English 122, 126, & 223
Jessica Barksdale Inlcán

Writer Write-Up

Writer Write Up—If you want to learn to write, you have to know writing as a writer, a reader, and a listener.  As a species, we learned to appreciate stories and poems through story-telling.  Our aural sense can track a story or poem better because we knew how to hear long before we knew how to read.  Probably as Cro-Magnons (and maybe even Neanderthals), we were listening to one another, hearing the sounds of beginning, middle, and end.  So to really know a story, we should hear it.

The writers that I would like you to go listen to are published, professional writers.  While a writer is a writer, I want you to go to hear someone who has gone the distance in terms of finding an agent, editor, publisher.  No student open mics, no best friends who are reading their work, no friends getting together to read personal essays.

This exercise allows us to do just that.  I call this, the Writer Write-Up (not very original, I know).  For this project, 122 students need to find a venue where a poet, fiction-writer, or non-fiction writer is performing (no celebrity or sports figure readers please.  I want you to pick a person who is a writer, first and foremost). English 126 students need to go to a non-fiction writer as well--essayist or memorist.  And again, no famous celebrity readers or sports figures.  English 223 students need to find a fiction writer--novelist or short story writer. Some places to find these venues are The Sunday Chronicle ‘Book Review’ section, Poetry Flash, East Bay Express, The Contra Costa Times ‘Time out’ section, or even the bookstores themselves. Sfgate.com and booktour.com are great resources as well.  Give redroom. com a try as well--local authors list many of their appearances there.  Craigslist.org lists readings as well.  Barnes and Noble Walnut Creek has a notable selection or readers every month. But even your local store will most likely have a reading series.  Go down to the store and ask.  Buy a book while you’re there, too.  Most stores sponsor reading series and provide brochures giving you dates and times. I would prefer you NOT go to an open mic, where you would hear a variety of speakers.  Other places to find readings are weekly community bulletin boards, either in the newspaper or online.  Try typing in “Literary Calendar” or “ Readings ” and your home town or area into google.com. 

Once you have found a reading and are there sitting in the chair, waiting for the reader to show up, I want you to begin to observe the scene around.  I will warn you that readings are not always comfortable experiences.  Sometimes, you, the book store manager, and the writer’s spouse will be the only people in attendance.  Sometimes, it will be so crowded, you won’t be able to sit, much less see the writer.  Mostly, there will be a crowd of between eight and twelve people. 

In my dream world, there would be fifty people at every reading.  Instead of folks watching television or playing computer or going to the movies, they would decide to go down to the local bookstore to listen to a writer (that would save me the chagrin of reading to the book store manager and my husband).  Unless the writer is very famous (one time I listened to Alice Walker from the bottom floor of Cody’s Bookstore in Berkeley because the reading on the second floor was overflowing), the crowds will be small.

But this exercise is for you—to see what it takes to form a writing practice, to see what is necessary to get a book published, and to notice what an author must do once published.

Here are some questions to consider once you are there.

·        Who is in the audience?  What is the make-up of the people present?  What do you think that says about the writer or the writer’s topic or subject?

·        What kind of ambiance does the venue provide?  Is it loud, quiet, crowded, empty?  How do you think this will affect the reading?

·        What is your first impression of the writer?

·        If you know of this writer, what ideas are you bringing into this performance?

·        What are the most interesting ideas, words, and discussion that you hear tonight?  What will you take home with you in terms of ideas about writing, language, revision, publication?

·        What was the least stimulating idea?  What could you have done without?

·        If you were a writer, how would you have handled this evening?

·        Did you/Do you want to buy the book?  Did anyone?

·        Did anyone ask the writer any questions?  Did you?  How do you think she/he handled the audience?

Once you return home, imagine yourself as the writer in front of the podium.  Ironically, many writers are introspective and kind of shy, people who like to sit alone for long periods of time and create stories and poems.  Then, once they are published, they are often asked and sometimes “forced” to sell their work in front of audiences.  But for you, the listener, hearing an author’s words, hearing poems and stories come from the mouth and go to the ear is useful not to mention entertaining.  And how often do you find published authors in front of you, ready and willing to answer questions?  Maybe you will hear that the author runs writing classes out of her home or teaches at a local college.  Maybe he will have brought flyers for workshops he’s teaching at or handouts about revision or editing or agents.  Take advantage of the situation—but never the author.  Don’t bring a manuscript up to an author you don’t know and ask him to read it.  Within the boundaries of the experience, though, get out of it what you can.

And after you’ve considered all the above, write up what you found, detailing your experiences in two to three pages, using MLA format, adding in anything of relevance.

Land classes--I want you to bring evidence of your visit. A handout, a flyer, a photo of the author, a postcard, a business card.  Online students--do what you can here with attachments, jpgs, photographs that you scan, etc.