What is the most memorable lesson a teacher has ever taught you? One that you’ve used many times in your life? I am not talking about your 1st grade teacher who handed you “Dick and Jane” and then you began reading. I am referring to, well a life changing lesson, be it academic or otherwise.
I often think about a college professor I had at FSU. I am embarrassed to admit that I have no recollection of his name. But his words have stayed with me for well over 20 years. The students in my Short Story Writing Class received some exceptional writing direction when it came to character development. One day he said of my story, “You’ve got potential here, but I don’t know enough about your lead character. I mean, does this grumpy guy demand that his wife toasts his English muffins twice in the morning? And then does he make certain that the butter gets into every crevice of the English muffin’s craters before gobbling it up with his ill-fitting dentures and making a mess of crumbs all over the kitchen floor that his wife – not he- cleans up? These are things I need to know as a reader.”
For some reason, with this example, everything suddenly clicked. I realized I had been using characters in my stories without really developing them fully. I was describing with adjectives more than I was bringing them to life with specifics. So every time I write about a person (or millipede), I think about what I like to refer to as ‘The English Muffin Test.” What little quirky habits does this character have? What is her favorite novel? What strange habits might he have? And so on.
When I am asked to read what others have written, I often pass on the English Muffin Test to make my point. Yes, this does generate some puzzled looks, but on occasion I see an expression of “I get it now!” on the writer’s face.
I am forever grateful for the professor whose name I cannot recall.
