I feel like I’m spinning my wheels a bit retelling this anecdote, since I’ve written about it in my journal, but my students really got into the roles of the writer as written by Betty Flowers.

My brother uses this to help train his staff on how to write legal documents – he found it in a book about writing legal briefs. He shared it with me and I immediately dismissed it as being business-speak that oversimplifies a complex process.  Then I decided to share the article by Flowers with my students. Of course, they really got into it and multiple students told me during conferences that they really enjoyed that particular lesson.

The article breaks down the writing process into four parts: Madman, Architect, Carpenter, and Judge. The Madman only brainstorms and never considers the practicality or potential structure of ideas. The Architect starts putting ideas together in some form or organization [think a flowchart or outline]. The Carpenter drafts the essay. The Judge then performs revisions.

Many of my students like the idea of the Madman, who really just lets the imagination free from the bonds of the essays overall meaning or structure. They told me that letting go of their inner Architect and Judge until suitable points in the writing process really helped them think free from the restriction of always considering the product and to focus more on the process.

Reading Rose’s article reminded me a lot of the ways in which reframing the writing process can be beneficial to students suffering from writer’s block. All the “rules” Rose claims get in the way of good writing can be pushed toward the Judge end of the process once the writer realizes the purpose of revision and stops revising at every stage. Both Martha and Ruth [as well as most of the other blockers] seem constrained by placing too much emphasis on one role rather than seeing the range of roles in the writing process.