I'm not going to lie, I was nervous about taking poetry. The creative writing department requires all majors to take the intro class for all three types of writing: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. I understand why. Most students come in with their minds set on one of the three (usually fiction, because that's what they know and are used to reading), and throughout these other classes they discover a love for a different genre they never would've known about if they hadn't been forced to take the class.
Regardless, going into this class, I was not thrilled. Tom is teaching an English class at the same time, one I wanted desperately to be in, and I didn't understand poetry anyway. I didn't know how to critique someone's poem...I was convinced I'd be wasting my time. Fast forward seven weeks...I'm still not sure how to critique a poem, though I'm slowly learning what works and what doesn't. Karla, my professor, gives us tons of writing exercises and helps us experiment with different styles of poems.
My progress so far: I put a poem up for workshop at the beginning of the semester and completely crashed and burned. I tried to treat it like a short story but learned that poems are completely different. Since then, I've turned in two poems for Karla to grade and received Bs on both. I'm shooting for one A on a poem this semester! In a small group workshop, my group members liked a poem I'd written that had a lot of imagery and description, so I think I'm going to steer more towards that in the future.
What I've learned: When writing a poem, instead of squashing a plot or character motivations into a tiny block of text, it's better to focus on an image, emotion, or moment. It's like a zoom lens, magnifying a small piece instead of an entire story. The poems I've written that have been most successful have been about an object (a guitar), a feeling (wanderlust), and a state of mind (dealing with an unhappy home).
I'm also figuring out how to workshop my own poems. How to cut unnecessary words (which is different than cutting unnecessary pieces in fiction) and search for patterns and reoccurring images. I definitely won't master poetry by the end of the semester, but I won't be scared of it anymore!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Intermediate Fiction
One of the writing workshops I'm taking this semester is intermediate fiction. Catherine, my professor, has a completely different teaching style than Tom, so it has been an adjustment for me. She's very structured and assigns reading responses and presentations for us to complete along with our short stories and critique letters (we write letters to the other students, critiquing their stories when they're up for workshop).
My progress so far: I've put one short story up for workshop, An Unfaithful Girl. It's about an elderly man who files for divorce from his wife after discovering letters from an affair she had seventy years previously. I was happy with the workshop; I wasn't torn apart but got some great critiques.
I've also written two short-shorts (1-4 page short stories) that were workshopped in small groups. My first was written in second person (something I'd never attempted) about musical theatre boys, and my second was about a young girl whose family is always moving around and starting over in a new town (not totally autobiographical, though. I pulled a few things from my own life and gave them to this character). My group members for my first workshop didn't give me much advice, but I got tons of critiques from my second group.
What I've learned: My fiction is very traditional. I think this comes from the time I've spent learning from Tom, who believes in realistic fiction all the way. My form isn't too experimental; I focus more on the story and the characters.
I've learned to trust my instincts. Over the past seven months, I've improved so much at workshopping and revising my own work. I can take a step back and look at a story from an outsider's point of view, picking out pieces that don't make sense and finding better paths to take. During my post-workshop conference with Catherine, I told her the initial plan for my story. I'd written it another way, changed my mind halfway through, and went back and cut about a third of the story. When I told her my initial plan, she nodded her head and said, "I would've cut that, too." It was a great moment for me, because it proved I can do this on my own. I don't need a professor reading every single draft and okaying every cut I make. I don't need constant validation.
What I'm doing now: I'm in the process of writing a second short story (I'm up for workshop again March 20th!). I don't want to say anything about it yet in case I jinx it. I'm on my third partial draft; I've had trouble pinning down exactly what the story is about. I think I might finally have it, so cross your fingers for me!
My progress so far: I've put one short story up for workshop, An Unfaithful Girl. It's about an elderly man who files for divorce from his wife after discovering letters from an affair she had seventy years previously. I was happy with the workshop; I wasn't torn apart but got some great critiques.
I've also written two short-shorts (1-4 page short stories) that were workshopped in small groups. My first was written in second person (something I'd never attempted) about musical theatre boys, and my second was about a young girl whose family is always moving around and starting over in a new town (not totally autobiographical, though. I pulled a few things from my own life and gave them to this character). My group members for my first workshop didn't give me much advice, but I got tons of critiques from my second group.
What I've learned: My fiction is very traditional. I think this comes from the time I've spent learning from Tom, who believes in realistic fiction all the way. My form isn't too experimental; I focus more on the story and the characters.
I've learned to trust my instincts. Over the past seven months, I've improved so much at workshopping and revising my own work. I can take a step back and look at a story from an outsider's point of view, picking out pieces that don't make sense and finding better paths to take. During my post-workshop conference with Catherine, I told her the initial plan for my story. I'd written it another way, changed my mind halfway through, and went back and cut about a third of the story. When I told her my initial plan, she nodded her head and said, "I would've cut that, too." It was a great moment for me, because it proved I can do this on my own. I don't need a professor reading every single draft and okaying every cut I make. I don't need constant validation.
What I'm doing now: I'm in the process of writing a second short story (I'm up for workshop again March 20th!). I don't want to say anything about it yet in case I jinx it. I'm on my third partial draft; I've had trouble pinning down exactly what the story is about. I think I might finally have it, so cross your fingers for me!
Friday, February 17, 2012
the semester of writing
As you can probably tell from my lack of updates, my semester has been INSANE. I'm taking two writing classes (the department recommends you only take one workshop at a time), intermediate fiction and intro poetry, and they're keeping me busy. So much has happened, I'm going to split it up into separate posts, but I wanted to share something exciting (at least it's exciting for me):
I'M WRITING EVERY DAY!
This is a big deal for me, since I've struggled for years to set aside time to write on a daily basis. Now I wake up at 8 every morning, get ready for the day, and then sit down to write. It's really helping me stay on top of this crazy amount of writing I need to do this semester.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
book publishing panel at RandomHouse
Last week I attended a book publishing panel in New York City. It was hosted by Random House and targeted college students with an interest in the publishing industry (aka me). I scribbled notes like crazy, and here are a few things I learned:
-Not only am I interested in the editorial side of publishing (reading manuscripts, passing the gems on to the editors, copyediting) but the publicity side as well. The publicity people get to organize book launch parties, organize (and sometimes attend) book tours, work closely with the author (sometimes coaching him or her on what to say in interviews), social networking and anything else to make sure a book gets noticed. Since I'm always recommending books to people (even when they don't care/aren't listening), I feel like I'm pretty qualified. ;]
-Hiring managers look for a wider variety of things on a resume than I thought. You don't need to be a creative writing major (even though I am) to get a job in publishing. Even if you just work at a book store or library, that's something they'll take into account. They want to make sure you're familiar with the industry, where it's going, what people are reading. They also love volunteer work.
-Don't say you're currently reading Jane Austen. They've heard it a billion times before. BE ORIGINAL.
-Don't say you want to be a writer. You're not being hired to write novels. You're being hired to help other people write novels.
-Internships are even more scarce than I thought. Slightly paranoid about not getting one.
-Everyone (even the HR people who aren't directly involved with publishing) LOVES books.
These are my people! Now all I need to do is convince them to let me join their club!
-Not only am I interested in the editorial side of publishing (reading manuscripts, passing the gems on to the editors, copyediting) but the publicity side as well. The publicity people get to organize book launch parties, organize (and sometimes attend) book tours, work closely with the author (sometimes coaching him or her on what to say in interviews), social networking and anything else to make sure a book gets noticed. Since I'm always recommending books to people (even when they don't care/aren't listening), I feel like I'm pretty qualified. ;]
-Hiring managers look for a wider variety of things on a resume than I thought. You don't need to be a creative writing major (even though I am) to get a job in publishing. Even if you just work at a book store or library, that's something they'll take into account. They want to make sure you're familiar with the industry, where it's going, what people are reading. They also love volunteer work.
-Don't say you're currently reading Jane Austen. They've heard it a billion times before. BE ORIGINAL.
-Don't say you want to be a writer. You're not being hired to write novels. You're being hired to help other people write novels.
-Internships are even more scarce than I thought. Slightly paranoid about not getting one.
-Everyone (even the HR people who aren't directly involved with publishing) LOVES books.
These are my people! Now all I need to do is convince them to let me join their club!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Best Books of 2011
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
After the death of his parents, Jacob Jankowski finds himself the new vet for the Benzini Brothers circus and inconveniently falls for the wife of the abusive animal trainer.
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Mclean creates a new identity every time she moves to a new city, becoming the cheerleader, drama diva, and all-around joiner. But when she moves to Lakeview, she doesn't have a chance to establish a persona; instead she is forced to discover the real Mclean, no matter how complicated it may be.
Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Fourteen-year-old Grace wants to be like Mandarin, the town's wild child. When they are assigned to work together on a school project, Grace thinks their new friendship is magical, but Mandarin has an alternate agenda.
Looking for Alaska by John Green
Pudge finds more than he bargained for when his new boarding school roommate introduces him to Alaska Young, the wild, impulsive, self-destructive girl down the hall. Pudge falls for Alaska instantly, and she introduces him to a new life of breaking rules and escaping the "labyrinth" of life.
Shine* by Lauren Myracle
In an effort to avenge her friend Patrick, the victim of a hate crime, Cat begins interrogating the people in her don't ask-don't tell town. She ends up discovering more than she bargained for, from meth cookers to dark secrets about her older brother and his friends.
*For more information of the Shine National Book Award incident, click here. (Obviously, I believe it should have been a finalist.)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
What I've learned from Tom Bailey
This semester, I've learned so much about writing, thanks to my professor, Tom Bailey. He realized how eager I was to learn, and he treated me like a serious writer. His Intro Fiction class is my favorite class I've taken in college so far, and it has made me a much better writer. Here are some of my lessons from Tom and Intro Fiction:
-Just because I want something to happen in a story doesn't mean it fits or makes sense. I used to create situations in my stories and thought readers would accept them because I said so. Now I always stop to question "Is this realistic? Would this character really do this?" before/during/after I write.
-Don't be afraid to delete. Most of the time, my story becomes stronger after I've cut meaningless description, dialogue, characters, and plot points.
-"Good" writing isn't just flowery description. The characters drive the story. If they aren't well-developed and realistic, my story (while prettily written) will not be strong.
-Never shelter my writing. My stories became stronger after criticism from Tom and my classmates. I wouldn't have the stories I do today if I'd kept them hidden on my laptop.
-I cannot come up with a good title. Tom has changed every single title I've come up with for my drafts. No joke.
-Fiction deepens feeling. This is a direct quote from Tom. While fiction might be made up, its readers feel the truth in it. It has to be honest, relatable, "truer than true."
-I'm a talented writer. This semeseter is the first time that a successful writer (meaning someone who is published, a tenured creative writing professor) has validated my work. Now I know this is something worth pursuing, that I'm not just wasting my time. I have a shot at being successful.
-Just because I want something to happen in a story doesn't mean it fits or makes sense. I used to create situations in my stories and thought readers would accept them because I said so. Now I always stop to question "Is this realistic? Would this character really do this?" before/during/after I write.
-Don't be afraid to delete. Most of the time, my story becomes stronger after I've cut meaningless description, dialogue, characters, and plot points.
-"Good" writing isn't just flowery description. The characters drive the story. If they aren't well-developed and realistic, my story (while prettily written) will not be strong.
-Never shelter my writing. My stories became stronger after criticism from Tom and my classmates. I wouldn't have the stories I do today if I'd kept them hidden on my laptop.
-I cannot come up with a good title. Tom has changed every single title I've come up with for my drafts. No joke.
-Fiction deepens feeling. This is a direct quote from Tom. While fiction might be made up, its readers feel the truth in it. It has to be honest, relatable, "truer than true."
-I'm a talented writer. This semeseter is the first time that a successful writer (meaning someone who is published, a tenured creative writing professor) has validated my work. Now I know this is something worth pursuing, that I'm not just wasting my time. I have a shot at being successful.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
bugging Tom Bailey
In order to get extra critiques from my professor on my short story, I've had to give im reminders on a regular basis. He's totally willing to read my story, but he insists "You have to bug me!" Part of me thinks he just wants to see how often I'll bother him about it. :) He's not the best with email (or he just chooses not to respond 90% of the time), so I was stunned when I actually got responses from him. They totally show his personality, so I thought I'd post them so you guys can see who I'm always talking about.
After my first email (keep in mind, my subject line was "my attempt at bugging you to read my story"):
Keep bugging me! I am serious!
I'll be away this weekend.. I'll try to read it then.
You are doing GREAT!
t
Just to let me know he hadn't forgotten (which made me smile):
hang in there....I hope to get to this this afternoon!
The one that made me breathe a sigh of relief (since my portfolio is due Thursday):
I just finished. The story is MUCHMUCHMUCH better--the focus nearly dead on.
I have a few suggestions. But this is not a big reworking, more like a REAL rewrite/quick editing.
Can you meet tomorrow at 1:45? I have a meeting with my novelists at 2:00. Or we could make it 1:40. That way we'll be sure to have enough time to talk.
Great job!
Let me know,
t
And just because this is classic Tom (after I told him I could meet):
I'm always running late, you know! But I will be there!
t
After my first email (keep in mind, my subject line was "my attempt at bugging you to read my story"):
Keep bugging me! I am serious!
I'll be away this weekend.. I'll try to read it then.
You are doing GREAT!
t
Just to let me know he hadn't forgotten (which made me smile):
hang in there....I hope to get to this this afternoon!
The one that made me breathe a sigh of relief (since my portfolio is due Thursday):
I just finished. The story is MUCHMUCHMUCH better--the focus nearly dead on.
I have a few suggestions. But this is not a big reworking, more like a REAL rewrite/quick editing.
Can you meet tomorrow at 1:45? I have a meeting with my novelists at 2:00. Or we could make it 1:40. That way we'll be sure to have enough time to talk.
Great job!
Let me know,
t
And just because this is classic Tom (after I told him I could meet):
I'm always running late, you know! But I will be there!
t
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