You may have been following along with me as I blogged from my fourth MFA in Writing residency at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. If you read every post–I’m looking at you, PJ Reece!–then feel free to move on. If you weren’t tuning in every day, here’s a recap:
CRAFT AND OBSERVATION
- How to find that quiet place that will allow you to write.
- Determining if you write more with your eyes or with your ears.
- Considering what type of student you’d like to teach.
- Knowing who your audience is for your creative output (or not).
- Embracing theft as a way of creating.
- A look at the types of students you find in a writing workshop.
- Finding your voice in essays and blogging.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
- My struggle to transition from real life to the surreal world that is residency.
- Good news about a future teaching gig.
- The experience of a piece of writing demanding to be written.
- My attempt to find the positive in a negative workshopping experience.
- A reflection on lessons learned.
We’ll go for one more ride this summer; my final residency starts Wednesday, June 27th!
The Artist's Road 
i started writing as a returning woman to the campus in 83, and I had Oakley Hall and the other co-director as teachers. Oakley would encourage a leaf to move off a tree; the other guy didn’t like older women (i was early 40s) and often I felt lacerated by his “why do you want to write,” go back to being a secretary even though my writing was good I just kept onl. Oakley said somethng to the effect – just keep writing your 77,000 pages, or whatever the magic number was. At times, i would be stunned into cave like hurt and wouldn’t write for 6 months; this happened after i graduated. But my answer to critics, it hurts, some are valid, but if you keep writing, you’ll get it and doors open for you when you need more insight into writing. I now teach it. But i am like taffy on the Taffy Machine, still being stretched, but oh the colors and the texture of the taffy. I noticed there’s a terrific underbelly to all these writing adventures in groups. But still I plug along. Best to you!
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“But i am like taffy on the Taffy Machine, still being stretched, but oh the colors and the texture of the taffy.” I love this!
Thank you for your loyal readership, and for sharing your own experience here. Kudos for following your creative passion!
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