Abstract

I often hear assertions, says Wendy Bishop, writing classes have no content, especially when compared to literature classes or other classes in other disciplines where famous texts by famous authors are commonly under discussion. In this unique compilation of essays, Bishop brings together the voices of teachers and students to affirm that the content of writing classrooms is the work that these individuals do together. It is this focus on reading and writing about writing that has made Subject Is Writing such a popular text. Like earlier editions, the third edition serves as both a classroom reader and a rhetoric for first-year college writing. End-of-chapter questions invite students to respond to the essayists with essays of their own. Turning to the appendix of Hint Sheets, teachers and students will find a selection of handouts filled with practical advice that will help them navigate through the daily life of their classrooms. The third edition has been enhanced with three new essays by teachers and the work of four new student authors. They discuss choosing topics, developing voice in writing, and understanding classroom writing assignments; they offer insights into drafting practices and encourage readers to investigate their writing lives in similar ways. The essays in Subject Is Writing are not esoteric, academic treatises, but relevant and earnest communications that speak to all writers as peers, colleagues, and interested adult makers of meaning.