Lengthy thread on this blog, zombie discussion? But, seeing as how 30 seconds into it, all my backstage jitters were gone, as is the norm with me, I can’t imagine this being anything but successful for you.

  21. Where is this taking place. I live right before the Cape and never heard anything about this.

    The Cape Cod Writers’ Center website seems to be here; there’s a bit about a specific PAD speech toward the bottom of the page, and more information on the Center and its programs elsewhere throughout the site.

  22. Just picture your students naked and in black socks. 🙂 That takes the pressure off.

  23. Just picture your students naked and in black socks. 🙂 That takes the pressure off.

    [shudder] Good advice for PAD, maybe, but could you NOT put that image in the head of a high school teacher two weeks before the start of classes? Eeeyiiiiiii.

    TWL

  25. 1what you have to remember as a teacher is to keep the class interested,since your students want to be there that’s half the battle, and in the few times i have heard you speak live that shouldn’t be a problem.. no if you’d like to come and talk to my middle school students about writing..that would be scary

  26. You know, I’ve only heard PAD speak a few times–more’s the pity–but I wouldn’t be surprised if your middle school kids would LOVE it. I know that high school kids are pretty easily impressed with much more modest achievements in the field.

  28. I’ve attended your writing seminar at last year’s Wizard World Chicago, and your enthusiasm for the material is infectious. You had so much to say, all of it very informative, that you were forced to wrap things up. I think you’ll find that a week is not long enough and you will thoroughly enjoy yourself.

  29. Peter, I’ve seen you read from your books, both alone and with John DeLancie, I’ve seen you read from comics acting out every role, I’ve seen you field all kinds of questions at Q&A sessions and never miss a beat, and I’ve even heard you sing. Believe me, you will be a marvelous instructor and your students will love you.

  30. If you can present yourself as a fan as well as an official, you’ll do well in connecting with the class. If you also manage half the smart assing you get away with in your own writings, you’ll be a marvelous entertainer in the process.

    Best of luck

  31. Since you are already into this, it’s too late to tape it. However…if you ever do it again, and after this one trip you should be comfortable with it…TAPE IT.

    I am certain you can sell the recordings to someone to turn into a set of CD’s to sell to comic fans. (Although I have no stake in it, an outfit like Buzzy Multimedia, who do the Dresden Files tapes, seem to have their stuff together.)

    And I could bore you with stuff like what kind of recorder to use, but you probably won’t be able to handle that aspect of it, and there are probably lots of techie types like me who’ll be glad to do the job for you and allow you to just teach.

  32. Do you plan on making any appearances, giving any lectures on writing in or around NJ anytime soon?

  33. Posted by Tim Lynch

    [shudder] Good advice for PAD, maybe, but could you NOT put that image in the head of a high school teacher two weeks before the start of classes? Eeeyiiiiiii.

    So long as you don’t start blithely humming “Don’t stand so… Don’t stand so… Don’t stand so close to me.” 🙂

  34. Funny story about that, R.J.

    A few years ago, I was chatting with a student of mine (a junior, so 16-17). It was all perfectly aboveboard, and by the time we’d finished talking it was fairly late in the afternoon. She said something about calling home for a ride. I knew she lived relatively close to school (you know these things when it’s a small school) and offered to give her a lift on my way home.

    She called home to check and discovered that someone was already en route, so we traveled separately.

    Good thing, too. I happened to have an old mix tape in the car at the time, and something like the second song as I was driving home was, you guessed it, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me.”

    The universe very nearly had one HÊLL of a laugh at our mutual expense.

    (I was talking to a friend about it later who knew the student going back years upon years, and as soon as I mentioned the Police, she instantly knew which song I was referencing and said, “so, WAS your car warm and dry?”)

    So, yes, as to your advice … point taken. 🙂

    TWL

  36. Nope, not raining (even though this was in the SF Bay area). Nor was there a wet bus stop involved.

    TWL

  37. Could have been worse, Tim. Your mix tape could have also had Hot for Teacher on it. Now, THAT could have been a story with some splainin’ to do.

  38. Or Level 42’s “Lessons in Love” and J. Giles Band “Centerfold.” 🙂

    On an almost serious note, is it any wonder that there’s a problem with underage activity when for decades songs have programmed us with songs like “Sexy and 17”, “Sixteen Candles”, “You’re Sixteen, You’re Beautiful, and Your Mine”, and “Hey Little Girl in the High School Sweater”? 🙂

  39. Thank god that some musicians have shown a little restraint. Why, Winger bumped the age thing up with “Seventeen” for one of their rare hits. Gotta give the band credit for their admiration of the more mature woman.

    ~8?b

  41. As long as you don’t take to waking your students up in the morning and giving them teaching tips right then, on the theory that they’ll learn better that way– why, yes, I’m still bitter about that, how could you tell?

  42. Wish I could be there. First I bought the book, and now a chance to learn from the man himself…woe is me.

    Good Luck Professor David.

    Justin

  43. As long as you don’t take to waking your students up in the morning

    REALLY an awkward thought given the previous half-dozen posts in the thread. 🙂

    TWL

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