Discovering your Writer Self

Attending the right graduate program can alter your life and writing style. Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but I think grad school gives you a wide range of skills. After reading a post entitled, "it feels like changing fortune," by fellow classmate Dave Kiefer, I agree with him when he writes how attending the University of Baltimore has significantly improved his writing. Before attending UB, I never wrote my stories by hand--I wrote every story directly into the computer. As a novice, I thought it was bad if you didn't know what your story was about before writing it. However, as I began to study the writing habits of writers that I admire such as Toni Morrison, I learned that many of them write their stories on a piece of paper or pad. At UB, I learned that writing is a process and an exciting journey. Discovering the story is the best part of writing. I used to think it was crazy when I heard writers tell journalists, "The story just came to me." But I can honestly say, this is true. A writer shouldn't cocooned himself in his dank, lonely writing den because the best material comes from the outside world. I find myself incorporating conversations I overheard and things I saw on TV into my writing. Writing is cultural; so why not embed society, media, and real life into your writing? With writing we are creating worlds, and those worlds should somewhat resemble "real" life. Not just fictional life.

A New Chapter...

Yesterday night, I attended the University of Baltimore's MFA Creative Writing & Publishing Arts Book Celebration. For that night, graduating students from the program showcased their books that they designed and printed (some made theirs by hand). The books looked great. The prices ranged from $5-$30. I purchased Adam Robinson's poetry collection entitled, Say, Poem. Students also read excerpts from their books which ranged from poetry, novel excerpts, novellas, short stories, to memoir. As I was watching my fellow classmates give their final readings as grad students, I thought about how in one year, it will be my turn. I will stand in front of my peers, colleagues, family, and friends, and share my child to the world. Then, I wondered what in the world will I do after graduation? Teach? Write? If I could have any wish, I would love to be a "professional" writer...I want to get paid to write...I know that a lot of writers who dedicate their lives to the craft and do not have a "day" job often apply for grants and fellowships...but I wonder, is that realistic? Is that even doable? If you're a full-time writer without a day job, can you give me pointers?

The Last Hurrah!

On May 7th, 2010, students in the MFA Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program at the University of Baltimore will showcase and display their final books on the fifth floor of the Student Center. This year, I know a handful of the graduates, so I'm excited to see their work. Last year, I attended the reading, and it was awe-inspiring to see how the books looked professional and attractive. At the University of Baltimore, students have to produce their own books, which means they can either get them printed using a commercial printer or they can hand-make them. I'm telling you now, I doubt I'll be making my final books by hand--too much work. Lord willingly, I will showcase my book to the world next year or should I say to a roomful of people. I am excited about that--my three years wrapped up in the completion of my final book. I already have an idea of how I want my book to look. It's hard to imagine that I will have wrote, designed, and printed my own book without the help of a publishing house. Anyway, I can't wait to see everyone's books! And hopefully, I can afford them (smile).

The end is almost here

The semester is almost over. It's like the countdown to freedom, but I'll admit there is nothing like getting up in the morning with purpose. I like to feel productive, although school can be stressful. Right now, I have a couple of major assignments due: Pedagogy presentation, Electronic Publishing final project, and an experimental writing assignment, but by the second week of May, it should be a wrap! But when I'm an old woman, I'll remember my days at UB--the days when I would stay until the closing of the Design Studio Lab to design work, taking the shuttle that drops me off at Penn Station, and definitely making those books by hand--and how many people can say that they handmade their books? Not many.