It’s Been A While

To be honest, I started this blog as part of a class.

Once the class was over, I quickly forgot about it. Noe I am attempting to continue with the blog. I am currently reading Zinnser’s “On Writing Well” as my first exploration of nonfiction writing. Once I have something of worth to add I will be back. Hopefully it won’t take half a year this time.

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

This past January I was in my first teaching position. I had, of course, gone through two practicums (three weeks in a classroom observing and teaching some) and student teaching, but I was excited to get my first class of my very own. I know I sound like a kid in a toy store and sadly my naivety got the better of me. However, it wasn’t long after I had the job that I learned a harsh lesson about teaching. In discussing a topic on the play we had just completed I asked the students a simple question. One student looked me directly in the eye and said, “Can’t you just tell us the answer?” Luckily, I at least had enough experience to be able to hide the shock I felt at the time. Of course, looking back on this moment I am not sure what caused my shock. I have been working since I was fourteen and had many co-workers with the same mentality as my students. Why do the work, when someone else can do it for you?

In today’s schools students have become lazier in their educational endeavors. With tools like SparkNotes and Pinkmonkey.com they don’t actually read the text assigned. Scarier thought is they are willing to admit freely to having used SparkNotes to complete an assignment. Now, I know I am only in my twenties and have not been distanced from my frivolous teenage years, but I am still disheartened by the lack of effort put in work in today’s society. We would rather be given things instantly, then take the time to figure them out. This mentality may be the same reason that so many teenagers today will not pick up a book to read. Why bother when they can get a plot synopsis online in two minutes, right? What concerns me is that there are people willing to just hand things over. Teachers will feed the students the answer to avoid fighting with them to get them to find it themselves.

Maybe I am still too young and naïve, but I do not see how we are helping anyone when we do not make them do the work required to complete a task. I grew up learning how to value hard work and to this day I rather work hard to get the “C” than be handed an “A”.

Guilty Pleasures . . . Why hide them?

We all have those few authors that we hide in the back of the bookcase. My question is why? Why are we guilty of reading? Just because it is a “trashy romance novel” or “beach read” does not make it bad. Yet, we hide them in among the classics and old literature class textbooks as if we are ashamed. I have to confess that I still have books that I refer to as guilty pleasures, but I have come to embrace the quick read and own up to my guilty pleasures. As an English major, writer, and teacher I read constantly. If I am not reading I am writing. However, every once in a while in between the “greatest American novel” and the “100 Best of British Poets”, I need time to let my brain relax a bit. Read a book that makes me laugh out loud or taps in to my delusional romantic fantasies.

In today’s crazy and hectic world people are always on the go. I always have something that needs to be done. Clean the apartment, write a story, finishing reading for class, finish reading for the lesson, write a lesson plan, grade papers—I could continue the list, but I think my point was made. When in between all my responsibilities in life do I have time to just relax and do something for me? That is all guilty pleasures really are. They are the singer that we blast in the car on the drive home from work, or the author we read after finishing a long paper. They are the things we keep around to make ourselves feel better when we are having a bad day or to give our brain a break when it has been working on overdrive for days.

I think that we hide them not out of embarrassment, but selfishness. Most of us don’t care who knows about our guilty pleasures, but we don’t want them to join us. We want to be able to blast the music and sing badly off key to an empty room or to curl up in the corner of the couch and laugh hysterically at a book without questions from others. Our guilty pleasures act as the solitary activity we hold just for ourselves. Whether it is wacky and crazy or simply reading getting lost in the fantasy world of a good book, it is ours. Everyone needs to keep that one thing especially for themselves otherwise we lose our sense of individuality.

Sleepy-stupid

The credit for this term must be given to my professor, Mary. As it was explained to me, it is a state to mind in which your brain is still half asleep. For a hyper technical person like me, this is the best time for me to produce my creative work.

I was introduced to writing fairly late in my time as an undergraduate. I had signed up to take a writing fiction workshop partly out of curiosity, but more to fill a course I needed to complete my degree. However, after that class I found that piece I had been missing. I found a community of very eclectic people and I loved it. They were accepting of who I was, bad first drafts and all. I am not sure exactly when I made the decision to join this group of crazy writers, but I today I am glad that I have. They have introduced me to a life and world I don’t want to give up.

Since that fall semester of my junior year, I have not stopped striving to improve me writing. Through, the courses and some trial and error I have come to better understand my own methods as a writer. Have I completely figured everything out? No. I don’t think I ever will. However, I can tell you this—I will never be a high rhetorical writer. To use a highly technical term, I am a “puter inner”. My first drafts have little detail and are always under ten pages. Eventually after many revisions, the piece grows. My technical side wants to be perfect. This is how I came to start writing in a sleepy- stupid state. I struggled to put in more and more into each draft. Even after I knew what needed to be there I couldn’t find the words to put on the page. It is something that I struggle with constantly. One of my favorite quotes (told to me by the same professor) is “We are apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master” from Ernest Hemingway. It might seem weird that it is my favorite quote since I try to be perfect. However, it is because I struggle with the idea of being perfect that I find myself able to recall it easily. Maybe someday I will be able to just sit down and write, but for now I will work and struggle as an apprentice working to reach my own personal level of perfection.

The Writer’s World

“People are trapped in history and history is tapped in them” –James Baldwin

“Artists and entertainers are sensitive souls who absorb, intuit and reflect what goes on around them” –Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune

I came across the first quote in an email a professor sent, and then I was reading an article and found the second. To me they speak to the same idea and are both very true statements.

I recently completed an independent study that had me examine work from a writer’s perspective. I looked at work ranging from high rhetorical to minimalist and some that were particular to a time period in history (Harlem Renaissance for example). Not only did I can a new appreciation for the individual’s work that I read, but I also understood my own writing better. As a writer I take in everything around me, whether it is world events or the “crisis” of a close friend. All of these things are absorbed, whether consciously or unconsciously, and mold my writing. What I choose to put into and what to leave out can be determined by my own history. When I sit down at the computer to write, I bring my history and the history of the world around me to that piece. Our history it what makes us unique to one another and intern makes our writing our own. No two people will write the same situation the same way. Each will have a different perspective that has been affected by their personal history.

In order to improve my own writing I have come to realize that I must own up to some of my own personal history as well. Until I can own it, explore it, and understand it, I will not know how it affects me and therefore my writing. I cannot go back and change my history, but I can use it to mold the stories that I tell.

Online Reading

Online reading, Is it reading?

A constant struggle for parents and teachers today is the struggle to inspire children and teenagers to read. In a technology driven age, the internet and video games attract the attention of teens better than a book. Many of the teens choose reading online; however, can this really be considered reading. As a high school English teacher, future professor, writer, and overall lover of books—it concerns me that most reading today is done online. Many write it off as “At least they are reading”, but I cannot bring myself to believe that the types of things they are reading online are actually anything more than entertainment. I give credit to websites like fanfiction.net for creating a place where teens can tap into their creative juices. However, with not editing process involved, work that is littered with grammar and mechanics errors are left on the web for all to read. English grammar and spelling are difficult enough without the added confusion of published works that are riddled with errors. Captain Underpants, is a prime example of this type of writing. However, this is published. What kind of message does it send out youth if we publish work with improper writing?

My issue with online reading is not that it is online. Though I personally am not a fan of e-books, they are a great alternative to the unedited incorrect work that teenagers are reading. Since this generation is so technology driven, they would not have to take as much time to learn the e-book process. Therefore, they might appreciate an e-book more than I did. With so many of the classics available through free e-book providers, they are a much better alternative for teenagers to read. Maybe, if we can get them to read something other than fanfitcion.net or their favorite celebrity’s webpage, then it might end up doing some good and they will in fact be reading.

Past, Present, and Furture–Discovering my place in the writing world

The writing community is extremely complex. There are thousands of markets and publishing houses. Not to mention plenty of people just like me trying to get their work published. As a writer it is essential to find a place within the writing community. In order to accomplish this, I had to first figure out who I am as a writer. It may have taken me a while, but I think I can finally complete that statement.

Upon examining myself as a writer, here is what I came up with. I started out writing short fiction. Taking the old adage “write what you know” I wrote stories based on real life events, sometimes simply fictionalizing my own life. However, it wasn’t till I took a chance and step outside my comfort zone that I found where my true passion lies. Obsessed with the myth of the Fates, I set out to write a story with them as my main characters. After that I had found my niche within short fiction. I am a supernatural fiction writer. As of yet, I have not written anything other than short fiction, but I would love to write a novel. Maybe, when I retire and find myself with a lot of time on my hands this may be possible, but right now I am happy just producing new work.

Unfortunately, none of my work has been published yet, but it is something I continuously strive for. There are numerous journals and magazine publications—from University presses to The New Yorker—to submit my work. My hope is that if I keep putting my work out there, eventually it will speak to someone the same way it has to me.

As I mentioned briefly earlier, I would enjoy writing a novel. Through the class I am taking this summer I have learned that there is a lot of effort that goes into a novel and that as an author you have to have enormous dedication to see the project to completion. All that said, I do not foresee novel writing in my near future; however, it did influence my recent book proposal. The proposal was for a supernatural fiction anthology, targeted at a young adult audience. Despite the stigma attached to young adult writing, there is still a very large market. The lines between young adult and adult fiction are very blurred and many writers are cast off and labeled as young adult. As a reader of young adult fiction and writer as well, I was drawn to write a proposal that spoke to the same ideas seen in my own writing.

Currently, I am working on my Master’s Degree in Creative Writing. This commitment, combined with teaching, leaves me little time to focus on writing. However, that said I make sure to find a time to write every day. If you had asked me just a few years ago, what I wanted to do with my life, writing may not have been included. What I have come to realize in these past few years is that no matter what I end up doing, I plan to keep writing involved on some level. One of my long term goals is to find a job teaching writing at the collegiate level. My hope is that in teaching I can give just a little back to the writing community, while still developing my own work. This goal includes the likelihood of a M.F.A. program in the future, so I guess I am not done with school just yet.

Overall, I feel like my place in the writing community is yet to be defined. All I can tell you is, writing will definitely be a part of my future and that I will always keep writing.

A Conversation with Bob Gray

On July 24^th I had the pleasure to interview Bob Gray. Mr. Gray is a bookseller with Northshire Books, an independent bookstore in Vermont. The interview was conducted through a conference call to enable all the members of my Business of Creative Writing class to participate. We asked him a variety of questions related to bookselling, his work with Shelf Awareness and Fresh Eyes, publishing, and a few personal questions thrown in at the end.

Before the interview I didn’t know much of anything about bookselling. I had a vague idea of what it meant to be a bookseller, but nothing about the actual day to day work involved. We, of course, started with questions asking how Mr. Gray got into publishing and bookselling. His answer to this question was one that took me by surprise. He said, “By accident.” That of course was not the complete answer, but it is the part that struck me the most. Here is a man whose opinion is revered by publishers from a variety of presses and he is playing off his entrance into this career as no big thing. Later in the interview he explained that it took years before he was in a position he enjoyed, making his own hours and working on this of his choice, which put some more perspective on the nonchalance of his first answer.

Something that I want to give Mr. Gray credit for is his passion and drive. He is very passionate about what he does and seems to always give of himself a hundred percent in anything he takes on. One of the things that he mentioned in the interview was his love for the publishing industry. Of course, it was part of a question we asked, but even before the actual question, you could tell that he enjoyed his life and what he does every day. However, we were curious (especially myself) to understand what about the industry he loved so much. He admitted that it was dysfunctional, but that dysfunction was endearing and what made him love it so much. I definitely could understand where he was coming from with this answer, because it is the same thing that attracted me to the writing community.

As a writer trying to find my way in to this crazy world of writing and publishing, I was able to gain a lot of solid advice from Mr. Gray. I felt honored to be given to receive these tips and words of advice from someone sought after by publishers for just that, his opinion. The most helpful advice that I took from our conversation was to not fear putting my work out there. Now, he didn’t say this in so many words, but his response to a few of our questions left me feeling more comfortable about putting my writing out there. As emerging writers we do not really have an agent to do the dirty work for us, so we asked whether it was a good idea to send a manuscript unsolicited. His reply, “It’s a great idea. If you have done your homework.” Find the person that would mesh well with your manuscript and send it to them. Later on in the interview he stated, “Every rule gets broken by some author everyday and always hope for the best and expect the worst.” I had heard one variation of the beginning of the previous quote from a professor in my graduate program time and again. However, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust her advice, but maybe more that hearing it from someone else made things sink in. These statements were helpful push me into getting my work out there. Nothing can happen to you if you don’t ever try, right?

It is not every day you get the chance to talk to a master Bookseller and I am glad that I got the chance. Overall, his advice and insight were invaluable to me as a writer.

I want to end by thanking Mr. Gray for his time and insight into the publishing and writing community.

Bookstores Broken Down

The world of an independent bookstore is radically different from the larger chains. My realization of this difference cam in part from an interview I had with Bob Gray, but even more so from a visit to two very different bookstores.

First stop, Baine’s Bookstore in Appomattox, VA. Baine’s is everything I love in a bookstore. When walking in you already can feel the overall atmosphere of the store. You feel welcome and at home. An old wooden floor that creaks and pops with each step and shelves filled with new releases and old classics are warm and inviting. There is of course the clearance table placed strategically at the entrance to the store; however, even with this reminder of the business side of the bookstore, it still feels like you are being welcomed into a community.

With independent bookstores you feel like you could sit and read a book for hours. Get something from the café, buy and new book and just relax in the peaceful atmosphere they create. My favorite part of independent bookstores is the used book. Almost every independent store has one and when on a tight budget it is always nice to be able to pick up a few books for only a couple dollars each. Most stores will also have a program set up that allows you to gain credit when you bring in your books. This is one of my favorite ways to shop and I usually end up going over my credit line every time.

Independents cater to the community as well. For example, Baine’s has an enormous amount of American History Books, nature and hunting related books, and other “specialty” books that would appeal to the readers in the area. Independents show an understanding of the community within their store and will cater to those needs. Often times they are the best place to find a specific book that you might be looking for.

The second part of our trip was to the Barnes and Noble and Longwood University in Farmville, VA. Though being a college bookstore they were slightly different from your typical Barnes and Nobles, it still had the Barnes and Noble feel when you walked in. When entering the Barnes and Noble there is no welcoming community feel. Immediately the consumer comes face to face with dumps advertising the latest new releases. Scattered around the store are dumps, tables (complete with table toppers) each advertises a sale, or Books for Summer Reading. Generic decoration, signs, and advertisements are plastered on the walls of the store. The overall feel of the store is cold and business like. However, with all these observations in mind, I have a confession to make.

Without my Business of Creative Writing class, I do not know that I would have ever paid any attention to the layout of a bookstore. I am not saying that I regret knowing what I know now, but it definitely changes the bookstore experience. Now that I am aware of the inner workings of advertisement and product placement in a store, maybe I won’t be making as many spur of the moment buys as I usually do.

Whether independents are better than the chains stores I cannot answer for you. I think a lot of it will depend on your personal tastes. The truth is that they each have their own mission and goal in everything they do within the store. Neither one is worse of better than the other in my opinion, just different.

Virtual Books vs. The Real Deal

One day the printed book may become obsolete, replaced by the virtual e-book. Thankfully, it has not happened yet. I have to admit that I have avoided the whole e-book experience up until now. However, like most things in life, I couldn’t avoid it forever. Mainly because it was assigned, I sat down at my computer in search of my first e-book.

At first, during my search for a free e-book, I found PDF file after PDF file. Unfortunately, that would have been too easy. These days a PDF is as popular as a word document. I needed to find a true e-text to download and read. Since my search was yielding no viable results, I switched my focus to finding an e-book reader. I knew I would need one eventually and was hoping it would lead to e-book easier than my general search had.

One of the first that I came across was a program from Microsoft. The download was quick and easy. Within just a few minutes I had a new free e-reader program. However, learning to navigate the program took a little longer. Luckily, I am fairly technology savvy, therefore, I picked up on the how to’s easily. For those less technology driven, it might take a while. The learning process to use the reader could easily turn into more work than it is worth. After downloading the reader I was able to find an e-book–through its built in search– with ease.

The e-reader program had a search library that connected to e-book providers. I choose to check out the University of Virginia’s E-Text Library. They had an extensive collection of e-books ranging from the classics to critical works as well. I randomly choose Aesop’s Fables. It was a title that I had recognized but could not ever remember reading. The total collection ended up being 328 pages; however, the fables themselves ran no more than two or three pages each. I ended up reading close to fifteen of the fables before the glare from the computer screen hurt my eyes. They were easy to read and contained little to no complex language. However, I think they held a deeper meaning behind the simple tales. Since I had downloaded the text off the University of Virginia’s library, I assumed the text was intended for a college audience. They certainly could be read as a bedtime story to children, but I don’t think children could appreciate what the fables had to say about life. To be honest, I am not sure I completely understood the message when reading them either. With all that said, I think the text is intended for an educational setting and audience.

As far as the actual reading experience with an e-text, I would have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. As I mentioned before once I learned how to navigate the reader, it was easy to find anything I needed. Microsoft Reader is set up similar to a media player for music and videos. Within the program you can store multiple e-books in the library and choose which you would like to read. Once opening the text you can navigate using the table of contents to skip around or move through the text page by page. I read through page by page. It was easy enough, but awkward. I know that some e-readers show the physically turning of the page; however, mine isn’t one of them. When each new page popped up on the screen, I felt detached from the reading experience. Not being able to physically hold the book and turn each page made me feel too passive. All my professors have droned into me the art of active reading. I fell that reading an e-book makes the reader lazy. Many e-readers don’t offer any enhancements to allow the reader to mark the text as they read. I personally write all over the margins of my books. It is more difficult if not impossible with e-books. You just don’t interact with an e-book the way you would a real book. Even when an e-reader has enhancements to allow more interaction—it is strange. Microsoft gives you the option to have the text read aloud. The voice that reads to you is very staccato and slow. I would image it would make reading a genre like poetry extremely awkward. For the short time I listened to it recite the fables, I felt strange. I couldn’t make it through a whole page before being freaked out and hitting the stop. Even with the computer “interacting” with the text and relaying it to me as a reader, I still felt like I was somewhere else during the whole experience. I know that while it was reading my mind was definitely not listening to the words, but off somewhere else making to do lists.

Overall, the e-book experience is not for me. I need to physically feel the pages between my fingers, to smell the musky odor of an old book and mark up the pages with thoughts and questions. Reading is something you cannot do passively. I want to be able to get lost in the pages of a text. Something you are unable to do when staring that harsh light of a computer screen. I admit that an e-book has is convenience, but you won’t find me buying a Kindle or other type of e-reader anytime soon. I still prefer my books to be real over virtual.