Highlights from V. V. Ganeshananthan’s “How To Write Like I Do” talk at 826michigan

V.V. “Sugi” Ganeshananthan (Zell Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Michigan and author of Love Marriage, long-listed for The Orange Prize) gave a great workshop last Saturday at 826michigan on what fiction writers can learn from journalists. I’m happy to report that there was a record turn-out for the “How To Write Like I Do” series. Below are some quotes (somewhat paraphrased due to handwritten notes) that I found useful:

On how a journalist’s work ethic is useful for writing fiction: “Being a journalist demands a serious output. You can’t be scared [and procrastinate] or you won’t get any work done.”

Why would anyone be interested in being interviewed by a fiction writer?: “People don’t get to talk about themselves much anymore in this age of social media. And experts love talking about themselves. [...] It can also be novel for [experts] to be interviewed by a fiction writer. It reminds them how much they enjoy reading fiction.”

The journalist’s unofficial motto: “The worst thing that can happen is they’ll say ‘no’ and you’ll be in the same place you started. So why not ask?”

If you’re a writer living in SE Michigan, make sure to mark the next “How To Write Like I Do” workshop on your calendar. Doug Trevor, winner of the 2005 Iowa Short Fiction Award, will be teaching “The Richness of Place: Setting in Fiction” on May 5.

Kafka, for Children

“His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.” – The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka

Last night at 826michigan’s Drop-In Writing we wrote from the perspective of our favorite animals. In the midst of helping an eight-year-old girl, “Anne,” think about how an animal might experience the world, Anne said, “Wouldn’t it be weird to be a bug?”

“That’s actually the subject of a famous short story*!” I said, delighted that I could impart some culture to the next generation.

Another volunteer joined in, equally enthusiastic. “Yes! It’s called The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka! A guy, named Gregor, wakes up as a giant beetle!”

Then, in a sudden panic, I met my fellow tutor’s eyes as the realization that the plot of the Metamorphosis isn’t exactly age appropriate for an eight-year-old washed over us at precisely the same moment.

“So what happens in the story?” Anne asked me.

“Uh,” I said, “he lies in bed a lot and his family is…confused. Hey! A red pen! Let’s use that to write with!”

Now I can’t help but envision bright Anne in her future Sophomore English class. “Can anyone tell me what happens in Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis?” the teacher will ask. Anne will raise her hand. “A guy named Gregor lies in bed a lot and his family is confused,” she’ll say.

___

*Okay, it’s really a novella. But I didn’t think an eight-year-old would care.

Maira Kalman & Daniel Handler Will Be at Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater, 1/26/12

Maira Kalman and Daniel Handler will be in Ann Arbor on Thursday, January 26th, to promote their book, Why We Broke Up. Details below.

Maira Kalman is an illustrator, author, and designer known for her unique commentaries on politics and contemporary life. A frequent contributor to The New Yorker, and columnist for the New York Times, Kalman has also designed clocks, umbrellas, and other accessories for the Museum of Modern Art, fabric for Isaac Mizrahi, accessories for Kate Spade, and sets for the Mark Morris Dance Company.

Under the pen name Lemony Snicket, Daniel Handler is the author of the popular series-turned-Hollywood-blockbuster, A Series of Unfortunate Events. Under his given name, he is the author of three novels: The Basic Eight, Watch Your Mouth, and Adverbs. Handler has written for The New York Times, Newsday, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Believer, Chickfactor, and various anthologies.

Maira Kalman and Daniel Handler discuss their latest collaboration, the illustrated novel, Why We Broke Up, about a star crossed teenage love affair.

With support from ArtsEngine and Living Arts.

Part of the Penny W. Stamps Speaker Series (University of Michigan School of Art & Design). Unless otherwise noted, all programs take place on Thursdays at 5:10 pm at the historic Michigan Theater, located at 603 E. Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor, and are free of charge and open to the public.

826michigan workshop schedule is now live!

If you live in SE Michigan you might be interested to know that the 826michigan workshop schedule is now live! Registration begins Wednesday night, the 11th, at 7 PM. As always, all workshops are free of charge.

I’m very excited to be teaching a workshop on erasure poetry for teens this term. It was inspired by my recent blog post on the subject.

The Poetry of Absence: Creating Erasure Poems
Taught by Julie Judkins
Ages: 12-16, 15 students
Saturday, March 17 2012, 2-3:30pm (one session)

Interested in writing poetry but not sure where to find the words? Take a page from our book! In this workshop we’ll experiment with “erasure poetry,” where words on a printed page (newspaper, discarded book page) are crossed out until the ones remaining form a brand new work: your poem! We’ll look at the history of the art form, discuss techniques, and then uncap our permanent markers and try it for ourselves.

Julie Judkins published her first story, about a girl who faces discrimination because she’s best friends with a heart, in Highlights Magazine at the age of five. She is a digital librarian at the University of Michigan Medical School and blogs about literature and writing (among other things) at Klickitat.

Even if it is rocket science… Ask A Librarian (University of Wisconsin – Madison)

(Credit: William Cronon and University of Wisconsin-Madison libraries)