Wordcount : 2844
I was more interested in editing today. You look at what I’ve got written and it’s seven pages of nothing but lengthy paragraphs. I don’t expect middle schoolers to dive right into that.
Here’s the conversation I had with my 11yr old test subject this morning (my daughter):
Me: Did you read the latest version?
Her: I did.
Me: What did you think, did you like it?
Her: I did like it. It’s good.
Me: What should I change?
Her: Nothing.
Me: Seriously, it won’t hurt my feelings, there’s got to be things that I can change to make it better.
Her: No, really, nothing. It’s good. Don’t change it.
Me: Really? Nothing?
Her: ….wellllll……who is Gertrude?
Me: … ummm…..err……QUEEN Gertrude? Hamlet’s MOTHER?
Her: Ohhhhhhh!
Me: That’s in the second sentence!
Her: Well I didn’t get it!
Me: You just said it was good it was good don’t change a thing!
<later, in front of the computer>
Me: I used the word Gertrude 11 times. I used the word mother 11 times. I’m not sure where it got confusing.
Her: Yeah but you never said mother Gertrude together!
Me: You mean other than here in the second sentence where I wrote Hamlet’s mother Gertrude?
Her: There should be a comma there.
Me: What?
Her: After mother. Hamlet’s mother, comma, Gertrude.
Me: That’s not the point!
Tonight we’re visiting friends, who have a daughter my own daughter’s age who is also into theatre. The whole family is extraordinarily well-read but admittedly weak in Shakespeare. They also know I’m doing this project. I will almost certainly bring them a copy.
So…punctuation?…what a coinkydink. Out of the mouths of babes.
I will say no more 🙂