February 2009 Newsletter
02/02/2009
Dear Writing Friends,
Welcome to February. Below is another offering of my wandering mind:
What’s in front of me. I learned this topic at my first Natalie Goldberg workshop in 1999, and I’ve used it ever since. I have assigned it to my own students, I have listed it as a writing prompt in more than one newsletter, and I have just come upon it again in Natalie’s recent book, Old Friend From Far Away, the Practice of Writing Memoir—which is sitting in front of me in a stack with other writing books. I am at Russell’s coffee shop this morning, sitting by the window looking out at Hancock Avenue. I have in front of me a cup of decaf coffee with cream, a bran muffin, and my timer. I am here to write, to plough through the writing topics in Old Friend From Far Away that I’ve assigned to my memoir class, and to put in a little time on my manuscript. I have the writing books for support.
I have three shelves of writing books at home. I have been collecting them since 1997. I was in the middle of my doctoral dissertation and somewhat stuck, when a friend suggested I read Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott. “You need to learn about shitty first drafts,” she told me. “Shitty First Drafts” is the title of an essay in Lamott’s book. I read Bird by Bird and it was helpful, but then I was having lunch with a fellow graduate student and she mentioned a book that she liked even better. “Get Writing Down the Bones,” she said. “That will change things for you.” After reading a few chapters of Bones, I sat down at the kitchen table and set the oven timer for ten minutes. I wrote for the rest of the morning and I have been writing ever since. Writing Down the Bones did more than any other book to get me writing—but that did not stop me from acquiring three shelves of books.
I know in my heart that the best way to learn about writing is through reading. To learn about essays, read essays. To learn about memoir, read memoirs. And then re-read them and pick them apart. I believe that. But I also have those three shelves of books that I read for inspiration or to study fine points of craft or to learn about a particular genre. I have books about writing poetry (and books about reading poetry), books about short stories, memoir, and creative nonfiction. Some of these books have great exercises. Some of them have words of wisdom. I’m a little sheepish about having so many, but I do love them.
So, what books are in front of me?
1) Old Friend From Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir. Natalie conceived this book to be like her workshops, “to drench you in the writing process and in your life of memory.” The book is packed with writing topics and I have assigned my students the first two sections by our next class. I am trying to work along with them. In fact, I was motivated to teach the class so I would work through the book myself. I did not have the discipline to do it on my own. It is amazing what accountability will do for your productivity. I told students not to worry if they didn't get to every topic, but they should tackle those topics they had the most resistance to. One student began a write by complaining about the topic, "I remember," which is the backbone of the book. After venting for several lines, she landed in the most remarkable material from her childhood. I recommend the book, but you may need a partner to get through it.
2) The Writer’s Journey, by Christopher Vogler. When I first heard about this book, I resisted it as it sounded like a formula for success in Hollywood (Vogler was an advisor at Disney). I was at the beginning of my writing journey and wanted to give myself freedom to write in whatever direction I wanted. Also, I had just finished a Ph.D. program, and I wanted to write without rules for a while. That was ten years ago, however, and lately I've become interested in mythic structure and archetype. Since Vogler translates Campbell's ideas about myth and archetype for modern storytelling, it seemed like a good place to start.
As I read The Writer’s Journey, I'm amazed by how much mythic structure I've absorbed by osmosis. There are so many points of correspondence between Vogler's ideas and the structure of the book I'm writing, it's spooky. But now that I am aware of those correspondences, I hope I can make my narrative stronger by tightening those places where myth and archetype have already surfaced, and letting them play out.
3) The Portable MFA. I noticed this book on my friend Nita Sweeney’s syllabus. If Nita had assigned it to her students, I thought, it might hold the magical key to my writing dreams. I ordered it right away. So far, I’ve only read the section on writing essays, and while it’s very good, there’s not much I don’t already know here. That’s fine. It reminds me that the way to learn about writing is by writing, and that I should get back to it. But since I have your attention and you’re probably just a wee bit curious about what’s in the book, I’ll share with you a few good tips from Peter Bricklebank, the author of the chapter on essays:
1) You can be sensitive, rational, and reasonable in the essay. But you don’t have to be. In fact, just like in the real world, it often helps if you aren’t. Aside from the times when you affect a particular disposition to attain a goal, don’t feel obliged to be nice and well-behaved in the essay. No one is going to tell your mother.
I love this about writing, the part about not being well-behaved.
2) You find a form through your early drafts. Commit your ideas to paper, no matter how fragmentary, even if you can’t see all the connections or the overall direction. This creates a rough guide for you to follow and/or diverge from as you rework. As you do this, connections will suggest themselves to you, and draft by draft, a form will gradually emerge.
Okay, not as much fun as misbehaving, but I need to remind myself of how this whole process works as I struggle to complete a fully-revised, first chapter of my book. Wish me luck!
I’ve posted book reviews for Old Friend From Far Away and The Writer’s Journey on goodreads.com. I have thirty-five writing books on my bookshelf there. I only put up books I recommend, so even if there isn’t a review, you can get an idea of the books that have helped and inspired me. If you have books you would like to recommend, sign up to be my friend on GoodReads and share.
Writing topics:
What in front of me (you had to see that coming)
What’s on my bookshelf?
Quotation:
It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power, which bubbles so pleasantly beginning a new book, quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of impending shape keep on at it more than anything.
Virginia Woolf
Have a wonderful month. Read, write, and take care of yourselves.
Best,
Saundra
Welcome to February. Below is another offering of my wandering mind:
What’s in front of me. I learned this topic at my first Natalie Goldberg workshop in 1999, and I’ve used it ever since. I have assigned it to my own students, I have listed it as a writing prompt in more than one newsletter, and I have just come upon it again in Natalie’s recent book, Old Friend From Far Away, the Practice of Writing Memoir—which is sitting in front of me in a stack with other writing books. I am at Russell’s coffee shop this morning, sitting by the window looking out at Hancock Avenue. I have in front of me a cup of decaf coffee with cream, a bran muffin, and my timer. I am here to write, to plough through the writing topics in Old Friend From Far Away that I’ve assigned to my memoir class, and to put in a little time on my manuscript. I have the writing books for support.
I have three shelves of writing books at home. I have been collecting them since 1997. I was in the middle of my doctoral dissertation and somewhat stuck, when a friend suggested I read Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott. “You need to learn about shitty first drafts,” she told me. “Shitty First Drafts” is the title of an essay in Lamott’s book. I read Bird by Bird and it was helpful, but then I was having lunch with a fellow graduate student and she mentioned a book that she liked even better. “Get Writing Down the Bones,” she said. “That will change things for you.” After reading a few chapters of Bones, I sat down at the kitchen table and set the oven timer for ten minutes. I wrote for the rest of the morning and I have been writing ever since. Writing Down the Bones did more than any other book to get me writing—but that did not stop me from acquiring three shelves of books.
I know in my heart that the best way to learn about writing is through reading. To learn about essays, read essays. To learn about memoir, read memoirs. And then re-read them and pick them apart. I believe that. But I also have those three shelves of books that I read for inspiration or to study fine points of craft or to learn about a particular genre. I have books about writing poetry (and books about reading poetry), books about short stories, memoir, and creative nonfiction. Some of these books have great exercises. Some of them have words of wisdom. I’m a little sheepish about having so many, but I do love them.
So, what books are in front of me?
1) Old Friend From Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir. Natalie conceived this book to be like her workshops, “to drench you in the writing process and in your life of memory.” The book is packed with writing topics and I have assigned my students the first two sections by our next class. I am trying to work along with them. In fact, I was motivated to teach the class so I would work through the book myself. I did not have the discipline to do it on my own. It is amazing what accountability will do for your productivity. I told students not to worry if they didn't get to every topic, but they should tackle those topics they had the most resistance to. One student began a write by complaining about the topic, "I remember," which is the backbone of the book. After venting for several lines, she landed in the most remarkable material from her childhood. I recommend the book, but you may need a partner to get through it.
2) The Writer’s Journey, by Christopher Vogler. When I first heard about this book, I resisted it as it sounded like a formula for success in Hollywood (Vogler was an advisor at Disney). I was at the beginning of my writing journey and wanted to give myself freedom to write in whatever direction I wanted. Also, I had just finished a Ph.D. program, and I wanted to write without rules for a while. That was ten years ago, however, and lately I've become interested in mythic structure and archetype. Since Vogler translates Campbell's ideas about myth and archetype for modern storytelling, it seemed like a good place to start.
As I read The Writer’s Journey, I'm amazed by how much mythic structure I've absorbed by osmosis. There are so many points of correspondence between Vogler's ideas and the structure of the book I'm writing, it's spooky. But now that I am aware of those correspondences, I hope I can make my narrative stronger by tightening those places where myth and archetype have already surfaced, and letting them play out.
3) The Portable MFA. I noticed this book on my friend Nita Sweeney’s syllabus. If Nita had assigned it to her students, I thought, it might hold the magical key to my writing dreams. I ordered it right away. So far, I’ve only read the section on writing essays, and while it’s very good, there’s not much I don’t already know here. That’s fine. It reminds me that the way to learn about writing is by writing, and that I should get back to it. But since I have your attention and you’re probably just a wee bit curious about what’s in the book, I’ll share with you a few good tips from Peter Bricklebank, the author of the chapter on essays:
1) You can be sensitive, rational, and reasonable in the essay. But you don’t have to be. In fact, just like in the real world, it often helps if you aren’t. Aside from the times when you affect a particular disposition to attain a goal, don’t feel obliged to be nice and well-behaved in the essay. No one is going to tell your mother.
I love this about writing, the part about not being well-behaved.
2) You find a form through your early drafts. Commit your ideas to paper, no matter how fragmentary, even if you can’t see all the connections or the overall direction. This creates a rough guide for you to follow and/or diverge from as you rework. As you do this, connections will suggest themselves to you, and draft by draft, a form will gradually emerge.
Okay, not as much fun as misbehaving, but I need to remind myself of how this whole process works as I struggle to complete a fully-revised, first chapter of my book. Wish me luck!
I’ve posted book reviews for Old Friend From Far Away and The Writer’s Journey on goodreads.com. I have thirty-five writing books on my bookshelf there. I only put up books I recommend, so even if there isn’t a review, you can get an idea of the books that have helped and inspired me. If you have books you would like to recommend, sign up to be my friend on GoodReads and share.
Writing topics:
What in front of me (you had to see that coming)
What’s on my bookshelf?
Quotation:
It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power, which bubbles so pleasantly beginning a new book, quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of impending shape keep on at it more than anything.
Virginia Woolf
Have a wonderful month. Read, write, and take care of yourselves.
Best,
Saundra
This month’s newsletter is sponsored by Life Coach Ann Daly, PhD,
helping women get clear about what they want and
how to get it. Subscribe to Ann's free eletter at:
http://www.anndaly.com/eletter