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Marathon Reading in New York City Next Thursday, May 10

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Each morning, not very long after I finish posting, I head out to my (still relatively new nonacademic) job at The City University of New York (CUNY). And as you may have noticed from time to time in my posts over the past few months, I’ve been getting to know a lot about the different parts of the University–including the truly amazing collection of writing programs that fall under the CUNY umbrella.

Now we can all get to know these writing programs even better, through the writers on their faculties. Many of these writers–including Michael Cunningham, Billy Collins, Tom Sleigh, and many more–will be taking part in a “Marathon Reading” at CUNY’s Graduate Center. The event is slated for Thursday, May 10, beginning at 4PM. Check out details here.

Two More Opportunities

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Two more opportunities to tell you about:

First, the Department of English and Theatre at Eastern Kentucky University is looking for a fiction writer for a tenure-track appointment (rank of assistant professor). See the announcement at the Chronicle of Higher Education.

And the second comes from the Richard Hugo House in Seattle:

Richard Hugo House is accepting applications for its arts residency program – the “Hugo Huts”- that will provide two writers with subsidized housing in Seattle’s historic Belltown Cottages, plus the opportunity to teach in the Hugo Writing Classes.

Each writer will begin his or her residency on September 1, 2007, with a term of 12 months, subject to a month-to-month approval of the Parks Department. The below-market rent does not include utilities. Applications are due by June 1.

Read the full announcement here. No application fee indicated.

The Next Generation of Practicing Writers

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

I like to consider myself someone who’s helping to cultivate the next generation of practicing writers, particularly among the several precious preschoolers who call me “Aunt Erika.” Recently, for example, I bought my niece (she’s “three-and-a-half,” as she’ll tell you) a composition book at a drugstore around the corner from her apartment. It’s now her special “story” book, in which Aunt Erika records, verbatim (or as close to verbatim as possible) stories we create together (I prompt with a line like “Once upon a time,” or “and then the little girl said….”, and my niece smiles and starts speaking). She loves watching me actually “write” her words on the page, and I love watching her become so engaged in the process of creating a story (as nonsensical as said story may be).

So I’m always looking out for online tips for helping children become avid readers and writers. Recently I found this great page at the National Writing Project. If you have prospective practicing writers in your life, you should check it out, too. It will lead you to some other excellent sites as well, such as this one from PBS.

And Further Reflections on the Role of Creative Writing in the Tragedy at Virginia Tech

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

In two previous posts (here and here) I’ve tried to reflect a bit on the place of creative writing in last week’s terrible events at Virginia Tech. And I’ve tried to link to others’ thoughts; in this post I’ll refer you to some more of that writing:

In The New York Times, Marc Santora and Christine Hauser write that the “Anger of Killer Was on Exhibit in His Writings.”

For a different take, see Stephen King’s commentary for Entertainment Weekly.

There’s also a conversation on this topic over on the After the MFA blog.

Then there’s Diane Roberts’s commentary on NPR’s Weekend Edition (Sunday). You can hear it here.

Finally, there’s this article in the Baltimore Sun and this one in New York Magazine.

Friday Find: "Reading How You’re Read"

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

Most serious writers encounter critiques at some point in their writing lives. If you’re lucky, you’ll get some solid training on how to write critiques for others’ work. And if you’re really lucky, you’ll get some good advice on how to read the critiques you receive on your own work, too. That guidance might very well include Ann Pancake’s article in the new (May/June 2007) Poets & Writers magazine. Check it out, (and click here for the issue’s full Table of Contents, including other segments also reprinted online).