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Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
3

I’ve adjusted my travel plans in order to be sure to arrive in time for our big event at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Thursday evening, one of many off-site events complementing this year’s Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference. So I will soon be off to DC!

In any event, this will be my last post for a few days. I’ll be back to the blog(s) when I return from Washington. Thanks for your patience—and safe and easy travels to everyone making their way to #AWP17.

 

 

 

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Closing Out 2016

Happy New Year, people! Over the past week, I’ve been spending time following some of my own advice in terms of looking back on what happened in my writing practice in 2016 (and, yes, looking ahead to what I hope to work on in 2017).

This means that I’m working on a version of Lisa Romeo’s “I Did It!” list and completing Annette Gendler’s latest workbook. (And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, that means you haven’t yet read the January issue of The Practicing Writer, which went out to subscribers a few days ago—and is available online for everyone for the remainder of this month.)

Meantime, over on my other blog, I’ve assembled the latest in a series of year-end posts regarding my past 12 months in Jewish books.

And I’ve also completed and sent in my final Poetry Has Value update, covering December and providing a year-round earnings total. I don’t know when our PHV leader will post those updates, but the November batch is now available on the PHV site.

(more…)

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
5

Three Poems in a New Anthology

I haven’t yet received my copy of the book*, but I have three poems in this exciting new anthology, Theories of HER, which was published yesterday. Edited by Candace Habte, the book is described as a “timely collection of poetry, essay, literature and art, to pull back the curtain on what it truly means to be a woman- beyond stereotypes and labels.” (And when I last checked, you could find one of my poems, “Vocabulary Lesson, 1977,” included in the free sample that’s offered, so that’s also pretty exciting. For me, at least!)

I should add that Candace has been an absolute pleasure to work with. (It doesn’t hurt that she heaped praise on the “Vocabulary Lesson” poem right from the start!)

*Update on Wednesday morning: just received my free e-book! And the book is free for the next couple of days via Amazon Kindle, too. (more…)

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

CvLD6ILWgAAVzL8A Night at the New York Society Library

Last Wednesday evening found me at the New York Society Library, where I participated with other Library members in reading from our recent work. With a five-minute limit, I read three poems: one that was recently published; one that was recently accepted for publication but has not yet appeared; and one that continues to seek a home (how’s that for a euphemism to replace “has been rejected 25 times [and counting]”—yes, that is an accurate tally, not an exaggeration). To be fair to myself, however, that poem has received one of the most amazing rejection notes I’ve collected over all these years of writing and sending out my work. (And speaking of tallies—and rejections—there’s a new batch of updates over on the Poetry Has Value site, including one from me.)

The Library always does such a beautiful job hosting these evenings (there is food! and wine!), and I’m always inspired by so much of what other people share. This reading was also memorable because I brought a small fan club: my mom, and my close friend Rachel Hall, who was in town for events connected with Heirlooms, her new book. (more…)

Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer

by Erika Dreifus on
3

About #AWP17

So, Monday morning brought news that lots of writers were waiting for—outcomes for panel proposals submitted for the program of the 2017 Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference which will take place in Washington next February. I’ll cut to the chase: The proposal that I organized was rejected.

I wasn’t all that surprised. (At this point, I’m much more surprised when one of my panels is accepted.) Of course, it’s entirely possible that the rejection is a matter of sheer mathematics and the fact that far more proposals were submitted than could be accepted. I’m not going to speculate whew about any other reasons why the panel wasn’t approved.

But I will say a couple of other things. (more…)