I’m going to AWP tomorrow.
AWP is the short-hand name for the annual conference for the Association of Writers and Writing Program, and I leave in the morning.
At last year’s AWP conference in Atlanta, I attended quite a few excellent programs filled with information and charismatic speakers, some not-so-excellent programs in which misleading program titles covered for bad presentation and pretentious chapbook reading to sell copies, and one program where the speakers never showed up. So it was a mixed bag, programming-wise, but the experience was overall positive, giving me the opportunity to socialize with peers and professors in my MFA program in new ways (as a commuter, I’m often “out of the loop”), see my old friend Charles Jensen, meet editor Rob Spillman of Tinhouse and nab a subscription, and be in a focused environment of people excited by writing. Perhaps I’ll toss out a few Scrawlers business cards, here and there; wouldn’t it be fun to have Frank McCourt post a Scrawlers story?
Many of those positives elements are why I’m also attending this year, plus the hope to see more excellent programs and catch amazing, high-profile readings. Plus, this AWP conference is “the big one,” in that it’s in New York City - a place I’ve not ventured to since a high school band trip taken with fellow Scrawlers scribe Barry Hess in 1996. I hope to visit some great sites in NYC, while not missing out on too much great programming at AWP.
This long-winded list isn’t set in stone, but here is a title list of programs I’m looking at attend, plus my preconceptions. I know I won’t make them all, and not all will be good enough to hold my attention, and other ideas will crop up here and there, but if I can get my plan down in writing before I arrive, it may prove useful as a guiding light over a whirlwind trip. Anyway, my tentative (and optimistic) AWP schedule:
Thursday, January 31, 2008
9:00am-10:15am Shaping a Short Story Collection. I’m approximately one-third of the way through a YA short story collection, with plans laid out pretty well for how it will take shape as a whole, and I can only hope this session will be helpful in putting it together in the most successful way.
10:30am-11:45am Do You Have to be Mean to be Funny? Given my usual taste in projects, this feels like an obligatory session to attend. That said, it’s up against Russell Banks and Charles Simic, as well as a session on how editors acquire books. This is one of those sessions which will either be worth my time or be a waste of it.
12:00pm-1:15pm Blog Form and Function in Writing Communities. The Scrawl is a young blog, and I’m still learning the ropes in how to make it the most effective blog I can for my audience (hi!). That said, aforementioned partner-in-crime Barry Hess is great about giving me tips and links to insightful reading on the subject, so I may end up at the Real or Imagined: The Line Between Young Adult, Crossover, and Adult Fiction session, instead.
1:30pm-2:45pm An Alternative to Teaching: Preparing MFA Students to Work in Nonprofit Arts Agencies (A Case Study). By this time of day, I’ll be thanking myself for having a hearty breakfast (or upset that I didn’t). I’m in the job search process these days, so this is appealing. Plus, one of the panelists is the aforementioned old friend Charles Jensen. Subscribe to his blog - he’s a poet and teacher of writing who has passion for his work.
3:00pm-4:15pm A Literary Interview with Daniel Menaker, Random House Former Executive Editor. This is the only session this hour which both interests me and I’m hopeful won’t feature writers reading their work out loud to entice me to buy their book even though I don’t want it. Sorry if that’s snarky, but I don’t want your book. As for the Menaker interview, it looks to be eye-opening, and hopefully not in that “brutally cutthroat world of publishing” way.
4:30pm-6:15pm A Reading by Carolyn Forché & Ha Jin. I’ve chosen Forché’s poetry collection Blue Hour for my upcoming MFA comprehensive exam, so I would be a fool to miss her read. I keep joking with my peers I’m going to ask her what the collection is all about so I can use her first-hand testimonial in my exam, but the more I think about it the more I wonder if that isn’t such a bad idea.
8:30pm Keynote Address by John Irving. Fools will miss this presentation. Fools.
Friday, February 1, 2008
9:00am-10:15am Show and Tell: Collaborations of the Verbal and Visual. Now this sounds really interesting to me - writers involved in film, theater, novels, and cartooning. That fits me pretty well, methinks.
10:30am-11:45am Habitable Planets and Black Holes: Mapping the Expanding Cyber-Universe of the New Literary Media. Online publishing and the future of publishing overall interests me, so hopefully this program pulls through. I may take time to check out the book fair, too.
12:00pm-1:15pm
1:30pm-2:45pm Transcending Childhood Trauma Through Children’s Literature: Middle-Aged and Young Adult. I’ve been writing more and more YA in the last year, so this is another no-brainer to attend.
3:00pm-4:15pm Fraud! The Debunking of Experimental Fiction. The title is great, and too many of my peers and professors laud over Michael Martone to pass up a program which features him on the panel. I’m sure this program will have MSU folks in attendance en masse. That said, if the 100 Issues: A Celebration of One Story Magazine featuring the John Hodgman, so I may have to venture that way, instead.
4:30pm-6:15pm The Soundtrack of Fiction: Rhythm in Prose. This is a notion I’ve been trying out more and more in my own writing, to allow rhythm and flow to be yet another solid reason for language choice. That said, that’s an awfully long time for a presentation, so we’ll see.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
9:00am-10:15am What Makes a Publisher Say “Yes”? So long as the audience doesn’t decide to be a bunch of jaded unpublished whiners who spend the entire Q&A asking how to get an agent, this should prove to be a frank eye-opener. Six editors from six well-known presses will give us the scoop; hopefully, we’re up to hearing it.
10:30am-11:45am Why Ballet is Good for Football Players: How Screenwriting Informs Fiction and Poetry Writing. I narrowed my choices down for this hour to two possible programs and while the second features Charles Baxter, a program that examines the link between my primary form of writing with my secondary form of writing and a form of writing I’m only just beginning to appreciate sounds like the perfect program for me. Here’s hoping screenwriting as art gets the kudos it deserves in an academic setting.
12:00pm-1:15pm No Humor in Heaven, but Hell Can Be Hilarious: Risks and Rewards in Writing Humor. Here’s a presentation in which I wouldn’t mind hearing writers read their work, as I’d like to hear what sort of humor prose are getting published.
1:30pm-2:45pm Dramatic Writing For Stage, Screen & Digital Media: The Need for a New Kind of Interdisciplinary Writing Program. All I know is I agree with the title, so that’s that.
3:00pm-4:15pm “Glory Be”: Spirituality in Contemporary Poetry. My day job since the beginning of my MFA days has been a youth director, yet I’ve yet to explore faith in my writing. This may be an interesting introduction to the concept. On the other hand, Kitsch and Pop Culture as Social Critique is during the same hour, and I’m a pop culture freak.
4:30pm-6:15pm
So that’s it - my official list of best intentions. Of course, I also need to venture out and see a little bit of
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Technorati Tags: AWP, Tinhouse, free internet hotel, charles jensen, billy collins, barry hess, blogging
Your Monday Prompt #13.
Create a tale of rising tension in which the stakes are raised with every sentence. If there’s a boy walking down the street in the first sentence, in the next a dog turns the corner and barks at him. The boy starts to run, the dog gives chase. A volcano erupts in the boy’s path up ahead. Okay, that last one maybe got ahead of me, but I didn’t see it coming, and it certainly raises the stakes. See how far your story can go and how fast. This exercise is all about making things happen right away and getting use to controlling how much space you give to each story beat. Give this exercise at least fifteen minutes of your time.
Write it up and see what happens.
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Technorati Tags: writing prompt, writing exercise, surprise yourself
Your Friday Recommendation #4.
Every American should read at least one Kurt Vonnegut novel. Some of them are best-read when one is a teenager, in order to catch the reader at the right time in their lives. One I didn’t discover until last year, but which could especially appeal to teenagers is the exquisite satire, Cat’s Cradle.
Talk about a funny book that celebrates science fiction - and all without losing challenging, well-written prose. Defying genre stereotypes, Vonnegut has created an interesting story that hooks readers instantly. The concept of inventing and controlling Ice Nine, a substance which instantly freezes anything it touches and thus would theoretically end the world, and the insane assortment of characters in a global chase to get a piece of it is great science fiction based on plausible science theory. I described this concept to a group of teenage guys on Wednesday evening and they all found it interesting, and some even said they’ll give the book a look. Who knew I could be so influential. Vonnegut, however, is one of those writer who once you give something of theirs a try, they won’t have to be prodded a second time to read more from the late, great man.
If I were to recommend a second Vonnegut title, it would be Slaughterhouse Five, no hesitation. This quirky story of part war novel, part science fiction, part satire, and part autobiography was one of my favorite books in middle school and I can’t come up with many readers who wouldn’t enjoy this one. In fact, I wrote a Scrawlers story about it last year.
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Technorati Tags: reading recommendation, kurt vonnegut, cat’s cradle, slaughterhouse five
Improv and Storytelling.
It appears this may be a week of improv-related posts.
I’m teaching an intro-level performance track improv class at the Brave New Workshop these days and the subject of story and scene came up, and this is a subject I’ve been kicking around in my brain for a while. It this particular situation, there was speculation that, if the players in a scene can feel it has reached its natural ending in the story arc, should the scene be cut or is it okay to let it continue and see what else happens. I’m of the opinion both approaches can work - on a case-by-case basis considering the scene, the players, the audience, etc. - if the players involved treat the situation with truth.
Let’s say a two-person scene establishes two characters who are ex-lovers. They are both upset about their relationship and want things to be better. Finally, they make up and tell each other, “I love you.” If this scene were in a movie, the scene would fade to black and the credits would roll. But that’s not how it would go in real life. In reality, something happens after two people say “I love you.” They talk more, or cuddle or make hot chocolate. Whatever they do, it takes what just happens and begins a new story arc. The “I love you” moment moves from the climax of one story to the beginning of the first act for the next story. To this end, a scene could continue and explore the characters’ relationship further.
In improv ensemble work, this approach requires patience from both the players in the scene (deciding your scene has ended from the inside can be dangerous) and the players on the back line (particularly for ensembles who often cut scenes when the “big laugh” happens). Instead of looking for the high point or the “big laugh,” I wonder what would happen if more improvisers cut scenes by looking for story arcs. And on top of that, I wonder what would happen in more improvisers recognized story arcs, let them run their course, and let them carry on beyond into truly unknown territory.
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Technorati Tags: improv, storytelling, scene edit
I’m in the San Francisco Improv Festival.
Today I received notice my solo improv format, The Uncle Ukulele Show, has been accepted to the San Francisco Improv Festival. This will mark my second festival appearance as Uncle Ukulele, and my sixth festival appearance overall. SFIF features one-hour performance slots, and that means developing new directions for the show to grow. I already have more segments than a typical twenty-minute set allows, and I’ve brainstormed more and will be diligent in making them reach their fullest potential. I’ll have my performance dates set soon, but I know I’ll be traveling west some time in July or August.
It occurs to me I don’t have much information about Uncle Ukulele on the interweb, so I’ll try to change that soon. In the meantime, I can give a brief bit of information here and now. This is from the show’s submission release:
Uncle Ukulele is a musical solo improv show created by Nate Melcher. As “Uncle Ukulele,” a friendly, overly-upbeat children’s entertainer, Melcher asks the audience to embrace their sense of play and remember the wonder of childhood. Together, they will venture forth on a wild adventure filled with fun songs, crazy stories, silly sing-a-longs, puppet shows, and tons of audience participation. With his trusty ukulele at his side, Uncle Ukulele has been making audiences laugh since March of 2007.
Some posts are in the pipeline detailing what the show is like, how I developed a solo improv form that works for me, as well as how I practice solo improv. Also expect notices about some upcoming shows in Minneapolis for the local readers.
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Technorati Tags: solo improv, ukulele, san francisco improv festival
Your Monday Prompt #12.
Write a nonfiction essay in which you explore your relationship with writing. How you organize your essay is up to you, but consider some of these questions: What kind of writing do you usually do? What kind of writing do you enjoy the most? The least? Why? Who were some of your past writing instructors / mentors and how has what they’ve taught you been helpful or not-so-helpful? What’s a style or genre of writing you’ve always wanted to try? When do you write best (i.e. night, early morning, under deadline, etc.)? Where do you write best (in your office, at the library, do you even have a place, etc.)? How do you plan to improve your writing before June 1, 2008? Give this essay at least fifteen minutes of your time.
Write it up and see what happens.
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Technorati Tags: writing prompt, writing exercise, surprise yourself
Your Friday Recommendation #3.
Young writers who are contemplating whether or not to try tackling the short story should give read some of the best out there. There are plenty of collections and anthologies out there, but the Best American Short Stories series is one you can rest assured lives up to its name.
Best American Short Stories is a collection comprised of precisely what its title indicates, and always features a guest editor who is usually of some high literary stature. 2007 saw Stephen King edit one of the largest collections yet, and his introduction detailing his process of story selection and his thoughts on where the short story fits in modern literature is worth the price of admission alone. As for Best American, one can pick up any volume and find several stories worth their time from both established and new voices. I’m a fan of short stories because they lend themselves to single-serving reading; I can read a great short story in bed and have some closure before turning out the light. Likewise, the short story is a writer’s perfect vehicle for embracing constraints in their craft. Novels take a certain skill, no one debates that, but the short story requires a whole other skill set, and the artist who is able to pull off both is impressive, indeed.
The cover posted is from the 2003 collection, featuring one of my favorite short stories of all time, “Space” by three-time O. Henry Prize winner Kevin Brockmeier. I’m a sucker for father/son stories, and I’ve got a soft spot on my reading list for this engrossing metaphor of a tale. You can pick up a copy of Best American Short Stories of 2003 at bookcloseouts.com for two bucks, plus find plenty of work by Brockmeier at great prices, too. Otherwise, check your favorite bookstore - the latest 2007 Stephen King-edited volume is available pretty much everywhere - or visit your local library for a shelf filled with Best American volumes.
Read a volume and apply what you’ve learned to your craft.
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Technorati Tags: Best American Short Stories, Kevin Brockmeier, short story, O. Henry Prize, bookcloseouts.com
Elmore Leonard on “said.”
The latest blog post over at ElmoreLeonard.com made by his assistant, Gregg Sutter, points readers to an audio interview with Leonard by Kendra Nordin about his Ten Rules of Writing, now in book form, plus a brief accompanying article by Elizabeth A. Brown. The article’s funny, and the interview is one of those rare instances one gets to actually hear Leonard speak. For a chance to both see and hear Elmore Leonard, check out the extras on the Out of Sight, Get Shorty (2-disc), and Jackie Brown (two-disc) DVDs.
This takes me back to my July, 2007 post, “Your words are dead to me,” I [something besides ’said’], a post I mentioned as one of my top ten favorites of 2007, in which I become a non-fan of the North Carolina educational system. They’re declaring common vocabulary to be “dead words” and that “said” is deader than dead can be. If a writer wants to use the word “awesome” instead of “wonderful,” the way to stop them isn’t to tell them not to do it. Talk to them about why word choice is one of the most important parts of writing as craft. They may be writing about a character who would only have words like “awesome” in their vocabulary. If that’s the case, then why stifle it? If it’s a matter of whether “awesome” is appropriate for an academic essay analyzing Young Goodman Brown, then it’s a matter of working with these young writers on establishing tone and voice, not editing self and vocabulary.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If a young writer desires to expand their vocabulary, they need to read more. As for “said,” I demand to know what magical word is supposed to be so much better.
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Entering my final semester.
I travel to Mankato in five hours to begin the final semester of my MFA in Creative Writing program. This semester sees me put my thesis to bed, take my final fiction workshop, and take a gigantic test in which I analyze six works of prose and poetry with the rigorous vigor they’ve always hoped one would show when examining them. While that’s what I’m doing, let’s talk about what my students will be doing this semester, dear reader…
I’m teaching an online-hybrid section of Introduction to Composition. It’s been interesting determining what lesson plans I’ve used in the classroom can easily be translated into online teaching, and coming up with new lessons has helped keep the process fresh. Students in my class will write four essays: an explanatory synthesis in which they explain a researched topic organize their essay by idea, a persuasive essay that will see them explaining a researched topic, showing both sides of the issue, then choosing a side to argue, a literary analysis of nonfiction novel Into the Wild to better understand creative writing craft, and a film analysis of The Incredibles to introduce them to analyzing visual media.
I decided this semester, I want my students to research topics that mean something to them. For the explanatory synthesis, students will research a social issue and explain it, while for their persuasive essay, students will choose a topic relevant to today’s college students to research and take a stance on. As for analyzing Into the Wild and The Incredibles, I want to use my discipline strengths - analyzing literature (Creative Writing MFA) and analyzing film (Film Studies BA) - to help me teach. I’ve used both literature and film in my Composition courses before, but not to this degree, and I’m excited.
When teaching academic writing, I feel one has to know how to do two things well - explain simply and gladly re-explain it again. Put your students on the same page as soon as possible, then be ready to get them there again should they stray. The four essays I’m teaching leads itself to this approach, and that’s going to help both my students and me.
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Your Monday Prompt #11
Write a story in which the main character seeks freedom without using the word “freedom.” Perhaps they’re in a prison or a bad relationship, maybe they’re on a deserted island or stuck in a mind-numbing job. Establish your character, what the seek freedom from, and in this story, let today be the day they find that freedom.
Give this exercise fifteen minutes of your time. If you have the day off, give this exercise thirty minutes of your time.
Write it up and see what happens.
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Technorati Tags: writing prompt, writing exercise, surprise yourself
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About
Brought together by mutual interest in creative arts and web development, Minnesota duo Barry Hess and Nathan Melcher founded Scrawlers.com in 2006. Scrawlers marries creativity with a web-based outlet for aspiring writers and The Scrawl blog seeks to add fuel your creative fire.
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