Recently, I have had many an interesting dicussion in my creative writing course about "feeling" a story. We have been discussing how a story gathers, and it has come to my attention that "feeling" any situation is truly at the heart of understanding art.
I have several stories in different folders on my computer that have simply died due to lack of feeling. I am positive that other writers have similar situations. There simply was nothing there. Nothing worth exploring. Nothing worth telling. Nothing worth feeling. The story simply died out because it lacked any kind of heartbeat in the first place.
However, I do believe, without a doubt, that these stories that have died have a place in the writing journey. There's no arguing that creation of material is essential to the success of any writer's journey, but that material does not always have to be excellent, as we know. Those of us who have successfully navigated and in some cases survived graduate-level workshops know that failure is simply the nature of the game. Even those who have not attended a university and studied the craft in a formal setting know this. So, it's not a question of to fail or not to fail, of a story dying or not dying. It's not an "if" question. It's a "when" question.
The reaction the writer has to failure ultimately will tell him or her a great deal about his or her commitment to their on journey. The first time you roll up that rejection slip or story that is a true failure or poem that simply doesn't work and stuff it into a Jim Beam bottle or throw it on a pyre, you will know which direction you wish to proceed.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Work Ahead
It has been awhile since I have posted anything. Perhaps due to the holiday season; perhaps because I've been home watching the children; perhaps because we have been buried in snow for the past week.
Since my last post, I have learned that Press 53 (www.press53.com) has picked up my collection of short stories, Best Road Yet. I am elated with the news, and I am also treading in unknown waters. As I look forward, I realize there is much work to be done on the book. This is a bit daunting, no doubt, especially with the continuation of work on the "something longer" mentioned in an early post (more on that in a moment), but I am ready for the challenge. I believe in the press and in its editor. I also believe in myself. Put all of that together, and I know the final product will be excellent. I look forward to the work.
As for the "something longer," I have found it exceedingly difficult to get much work done over the course of the last few weeks. The holidays present interesting challenges to the writer with a family. Speaking of that, I will have to do a post on the writer who "takes time off" to raise a family at some point.
The writing has been going about as slow as this snow seems to be melting. A refocus is certainly required, and with a number of other commitments this semester, including the prep for the new book coming out in October, an endowed chair project to administer, two conferences to attend and one to assist in the planning of, seven classes to teach, and a book to not only prep and edit but to market as well, I see the coming months as hectic at best. However, I find it necessary to force time in to write. A former teacher and friend of mine, Mary Troy, implored the graduates of the M.F.A. program to keep their own work in perspective. "Your work comes first," she used to say. "Everything else is peripheral." There's some truth to that, of course, but ultimately a certain balance must be achieved.
In light of this, I plan on applying for residencies with my eyes on a few that are truly of interest to me. I have found the Ucross Foundation, located in Wyoming, particularly attractive and hope to be accepted in order to work on the "something longer."
All of that said, life has taken an excellent turn at this point. I am grateful for all that has transpired over the last several weeks and throughout this past year and look forward to a productive and vigorous 2010.
Since my last post, I have learned that Press 53 (www.press53.com) has picked up my collection of short stories, Best Road Yet. I am elated with the news, and I am also treading in unknown waters. As I look forward, I realize there is much work to be done on the book. This is a bit daunting, no doubt, especially with the continuation of work on the "something longer" mentioned in an early post (more on that in a moment), but I am ready for the challenge. I believe in the press and in its editor. I also believe in myself. Put all of that together, and I know the final product will be excellent. I look forward to the work.
As for the "something longer," I have found it exceedingly difficult to get much work done over the course of the last few weeks. The holidays present interesting challenges to the writer with a family. Speaking of that, I will have to do a post on the writer who "takes time off" to raise a family at some point.
The writing has been going about as slow as this snow seems to be melting. A refocus is certainly required, and with a number of other commitments this semester, including the prep for the new book coming out in October, an endowed chair project to administer, two conferences to attend and one to assist in the planning of, seven classes to teach, and a book to not only prep and edit but to market as well, I see the coming months as hectic at best. However, I find it necessary to force time in to write. A former teacher and friend of mine, Mary Troy, implored the graduates of the M.F.A. program to keep their own work in perspective. "Your work comes first," she used to say. "Everything else is peripheral." There's some truth to that, of course, but ultimately a certain balance must be achieved.
In light of this, I plan on applying for residencies with my eyes on a few that are truly of interest to me. I have found the Ucross Foundation, located in Wyoming, particularly attractive and hope to be accepted in order to work on the "something longer."
All of that said, life has taken an excellent turn at this point. I am grateful for all that has transpired over the last several weeks and throughout this past year and look forward to a productive and vigorous 2010.
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