One way of thinking about the organization of genre study is to relate it to the process of
growing a prize-winning rose for entry into a garden show. The first step is to plant the seed for
writing by immersing students in touchstone texts (i.e., exemplary models) of the genre targeted
for instruction and discussing the key qualities of those examples to illustrate the structure and
function of the genre. The next step is to grow the seed idea through careful planning and small
increments of drafting (much like giving a seed just the right amount of sunlight, water, and
fertilizer to help it grow). Then, as any accomplished gardener will tell you, once a rose plant
begins to grow, it is often necessary to prune back dead branches and leaves, add structural
supports, and perhaps even graft new plants. Likewise, once a draft has been produced, it
requires multiple trimmings of unworkable portions or irrelevant information, expansions
through the addition of details, examples, and even new portions of text, and attention to writingconventions for ultimate publication. Displaying one’s writing in some public forum to gainvaluable feedback and accolades, much like a prized rose, is the culmination of all the hard work
invested in the writing process and the written product.