Looking To Art And Community For Hope: A Conversation With Poet Angela Voras-Hills

by Angela Hugunin

For Angela Voras-Hills, community—whether in person or through books—is essential. An accomplished poet and wearer of multiple hats, Voras-Hills finds community to be valuable to the artistic process and life itself. Currently, she is organizing the Midwest Poetry Festival. This year, she released her debut poetry collection, Louder Birds , which was chosen by Traci Brimhall for the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Prize. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Kenyon Review Online, New Ohio Review,  Memorious, Rattle, Crab Orchard Review, and Best New Poets, among other journals and anthologies. She has been awarded grants from The Sustainable Arts Foundation and Key West Literary Seminar, as well as a fellowship from Writers' Room of Boston.

I recently had the pleasure of sharing an Angela-Angela chat with Voras-Hills. She shared insight into her inspirations, her outlook on the current state of the environment, the planet’s relevance to creativity, and the wonders of community. Voras-Hills was originally scheduled to be at an event celebrating National Poetry Month and Earth Day in April along with poets Kathryn Nuernberger and Claire Wahmanholm. However, the event has since been canceled in an effort to limit the potential spread of COVID-19. Nevertheless, Voras-Hills is an important voice for these times. Her work is honest and thought-provoking, and her responses to the following questions brought me hope in the midst of uncertain times. Through her wise responses, Voras-Hills offers meaningful encouragement, sharing insight and reading suggestions perfect for social distancing.

Angela Hugunin: You have multiple important roles, including poet, community organizer, and mother. What connections have you found between art and ecology? With that, what role do you see poets playing in sustainability?

Angela Voras-Hills: Poets have always looked to nature for answers. I mean, people have always looked to nature for answers (I’m thinking augury, astrology, bestiaries, etc.) and to understand life. Artists spend a lot of time observing the world, so it makes sense that we try to make sense of it while it shifts around us. Whether blatantly or not, I think most artists are ecologists to some extent.

As poets, I think we keep conversations about sustainability and the natural world moving forward. We call attention to the way things are changing, we create and depict potential futures based on the present, and we reimagine the past for guidance. While some people are reluctant to hear scientific data about how the natural world is changing, reading a book or poem in which the reader identifies themselves in this changing world can potentially help them understand their role and what is at stake. The more artists can connect with people, the more willing (I hope) people will be to see themselves as part of the world around them.

AH: As we approach National Poetry Month, I’d love to hear about which poets have most inspired you!

 AVH: My first loves were Wislawa Szymborska, Louise Gluck, Brigit Pegeen Kelly, and Linda Gregg. And then Jane Hirshfield, Laura Kasischke, Ada Limon. I mean, this list could go on for so long (and it would consist primarily of female poets), but these are the poets I turn to when I forget why poetry matters and how good it can be.

AH: Earth Day always brings a renewed energy to the environmental movement, yet lately, it feels like a lot of the news we’ve gotten about the planet has been discouraging. Last month, the Clean Water Act was weakened, stripping previously protected waterways of that protection. In the midst of this sort of news, where do you turn for hope?

AVH: Ugh. Hope can be so hard. Honestly, because I have kids, and because I had them in the face of this knowledge, I have to hold onto the silliest things. In my poem “Never Eat a Polar Bear’s Liver,” I say “I find hope in tending/red worms digesting scraps in a bin/beneath my sink.” It’s crazy, the little things I will do for hope. Composting. Recycling. Until there is big change, I’m not sure how much any of these small things really matter, but it is something I can do, and that’s better than doing nothing? And, to be real, the work of poets and writers and artists—knowing that I’m not alone in my hopefulness—that helps tremendously. 

AH: A lot of times, poetry is thought of as a solitary pursuit, yet I see you’re also a passionate community organizer and the founder of Arts + Literature Laboratory in Madison (which sounds like it could be an awesome cousin of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild!). How have you seen creativity and community work in tandem, either through that organization or elsewhere?

AVH: YES! Community is my favorite! Before I found community, I was an avid journaler, an angsty, solitary scrawler of nonsense, and also a teenage mom. Being alone for so long is hard, and it’s nice to know there are other people out there thinking things you are thinking and doing things you want to do. And organizations that bring literature into the community/invite the community into literature make people see that writing and thinking and art are for everyone. Having a space where we can all exchange ideas and collaborate, where we are learning and creating together, really changes the shape of and conversation throughout a community. These are spaces that connect people who may not otherwise ever meet each other, and isn’t that so great? I’m looking forward to getting to know more of the people involved with the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. Hooray, community!

 (That said, I think you can find community in books if that is who you are. But if you are not the kind of person who wants to Emily Dickinson their way through life, it’s so good to know other writers and readers.)

AH: You have a new poetry book out and I am intrigued just from the title, Louder Birds. Critics are already praising your ability to weave together Midwestern character with some of life’s biggest questions. Can you tell us a bit about what these poems collectively explore?

AVH: It’s funny, because a lot of people ask, “What is your book about?” and I never really have a great answer—it is decidedly not a “project book.” The book is definitely Midwestern. I was thinking a lot about home and what it means to be home (I started it while living in Boston), to come from a place. There is a lot of snow. There is a lot of blood. I spent so much of my childhood on my grandparents' farm and at my other grandparents' bar/resort, and this feeds a lot of the poems. During the time I was writing, my grandmother had Alzheimer’s, my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, my 8-year-old became a teenager, I had a baby. There is a lot of life existing alongside death. I'm into taxidermy. I'm terrified by climate change. A friend once said my poems are "the domestic gone feral," which I like. The collection is bleak, but I think hopeful, and maybe an argument for living, for seeing this mess through.

AH: Can you give us a sneak peek of what you hoped to share at the event?

 AVH: Sure! This was originally published in the Spring 2017 issue of Arkansas International.

Controlled Burn

The doe ran into the road, flipped

over our hood and dragged her back legs

across the highway into woods. The same day,

they were killing a man in Oklahoma

who wouldn’t die, they were deciding

when to try again, and men in masks

and bright orange suits set fire to the marsh—

the burning flesh of milkweed and switchgrass.

We are told to be fruitful. We are told

to rejoice. The next day, a hospital bed

is set up in the front room of the farmhouse

whose roof might collapse at any minute. As though

the heavens are aware of the weight

of a minute, as though each minute

responds solely to the sky. It’s illegal

to follow an injured deer

into woods with a gun,

but is it ok to tell a child about heaven

if you don’t believe it exists? Yes,

sing the chorus frogs,

who’d burrowed into the heart

of the marsh to escape the flames.

No, hisses the body

of a vole squashed flat,

perfectly filling

a crack in the blacktop.

AH: What are some words of wisdom you’d give to the aspiring poets out there?

AVH: I’ll yell again about community here, because finding people to support you feels so good. And read, read, read, read, read. Anything that speaks to you.

“Giving Away How An Act…Is Done Doesn't Make It Lose Any Of The Magic”: 5 Questions with Tessa Fontaine

Rome Alfonsas Balciunas

Some say that life is stranger than fiction.  It’s a claim that’s hard to dispute when one reads Tessa Fontaine’s debut memoir The Electric Woman, which recounts Tessa’s experiences performing in the last traveling show in America while simultaneously processing her mother’s declining health. Hailed as an “assured debut that doesn’t shy away from the task of holding the ordinary and otherworldly in its hand,” (New York Times Book Review),  “fascinating and heartfelt” (Booklist), and “ a behind-the-scenes peek at carnival life, and an ode to unconditional love" (Omnivoracious), indeed, the book has made quite a splash since its publication in 2018.  It’s gripping, poignant, and vivid in a way that fully embodies the undeniable beauty of nonfiction.

I had the honor of interviewing Tessa, who will serve as this summer’s nonfiction writer-in-residence at The Priory Writers’ Retreat. Apply now for Tessa’s workshop: “Beauty In Brevity: Finding Power In Flash Creative Nonfiction And Memoir.”

Rome Alfonsas Balciunas: Regarding the experiences in The Electric Woman, at what point did you realize you had to write about that time in your life?

Tessa Fontaine: As a person with a brain wired for writing, every experience has the potential to end up in a piece of writing, whether directly or indirectly. It was clear to me pretty early on that the stories of all the other sideshow performers were amazing, stories I wanted to record. I took copious notes while I was on the road, hundreds and hundreds of pages, but I had no idea what form it would take. I wrote short "Notes from the Road" essays while I was out there, and published them as I went. And then, when it was over and I had all these notes, I started sifting through them, trying to find some organizational principle. The more I reread all the moments, all the stories of the sideshow world, the more convinced I was I needed to try to write it out as a book.

RB: One of my favorite things about the book is how your descriptive language is vivid to the point of being visceral, and indeed hair-raising in some places. Reading your accounts of the different carnival acts made me feel like a member of the audience, witnessing the show with every one of my senses. How did you achieve such a hyper-realist style? Did any writers influence this style?

TF: Thank you! I worked very hard on describing the acts as thoroughly as possible. Giving away how an act, like sword swallowing, is done doesn't make it lose any of the magic—I think understanding that a real person is really putting a sword down their throat makes it all the more magical. Lots of writers influenced my writing - a few people I read over and over again while working on the book were Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, Lidia Yuknavitch's The Chronology of Water, Jesmyn Ward's Salvage the Bones, and poems by Li-Young Lee. All those writers are able to describe a world that I feel, as a reader, I get to fully inhabit.

RB: Your memoir does an incredible job of juxtaposing the difficulties of your mother's health and eventual passing alongside your experiences in the last traveling sideshow in America. When did you see these two strands of your story fitting together? Why did you choose to join the last traveling sideshow, as opposed to any other adventure?

TF: When I was first culling my notes, I thought I'd write a narrative nonfiction account of my time in the sideshow without my mother's story in it. Never in a million years did I expect to write a memoir. But as I was working on the draft, something kept falling flat—like, I wasn't being honest about what I was doing out there, or why. So it eventually became clear to me that I had to tell the whole story. As for why the sideshow—when I went down to Florida to interview the performers and watch the show, before I had any inkling that I'd join myself, I was amazed by these people who could stand on stage and perform away their fear, like their bodies were indestructible. And because I'd been watching my mom's body suffer so much, the sideshow performers seemed almost like they were outside suffering, or perhaps choosing how to suffer, to control their own pain. I wanted to do that myself.

“...when I went down to Florida to interview the performers and watch the show, before I had any inkling that I’d join myself, I was amazed by these people who could stand on stage and perform away their fear, like their bodies were indestructible.”

RB: What are you working on now?

TF: A novel!

RB: Your presentation at The Priory Retreat this summer will be about the beauty of extremely short creative nonfiction. What about flash nonfiction speaks to you in a way that longer styles of writing don’t?

TF: I think flash nonfiction offers us insight into being human through micro-experience - a moment, an object, a morsel. It allows for a super zoomed lens on something that then speaks for something else, much larger, almost the way a haiku can point to something so specific while also raising bigger philosophical questions. Also, it can be a delight for the eye. I love encountering white space on the page - literally, gaps between the text that force the reader to make some narrative connections herself. It allows for the great pleasure of juxtaposition and accumulation of imagery. I'm really looking forward to exploring this form with writers at The Priory Writers’ Retreat this summer!

For more on  Tessa’s course at The Priory, click here.



A Sneak Peek At “The Story of Your Life”; 6 Questions With B.J. Hollars On His Upcoming Event

Angela Hugunin

The past holds power. It pulls us toward reflection, helps us connect with others, and, somehow, also propels us forward. Yet it’s an elusive beast, one that can be difficult to catch while going it solo. How can we do it justice in our writing?

An upcoming event provides the perfect opportunity to refine our story-gathering skills. On March 10th, B.J. Hollars will give a craft talk titled, “The Story of Your Life: Writing Your Forgotten Past” from 6-7 p.m. at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. The event is part of the Eau Claire County Reads series. Isa Small, programming and communication manager for the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, shared her excitement for B.J.’s event, connecting it to the protagonist’s journey in A Man Called Ove, this year’s selected title.  “It really is in sharing his past that Ove finds his future,” Isa said of the book. 

But in order to share our past in an engaging way, we could all use a guide. A seasoned storyteller in his own right, B.J. Hollars is the ideal leader for this sort of expedition. He’s the author of numerous books, including  Midwestern Strange: Hunting Monsters, Martians and the Weird in Flyover Country, The Road South: Personal Stories of the Freedom Riders,  Flock Together: A Love Affair With Extinct Birds, and From the Mouths of Dogs: What Our Pets Teach Us About Life, Death, and Being Human. In addition, he is an English professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and the founder and executive director of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. He has made story an integral part of his life and loves exploring it with others.

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with B.J. about the upcoming event. He shared insight about the value of writing about one’s past and how that can spark important connections with others.

Angela Hugunin: In some of your recent writing, including a piece for the Washington Post  (congrats, by the way!), you noted that you want to share unforgettable experiences with your children while you can. In Midwestern Strange, you set out to explore legends shared by communities, some of which have a long history. How has writing helped you rediscover important parts of your own past that you might otherwise have forgotten? 

B.J. Hollars: Writing, for me, is a time machine that travels both ways.  Some days I’m digging deep into my forgotten past, other days I’m dreaming up a future I can barely imagine.  No matter which way I’m traveling, I’m always trying to create an experience that will be meaningful to others.  The best way to make that happen, I think, is to continually strive to connect with the human heart.  Sure, you always run the risk of sentimentality, but when you get it just right, you can open up doors that allow readers to explore their own pasts and futures. 

Of course, the past gives us the most material.  As Flannery O’Connor famously said, “Anybody who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days.”  There’s a lot of truth there.  The hard part is separating the sepia-toned version of a past event from the authentic version.  That’s where the hard work happens.  That’s where I grapple the most.  

AH: Some memories are fuzzy, faraway and tough to pinpoint. What tricks do you have for conjuring up the past?

BH: Throughout the craft talk, we’ll work through half a dozen writing exercises specifically geared toward conjuring past events.  The fun part about writing exercises is that you’re never quite sure which exercise will trigger which memory.  Some exercises seem geared toward recalling the tough times, others more toward light-hearted moments.  But often, things become messy in the memory.  I’m always astonished when a seemingly simple exercise helps me dredge up a forgotten memory.

One of my favorite exercises involves drawing a blueprint of one’s childhood home.  Then, I ask writers to label the rooms, and attach a memory or two to each space.  It’s amazing what you can remember about your childhood home’s laundry room, for instance, when you really stop to consider it.

AH: I’ve heard that smell and sound are strongly linked to memory. What’s a specific scent or song that sparks a special memory for you?

BH: I have so many!  Somewhere in my bathroom I still have some half-filled cologne bottle from high school.  When I really want to take a stroll down memory lane, I’ll start there...

As for songs, I have different ones for various eras or moments.  For instance, my reflective teenage days were once embodied by Dave Matthews Band’s “Crash into Me” (quit laughing, I’m being honest here!  Ha).  A recent trip to an island off the coast of Ireland is captured by Bon Iver’s “Jelmore.”  Sometimes I’ll create full playlists when working on a manuscript in an effort to get my brain in the time and place it needs to be to write the piece. 

AH: I’ve been lucky to gain awesome writing tips from you in classes at UW-Eau Claire. For this event, you’ll be bringing your teaching off campus, likely with folks of a different age group. What do you most enjoy about teaching in a setting like the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, where more community members are present?

BH: Well that’s awful kind, and here’s the 20.00 I owe you for saying so…JK.  More seriously, one of my favorite things about teaching in community settings such as the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library is the opportunity to connect with all sorts of folks with all sorts of backgrounds and experiences, all of whom share a common interest in the written word.  Of course, such a community can be found in a college classroom, too, but the community courses tend to lend themselves to more intergenerational teaching, which I also love.  The more different we are, the richer the stories.  For instance, once, while a young student asked for help on an essay on the 1940 Chicago Cubs, a non-traditional piped in, “I went to all the games that season!”  The observation lit up the room.  I realized I’d probably never hear such a comment in a workshop again.  Ever since that moment, I’ve been doubly committed to creating experiences for community writers.  We’re all better when we can share our knowledge.

AH: Sometimes I hesitate to write about my life because I’m afraid it’s not exciting enough. What advice would you give to those who aren’t sure their stories matter?

BH: If you’re concerned about potentially “navel gazing,” so to speak, then there’s a good chance you’ll avoid it.  Often, the problem is when people don’t have any clue that their stories don’t resonate with others.  A mentor once told me that the most important lesson we can teach our students is that their stories matter, and that “they all flow into the same river.”  That last bit sort of puzzled me for awhile, but I think I know what he meant.  And I know he’s right, too. 

The writer Brian Doyle has an apropos quote which I think about often.  I’m paraphrasing, but the gist is “Writing is not about you, it’s about us.”  This is the thought I always carry with me.   It’s the safeguard that steers from away from the navel gazing.

AH: In your opinion, what’s the value of exploring one’s past?

BH: Self-reflection is how we get better.  It’s how I’ve become a better teacher, a better writer, a better husband, a better father, and a better human.  Of course, I still have a long way to go on all of these fronts.  In the same way athletes watch game tape, writers return to their pasts.  I don’t think we’re necessarily trying to analyze our errors as much as keeping an eye out for meaningful moments that, when skillfully rendered, might make meaning for others, too.   I guess that’s the trick of this, and something I look forward to chatting about during the craft talk: How do we take a personal moment and make it meaningful art for others?

Join B.J. Hollars at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library on Tuesday, March 10th from 6-7 pm for an evening of discovery, writing, and peering into the past!

What To Know "Before and After The Book Deal": An Interview with Courtney Maum

 by Elizabeth de Cleyre

One of my MFA professors once brought in a freshly-printed book deal and said, “One day, if you’re lucky, you might have one of these.” Aside from one hour in the presence of a contract, the two-year curriculum did not include a comprehensive guide to the ins-and-outs of publishing. Most graduate programs focus on the writing itself, not what happens after its written. And yet this naive graduate student had once hoped a book deal would be handed out with diplomas.

 Most writers cobble together an understanding of publishing and promotion through articles and books, lacking cohesion and leaving holes in one’s understanding. The often mystifying process feels that much more bewildering when discussed in bits and pieces. There are the known unknowns—that which we know we don’t know, like how advances actually work and how much to expect—and then there are unknown unknowns—all that we don’t even know we don’t know.

 Thankfully, Courtney Maum breaks down the mystifying process of publishing in promotion in her latest book, Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book. The comprehensive guide is equal parts entertaining and enlightening, informed by her own career as a novelist and extensive research and interviews with agents, editors, writers and authors.

 In November, Maum delivered the endnote address at The Loft’s Wordsmith Conference in Minneapolis, where she pointed out the precariousness of publishing and offered practical advice for redefining success.

 I ran into Maum at the elevator, and quickly blurted out how much I adored her chapbook Notes from Mexico, a slim book that stayed with me long after its publication in 2012. Her funny and heartfelt debut I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You garnered praise from seemingly everyone, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, O Magazine The New York Times Book Review, Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In Maum’s second novel Touch, a trend forecaster for a tech company envisions people moving away from smart devices and back toward “in-personism;” I count the remarkably prescient and palpable book among my favorite novels. Her latest was published by Tin House in July of 2019, which Margaret Leonard of Dotters Books called, “a wonderful coming-of-age story, the heat of Costalegre makes it the perfect summer read.”

 Now in the depths of winter, Maum generously answered questions via email about her first work nonfiction, the importance of writing residencies and workshops, dispensing sage advice in her free newsletter, and running a collaborative retreat in Connecticut. 

Elizabeth de Cleyre: What inspired you to write Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book? 

 Courtney Maum: In America, there are tons of books that purport to teach you how to write well enough to get a book deal, and there are lots of classes and conferences you can attend for the same purpose. But when you actually achieve your dream and get that book deal? Good luck finding any advice! I wanted to write this book because it doesn’t exist and I felt it really needed to. What does life look and feel like as a published author? How do you navigate the very weird transition between being your book’s writer and then becoming its author (and its ambassador and social media manager and PR manager and…)

EDC: The experience of publishing and promoting a book about publishing and promoting a book seems so meta. Has the publishing and promotional experience been any different from your last four books? Was there anything you learned in the writing of this book that helped you with the publishing and promotion process? 

 CM: Meta indeed! This was a different kind of publishing experience, for sure. It’s my first book of non-fiction, and it’s also the first book of mine that has content that I can easily teach, so touring for this book has been an entirely different ball game. I’m working with students, teaching at writing centers, lecturing. There’s something of a built-in audience for Before and After the Book Deal, so I know when I do events that people will actually show up, whereas with novels, you never know what to expect. If you get five people, you’re super lucky.

 This year, I published two books: Before and After the Book Deal and Costalegre. I’ll never do it again, it’s honestly too much work having books six months apart, but one of the positives is that I haven’t had the free time to worry  about how either book is doing. I just do what I need to do and move on. There quite literally isn’t time to sweat the small stuff—that has been a positive for me, because you don’t get far in publishing when you are obsessed with control—so many factors are out of your hands, sometimes it’s just healthier to let go, trust your team, and see what happens.

EDC: In the section entitled "When the show goes on the road" you mention how audience members (usually men) will ask touring authors advice on how to get their own books, and you suggest directing them to the "'writing reference” section in the bookshop where they can find this book." How many times has this happened to you? Has it happened to you on this tour? 

 CM: Incredibly, this is probably the ONE tour where I haven’t had “that guy” ask this question. It’s amazing, right? Before, it didn’t matter which novel I was touring for, I always had someone who would be like, okay, I don’t really care what you’re saying, the real question is how can you help me? I guess having non-fiction out posits you as an expert in your subject. The questions during my Q&As (and they are actual questions! Not comments cloaked as questions) have been serious, thoughtful, savvy. The audience members, too.

 EDC: You recently mentioned that early feedback on the book idea was to self-publish. Why? Did you consider it? Why did you want to work with a traditional publisher? 

 CM: I didn’t consider it for an instant. I self-published a collection of short stories in my late twenties and it was a very positive experience that I considered a stepping stone to traditional publication. I don’t think that certain gatekeepers understood the shape this book was going to take when they were imagining it as a published object. They thought it was going to be an exposé about the industry or a memoir—my “publishing memoir.” (You can’t see me, but I’m laughing.) It wasn’t until I got the entire thing under their noses where they were like, oh, wow. Now we get it. This is actually a really empowering book.

 EDC: How long did it take you to find a publisher, and how did the connection with Catapult come about? 

 CM: It didn’t take long at all. Our submission list was really small and Catapult responded right away— Julie Buntin, my editor for this book, saw the value in the project immediately because she herself is both an editor and a writer. This being said, when it was on submission, it was only “After the Book Deal.” Catapult rightly argued that the book would find a wider audience if I added a “Before” section to it so that we could offer people a really comprehensive resource. I think that was a smart call.

 EDC: Before and After the Book Deal is easily the most comprehensive and compelling book on the publishing industry that I've read, one that should be required reading for all writers. You mentioned interviewing nearly 200 individuals for the book. How did you condense all that research? What was the process like? How did you decide how to structure it? 

 CM: Thank you! Gosh, it was such a great process. Usually the writing of a book is so lonely—not so with this book. From the get-go, I was in touch with authors and publishing professionals WAY above my station. So many people were so generous, giving me their time and sharing their knowledge before I even had a book deal for the project.

 I wrote the table of contents first. Then I did a beat sheet, basically, sketching out what my intro to each section would be about and putting placeholders for either the exact contributor I wanted or what kind of quote I wanted, then I’d find the right person to offer tonality of quote. I pulled from my own contacts maybe 40% of the time, and for the rest of the book, I asked people to recommend people—I wanted to make sure that I was talking beyond my circle of colleagues and friends. There really wasn’t anything cut from the book. Except my run-on sentences.

 EDC: Was there anything you came across in your research that really surprised you? Or did it feel like you were mostly affirming and structuring what you already knew or had experienced? 

 CM: I think what surprised me, as you intuited, was also an affirmation—what surprised me was how ready people were to talk about this topic, about what life is really like off of social media, behind the curtain, for the published writer. We are educated to be hashtag grateful all the time, and people were just so ready to say, you know what? Sure, publishing is a privilege but it is really hard. It makes us raw. It makes us vulnerable. Things don’t go the way we want. When they do go the way we want, we don’t know what to aim for any more. Success is always a moving target in this industry and that can be hard to sit with.

 EDC: Part of what makes the book compelling and hard to put down is the injection of humor. You've written witty columns for Tin House, taught online courses through Catapult on how to be funny on the page, and have an upcoming AWP panel on humor in fiction. Much of publishing advice is serious and a little stiff, so why did you decide to incorporate comic elements? Was it difficult, given the subject matter or publishing standards for this kind of book?

 CM: What would have been difficult would have been to write this book without humor. Writing is hard enough, who wants to read a somber guide about writing and publishing? I think that a sense of humor is the number one tool you’ll need in your survival kit if you want to be a published writer. There is just so little you can control, so many arbitrary things that happen, lucky strikes that come out of nowhere, terrible luck that ruins your book launch—if you don’t have a sense of humor about the whole thing, or learn to develop one, I am not exaggerating—you are going to have a nervous breakdown.

 EDC: You founded a collaborative retreat in Norfolk, Connecticut for people working in the arts. What was the inspiration for The Cabins, and how has it evolved? 

 CM: My husband is a filmmaker, and it was on the short film festival circuit that I first got the idea for The Cabins. I thought, gosh, isn’t this ridiculous, all these short film filmmakers who will never meet the short story writers whose work they are in a perfect position to adapt. Originally, I envisioned The Cabins as a collaboration between writers and filmmakers, but it turns out that filmmakers are impossible to pin down. Much like actors, they are in the gig economy and have to be able to drop everything at a moment’s notice.  It’s hard for them to commit to anything. So when I finally did create the program, I made it  truly interdisciplinary. It’s like an adult summer arts camp where everyone learns from each other. We get out of our silos. We learn things we didn’t even know we wanted to learn.

 EDC: In addition to writing books, you also lecture and teach at workshops like Tin House Winter Workshop and the Loft Wordsmith Conference, among others. Can you speak to the role or importance of writing residencies and workshops? 

 CM: Your success in the publishing industry is going to be largely based on your ability to forge and maintain relationships. Going to writing workshops and conferences teaches you how to be a good listener, it teaches you how to small talk, how to give feedback, how to take feedback. For many, the writing workshop is one of the first places where we get a glimpse of how our work will be received by the outside world. But perhaps more importantly, sometimes we meet someone at these things—even in passing—who changes our approach to writing. Or to life. I took a one-hour master class with Michelle Hoover back at the Wesleyan Writers Workshop in 2011 and I am telling you, it changed my writing. I started getting published. That one hour, with one great teacher, made me a better writer.

 EDC: What books are you reading and recommending lately? 

 CM: Thank you for asking! I just finished Jacqueline Woodson’s Red at the Bone. My God. I’ve never read such a gorgeous book. I just adored it. I am currently reading Sally Rooney’s Normal People. I wanted to wait until the hype died down to do so. I pre-ordered Jenny Offill’s Weather and I’m sure I’ll be a wreck when it arrives because I will wish that I could write a book like that. And I can’t wait for my friend Marie Helene Bertino’s Parakeet to come out this spring!

 EDC: What's next for you? What are you working on now? 

 CM: I’m excited about this newsletter I’ve launched called “Get Published, Stay Published.” People can sign up on my website CourtneyMaum.com – it’s free. I’m getting ready for the June edition of The Cabins, and I’m revising a memoir about depression. And I’m still promoting Costalegre and Before and After the Book Deal around the country.

Find more of Courtney Maum’s books on her website, https://www.courtneymaum.com/books

 Elizabeth de Cleyre is a writer and editor. Find her at cedecreative.com.

Chippewa Valley Writers Guild to Host The Priory Writers’ Retreat for Second Summer

credit: Justin Patchin

From June 25-28, 2020, the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild is thrilled to host The Priory Writers’ Retreat for a second year.  Retreat dates are June 25-28, 2020. 

Originally established as a monastery for Benedictine nuns in 1964, today The Priory serves as an ideal location for creativity to flourish.  Situated on 120 wooded acres just miles from downtown Eau Claire, the property features 48 single-occupancy dorm style, air-conditioned rooms, several common areas, and no shortage of natural splendor. 

This summer’s course offerings include:

• Tessa Fontaine’s “Beauty in Brevity: Finding Power in Flash Creative Nonfiction and Memoir"

• Nickolas Butler’s “Great Tales of Action and Adventure (and Horror, too…)”

• Kimberly Blaeser’s “Poetry of Spirit and Witness”

• Peter Geye’s “The First Chapter, the Last Chance: How The Opening Pages of Your Novel Can Make It Or Break It”

“This summer is poised to be our best yet,” said Guild executive director, B.J. Hollars.  “We’ve worked hard to bring participants our most unique offerings to date, including courses on flash nonfiction and memoir, action and adventure narratives, and more.  We hope there’s something for everyone.”

Hollars also noted that while the daily schedule will mostly remain the same (sustained creative time in the morning, workshopping in the afternoon, and celebratory readings, music and performances in the evening), the retreat will showcase some changes as well.  “We’ve overhauled our entire menu,” Hollars said, “and also secured partnerships with SHIFT Cyclery and Coffee Bar and The Brewing Projekt.  We want both local and out-of-town writers to enjoy some of Eau Claire’s local offerings.”

Additional sponsors include: the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, Pablo Center at the Confluence, Wisconsin Writers Association, Visit Eau Claire, Wisconsin Arts Board,  JAMF Software, and Write On, Door County.

In addition to robust writer-in-residence led workshops, participants will also enjoy craft talks from Nickolas Butler, Kimberly Blaeser, Peter Geye, as well as a keynote address from Tessa Fontaine.  On Saturday, June 27, The Priory Celebratory Reading will be held at Pablo Center at the Confluence.  Tickets will soon be available to the public.

Priory participant Erin Stevens recently commented on her experience during The Priory’s inaugural summer.  “What I love most about The Priory is the opportunity to learn from writers of all genres.  While I had signed up for and worked most closely with the essay group last year, it was incredibly beneficial to hear the craft talks from the fiction and poetry writers-in-residence.”

The cost is 480.00. This includes three-nights lodging, on-site meals and drinks, personalized instruction and critique, commemorative mug, craft talks and keynote address, bus transport to and from Pablo Center at the Confluence, complimentary ticket to the Writer-in-Residence Reading, and all other on-site events. For non-lodging participants, spots are available for 380.00.  Scholarships are available, including our “Writer Exchange Contest,” which provides a free stay at Write On, Door County’s retreat.

Applications open February 1.  To apply, prepare a 500-word writing statement, as well as a writing sample. For prose workshops (Nickolas Butler, Tessa Fontaine and Peter Geye), please submit no more than 10 double-spaced pages of a single piece (excerpts are fine) or multiple short pieces, if preferred.  For our poetry workshop (Kimberly Blaeser), please submit 3-5 poems. 

Be inspired, inspire others, and we hope to see you this summer!

Five BIG Updates to The Priory Writers’ Retreat

B.J. Hollars

Our first summer at The Priory Writers’ Retreat was nothing short of magical.  In no small part, this was due to the perfect combination of committed writers, engaging writers-in-residence, and a comfortable setting.  But in the spirit of perpetual improvement, over the past six months we’ve listened to participant feedback and worked hard to make every suggested adjustment we can to the facility.  Thankfully, most of these fixes were quick and easy!  And they’ll make a world of difference!

We’re pleased to have partnered with UW-Eau Claire’s Camps and Conferences Team to bring these changes to next year’s retreat.   

1.)   A New and Improved Menu.  Food matters!  And because food fuels the work, we want to be sure to offer participants the very best.  This summer, we’ve dramatically overhauled our menu while keeping costs relatively the same.  Participants will now enjoy three hot meals a day. 

• Breakfasts include a variety of the following: croissants, hashbrowns, crispy bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs with cheddar, Garden vegetable quiche, mushroom and spinach quiche, donuts, breakfast breads, and more! 

• The lunch menu includes Chimichurri Flank Steak Sandwich, Buffalo chicken wrap boxed lunch, Spicy Italian Baguette Boxed Lunch, and cookies, chips and fruits. 

• Thursday’s dinner (“Little Italy”) includes Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons, Vegetarian Antipasto Platter, Assorted Rolls and Butter, Sautéed Fresh Zucchini, Pasta Bar with Spaghetti, and Penne Pasta with Marinara Sauce and Pesto Cream Sauce, Home-Style Meatballs in Marinara Sauce, Traditional Chicken Cacciatore, Tiramisu, and more. 

• Friday’s dinner (“Asian Fusion”) features Asian Salad, Sticky Rice, Garlic Lemon Ginger Broccoli, Vegetable Lo Mein, Cilantro Breast of Chicken, Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Filet, Fortune Cookies, Coconut Lemon Almond Gourmet Bar, and more. 

• Saturday’s dinner will be on your own in downtown Eau Claire—with plenty of choices for every palate. 

• Vegetarian options are available.  And do let us know about any allergies!

2.)   Craft Coffee Brought To You Bright and Early. While paper and pen may be the traditional tools of the writer’s trade, let’s never, ever overlook the power of coffee.  Good coffee.  Great coffee.  Strong coffee.  The kind of coffee that will snap your eyelids back and send you soaring to the keys.  This summer, participants can enjoy 6AM freshly-brewed coffee courtesy of Shift Cyclery and Coffee Bar—Eau Claire’s premiere shop.  And enjoy your cup of joe in your very own, brand new Priory mug!  You can even take it with you as our gift to you.

3.)   New and Improved Classroom Space.  While there are no shortage of writing nooks at The Priory, last summer we did struggle to find ideal classroom spaces for all of our courses.  But not anymore!  This summer, a new classroom will be created to ensure that each of our four courses can have its own intimate space.  In addition to contributing to the overall audience, this additional space will also help manage acoustics. 

4.)   Decorous Occasion Social Hour.  Last year we were thrilled to have an evening of live music on Friday night.  This year, we’re excited to have MORE live music.  But rather than a sit-in-your-seats concert, this year it’ll be what we’re calling our “Decorous Occasion Social Hour.”  Following a lovely dinner, we’ll all gather in the main hall for live music, socialization, networking, and a cool drink of your choice (non-alcoholic options available, of course.)

5.)   Upgraded Towels, Sheets and Linens.  Your comfort matters.  This summer, we’re pleased to offer all our participants upgraded towels, bedsheets and linens.  Additionally, extra mattresses are available upon request.  Having said that, our on-site lodging participants should be aware that our rooms are of a dorm room quality.  Each private room has a desk and twin bed.  Participants are encouraged to bring whatever might improve your comfort: books, art, additional bedding, etc. Or, if you prefer, you can stay off-site.  In short, there are many options for your comfort.

This is only the beginning.  Over the next few months we’ll continue to work hard to curate the perfect experience for you.  When you’re at The Priory, your primary responsibility is to give yourself fully to your craft.  Let us ease your mind of the day-to-day tasks.  You’re here as our guest.  You’re here for your work.  Applications open February 1!

CVWG Receives Cultural Arts Grant!

The CVWG is thrilled to announce that we’ve receive a $1000.00 Cultural Arts Grant courtesy of Visit Eau Claire and the Wisconsin Arts Board! This money will be used to ensure that we can bring the best writers-in-residence to our retreat, while also keeping costs low for our participants.

2019 poetry write-in-residence Dasha Kelly

credit: Justin Patchin Photography

“Our retreat participants deserve guidance from the very best,” said CVWG executive director B.J. Hollars. “And thanks to the generous support of Visit Eau Claire and the Wisconsin Arts Board, we can now entice writers-in-residence from throughout the country to work closely with regional writers for three days this summer at The Priory Writers’ Retreat.”

credit: Justin Patchin Photography

The Priory Writers’ Retreat is a vibrant, inclusive, and collaborative writing community in the heart of Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley.  Originally established as a monastery for Benedictine nuns in 1964, today The Priory serves as an ideal location for creativity to flourish.  Situated on 120 wooded acres just miles from downtown Eau Claire, the property features 48 single-occupancy, air-conditioned rooms, several common areas, and no shortage of natural splendor. 

Applications for the summer 2020 retreat open on February 1.

The retreat will be help from June 25-28, 2020.

For more information on Visit Eau Claire, click here.

For ore information on the Wisconsin Arts Board, click here.

For a personal reflection on last summer’s Priory Writers’ Retreat, click here.

If you or your business would like to become a 2020 sponsor, it’s not too late! Drop us a not at chippewavalleywritersguld@gmail.com to learn how you can help!

ANNOUNCING: The Writer Exchange Contest with Write On, Door County!

It’s a new year, and we’ve got a new partnership! The Guild is thrilled to collaborate with Write On, Door County, one of the most active writing communities in the region, to provide an incredible retreat experience for writers across the state.

In summer 2020, the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild and Write On, Door County will partner to host its first ever “writer exchange.”  One lucky Door County writer will enjoy a free retreat at The Priory Writers’ Retreat in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and in exchange, one lucky Chippewa Valley Writers Guild member will receive a free week-long stay at Write On, Door County’s writers’ residence in Fish Creek, Wisconsin.  (CVWG membership determined by social media following and/or free newsletter subscription.)

The Write On, Door County residence is on 40 acres of woods, orchards, and meadows between the water of Green Bay and Lake Michigan in beautiful Door Country, Wisconsin. For decades, writers have taken inspiration amid the landscape while avoiding the distractions that hound them at home.  Both spaces are committed to creating the conditions that allow writers to thrive.

“The Chippewa Valley Writers Guild has long admired the fantastic literary citizenship work taking place in Door County,” said CVWG executive director B.J. Hollars.  “In many ways, Write On, Door County is a model for what a thriving writing organization can be.  We’re so excited to share writing expertise with one another.” 

Jerod Stanek, artistic director of Write On, Door County added, “Wisconsin has such a rich, vibrant writing community. It's wonderful to develop a program that connects writers from different parts of the state and introduces them to new audiences." 

Each organization will be responsible for selecting the writer who will take part in the exchange.  The Chippewa Valley Writers Guild will host a contest which opens on January 1, 2020.  Applicants will be screened in a blind submission process and selected by a panel of three writers.  The winner will receive a residency in August 2020, though there is some flexibility, depending on availability.

Why should Guild members apply through the Guild? For one, the contest submission fee is half the Write On, Door County application price. And all proceeds help offset the cost of the exchange. Additionally, there’s far less competition. We know for certain that one of our Guild members will win!

To apply, click here.

Please find The Writer Exchange Contest rules below:

Rules:

• Our panel of three judges will read each blind submission to determine, in their opinion, which submission receives the highest ranking in terms of quality. Identifying information will only be visible to the contest organizer and not the judges.

• Submit up to 5 pages of poetry OR 10 double-spaced pages of prose through Submittable (click “Apply Now” above or below) between January 1, 2020 and March 1, 2020. Prose pages can be a selection from a larger work, or several short pieces combined into a single document.

• Do not include your name or any other identifying information on your submitted creative work. 

• Include your name and contact information on the Submittable page prior to uploading your submission. 

• Include a brief cover letter, including the title(s) of your creative work and a brief biographical statement in the provided space.  This will only be visible to the contest organizer and not the judges.

• Applicants must be at least 21 years old and members of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. (Membership is determined by social media following and/or free newsletter subscription.)

• The winner will be announced in mid-March 2020.

• Application Fee: $20.00 (half off Write On, Door County’s usual application fee)

5 Reasons to Give to the Guild This #GivingTuesday

credit: Justin Patchin

B.J. Hollars

Executive Director

 Another #GivingTuesday is upon us, which means—in additional to our humble plea for the financial gifts that will ensure a robust year of programming ahead—it’s time to take a moment to reflect on the work we do and why we do it. 

To my mind, there are dozens of reasons to give to the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild.  But in the interest of time (time is writing, after all!), I’ve narrowed the list to my top five reasons.

5.) People.  First and foremost, the Guild is all about people.  We’re here to connect you, collaborate with you, and build community with you.  We’re here to celebrate with you, commiserate with you, and be a present and positive force all year round.  Thank you for being you.  

Credit: Justin Patchin

4.) Programs.  Our wide array of programming is the best way to build our community.  We’ve got something for everyone: the Sound & Stories series, Writers Anonymous, 6x6: A Reading Series, Barstow & Grand, Oddly Enough, and a multitude of craft talks.  And have we mentioned our Weekend Writers’ Retreat at The Oxbow AND The Priory Writers’ Retreat?  Taken together, this is the most robust literary programming I’ve ever been a part of.  In their own way, each program contributes to our shared goal of improving our collective literary work.  Our testimonials speak for themselves, including this one, which we received on the final day of The Priory Writers’ Retreat: “I have been writing for many years.  I'm a college professor...and direct the writing center on campus. However, it was not until this retreat that I find myself as a writer, not just an academic. A writer! The type of writer I wanted to be when I was ten years old but lost sight of over time..." Welcome home, Writer! 

Credit: Justin Patchin

3.) Partnerships. An organization such as ours is only as strong as its partnerships.  As such, we make it our business to foster and grow our relationships with an array of literary-minded and arts-loving groups and businesses.  We are so grateful to our partners, just a few of whom I’ll name below: the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation, Pablo Center at the Confluence, Wisconsin Arts Board, Eau Claire Community Foundation, JAMF Software, Royal Credit Union, Wisconsin Public Radio, Volume One, The Oxbow Hotel, Odd Humyns, Visit Eau Claire, Write On, Door County, Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, Chippewa Valley Book Festival,  Converge Radio 99.9, Brewing Projekt, Modicum Brewing Co, Shift Cyclery and Coffee Bar, Dotters Books, 200 Main, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s English Department, Chippewa Valley Technical College, NOTA, BANFF Film Festival, and more!  In addition, we’ve also been named to the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission, which provides us a seat at one of the most vital “literary tables” in the region.  These partnerships create possibilities: we’re better able to do what we do because they do what they do.  Thanks to all!

Credit: Justin Patchin

2.) Projects.  We’re not just in the business of educating, we’re also in the business of creating!  Some of our most rewarding experiences have come by way of community members reaching out and saying, “So I’ve got an idea…”. From there, the idea grows into reality!  Barstow & Grand is a fantastic example.  When B&G editor Eric Rasmussen first approached the Guild with his plan to create a regional literary journal committed to professionalizing our region’s writers (while also providing a great publication opportunity!) we jumped at the chance to join in.  For the past three years, Eric’s overseen every aspect of the journal—from building a team of readers, to providing internship opportunities for students, to creating, promoting, and marketing three beautiful issues.  (Buy yours today!). We couldn’t be prouder of the projects we’ve created together.

Credit: Luong Huynh

1.)   Because this Guild is YOUR Guild.  Without people, there are no programs, no partnerships, and no projects.  Simply put, this Guild is yours, and everything good that comes from it is thanks to you. As such, we are all responsible for its financial stability.  Let today be the day you give to our shared organization.  If everyone reading this became a 5.00/month sustaining member, we would be able to meet our target goals for the coming year.  Which include: creating a summer retreat scholarship for writers of color, enhancing our craft talk series, subsidizing ticket prices for all our paid events, and providing honoraria for our webmaster, editors, series leaders, and interns.  All of this is possible with your help. 

Here at the Guild, every member counts.  And since we refuse to collect dues, we rely on your generosity, instead.  Please prove that we can thrive on this model.  Let’s keep it free by giving today!

In closing, a humble thank you for giving today. Let’s grow the Guild for all.

Be inspired, inspire others,

B.J. Hollars

DMITRI’S DREAM: DISCOVERING THE ALPHABET OF THE UNIVERSE – A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHANIE TURNER

Rebecca Mennecke

Dimitri Mendeleev had a dream. 

Literally, a dream. 

After writing his book, Principles of Chemistry, Mendeleev (or, by his Russian name: Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleyev) sought a way to organize the elements. According to legend, Mendeleev was so exhausted by his efforts that he fell asleep on a train ride after spending three days straight trying to develop an effective system of classification. 

Mendeleev recalled, “I saw in a dream, a table, where all the elements fell into place as required. Awakening, I immediately wrote it down on a piece of paper.” 

This discovery, as it turns out, was what we now know as the periodic table of the elements. 

Faculty and students from UW-Eau Claire’s art, sciences, English, theatre, and other departments are celebrating the 150th anniversary of this historic discovery in “Dmitri’s Dream: Discovering the Alphabet of the Universe” – an event that will be celebrated at 7pm on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Pablo Center.

I had the chance to chat with Stephanie Turner, a fantastic professor of English at UW-Eau Claire, who has been “ground zero” in assembling the audio and visuals for the event – a learning curve that has been fun for her, since she enjoys visuals and problem-solving with technology. 

Rebecca Mennecke: First, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? I notice on your Blugold profile that you specialize in rhetorics of science! How did you get to be a part of this event?

Stephanie Turner: I'm drawn to this sort of event because my teaching and research typically crosses disciplines. I teach science communication and visual rhetoric, and my writing focuses on animals in visual culture and artists' response to biodiversity loss. I'm interested in how people learn about and use scientific knowledge to make practical decisions. Plus I really like the people involved in this Art AND Science group! I've been involved with their events in previous years. For example, I was one of the readers in a readers theatre production of excerpts of four science-related plays. That was my first experience with doing readers theatre, and it was a lot of fun.

RM: Technical writing is one of your specialties, and part of that comprises taking language within science and communicating it to specific audiences in a way they understand. How can we take a cue from Dmitri in finding new ways to not only integrate science into art, but also communicate that intersection to specific audiences?

ST: Dmitri was a teacher as well as a researcher, and his challenge was trying to teach his chemistry students about the elements. In addition to the story that he had a dream in which he envisioned the periodic table, another story has it that he developed the table that became the basis for the modern periodic table in trying out different ways to teach chemistry. He knew that to really understand something, it's important to teach it. 

RM: Why is the 150th anniversary of the periodic worth celebrating?

ST: Dimitri's contribution to chemistry is that he recognized the periodicity of the elements. In other words, they are predictably related by atomic weight and atomic number, and this can be represented in a systematic way. In fact, I think he used the word "system" to describe his table. In recognizing this underlying system, Dmitri was able to predict the existence of elements that had not yet been empirically demonstrated. That's what we are celebrating with the 150th anniversary.  

RM: Why is art a great way to represent the periodic table? Furthermore, how does science and art interact in this event?

ST: The periodic table is an ongoing human development. Like any other history, the history of chemistry is populated with great moments of insight, loads of everyday problem-solving, and smart, driven people. So the art of story-telling is very much involved in the history of chemistry. Something that fascinates me in particular, though, is the fact that the periodic table itself has been represented in so many dozens of ways. This raises the questions of whether there is an "optimal" periodic table and whether aesthetic considerations can be involved in science. These questions reflect an important divide between realists and instrumentalists, between theory and practice, that until this semester I hadn't really appreciated as an issue in chemistry. Another challenge in representing the elements is that, though they are real physical "things" that exist in the world, like copper and hydrogen, they don't all lend themselves easily to being visually represented. Visual artists love challenges like that, and their attempts to represent the elements and they ways they interact can be both educational and entertaining. 

RM: What makes the story of Dmitri Mendeleev worth sharing?

ST: Well, for one thing, it's got tons of pathos. I won't spoil it for you (you'll have to come to the show!), but the story of how he managed to get into school to learn about chemistry in the first place involves great loss and tremendous effort. You can't help but be on his side when you find out about his early years. 

 RM: What can we learn from Dmitri Mendeleev’s story or from him as an individual?

ST: Find a passion and keep putting one foot in front of the other – you will be rewarded.

RM: What are you looking forward to with this event? What are you hoping to see?

ST: I'm looking forward to seeing how the efforts of so many people involved in this event – faculty and students in chemistry, astronomy and physics, English, and art and design – manage to pull off a cohesive set of images and text. I'm hoping to see audience members find something to wonder and smile about. 

RM: Why is this a must-attend event for students of all disciplines?  

The elements are the very stuff the world is made of. There is no facet of life that they aren't involved in. And there are probably still a few we haven't identified yet. Who doesn't love a good mystery?

*

This isn’t the first event that the arts and sciences have collaborated to produce. Paul Thomas, a professor of physics and astronomy at UW-Eau Claire has been doing outreach projects for quite some time, he said. 

In November 2017, professors Jack Bushnell (English), Jim Rybicki (Physics and Astronomy), and Jill Olm (Art) presented a show at the Foster Gallery on the theme of “Color” as a part of the “Art AND Science” program – which “Dmitri’s Dream” blossoms from. This event, like “Dmitri’s Dream,” included faculty presentations, poetry readings, and drama presentations by students from various departments. It was coordinated with the “Ask a Scientist program,” and over 1,000 people attended both events, Thomas said. 

Last year, Jewell presented the movie “Let There Be Light,” a film about the development of nuclear fusion energy, at the Woodland Theatre in the Davies Center.  Afterward, Dr. Carey Forest, a researcher in the field of fusion energy, presented a brief talk and hosted a Q&A. More than 100 people attended this event. 

This year, “Dmitri’s Dream” is sure to be a hit! It’s coming up quickly, so grab your tickets now! 

Tickets are $5 and are available here.

Keeping The Wheels Turning: Jan Carroll Continues 6x6: A Reading Series

by Rebecca Mennecke

The rules for 6x6: A Reading Series are simple – Six readers. Six minutes. No repeats. 

Jan Carroll began the reading series after initially thinking of doing something similar with friends. When she pitched the idea to BJ Hollars, he said he had been thinking of doing something similar, and 6x6 was born! 

“Several people came to the first reading out of curiosity and to support those first six readers, and people really enjoyed it,” Carroll said. “It hasn’t really lost that momentum. It’s always fresh because each time features six new readers – not to mention a different theme. Also, it’s fun to be able to attend a reading where six quite different readers will be presenting their work. We try to include a variety of ages, backgrounds, and writing-experience levels.” 

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the legacy of 6x6: A Reading Series continues with Kaye Henrickson, Maddie Gray, Barbara Arnold, Jay Gilbertson, Marty Wood and Pamela Livingston, all of whom will read original work on the shared theme “Wheels.” 

Carroll brainstorms each theme for the event by thinking about things that can have multiple interpretations.

“A variety of takes on the subject makes a more interesting reading, in my opinion,” Carroll said. “Then I try to keep the theme something that most people can relate to, rather than assigning a really narrow idea.” 

Barbara Arnold said she considered numerous elements in her interpretation of “Wheels.”

One of her daily writing practices is “morning pages,” which Julia Cameron recommends in her book, The Artist’s Way. 

“The practice is you start writing whatever comes into your head as soon as you wake up in the morning,” Arnold said. “For me, that can be 3am or 4am – I call it the ‘bewitching hour,’ as I’m not totally awake nor totally asleep. Sometimes I’m still in a dream-like state. You write at least three pages, long-hand cursive – not on an electronic or digital device. I spend an hour or two writing this way every day – whatever comes into my head – in notebooks I’ve bought for this purpose.” 

She continued her “morning pages” practice, along with contributing to Volume One, when Carroll invited her to participate in 6x6. 

She said that Ken Burn’s recently released Country Music series inspired the piece she’ll perform, thanks, in part, to the story of The Carter Family and Johnny Cash and June Carter. 

“Can The Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye) by the Carter Family in 1935,” Arnold said. “A circle is like a wheel. Ring of Fire by June Carter Cash and sung by Johnny Cash in 1963. A ring is like a wheel. Roseanne Cash shared in an interview how her father worked out his problems on stage by singing and playing his music. And I realized a connection of sorts as I was doing the same through my Morning Pages.” 

After viewing the series, she began searching for words that had “wheel” in it, then reviewed the list for inspiration. 

At the least expected moment, “up bubbled a memory” from when Arnold visited a Daoist/Taoist temple in Hong Kong in 2012. There, she learned about the Dharma Chakra from a daoshi – or a Daoist/Taoist priest. “Chakra” means “wheel” in Sanskrit. 

That’s when the piece took on a life of its own.

“Both are metaphors for life,” Arnold said. “And that’s where I landed… I created an interactive poem where the audience can ‘play’ along for a longer presentation. The piece is not likely to ever be the same.” 

She said it took about six months of thinking, researching, and letting her ideas percolate before—after a few weeks of writing and editing—she reached her final version.

“With the 6x6 piece, I went through six versions during two weeks. I also read what I write out loud – sometimes in front of a mirror – to make sure it sounds natural,” she said.

Past themes of 6x6 event have included: work and play, Earth, Home, and so many more!  

As a part of 6x6, Carroll hopes for a variety of genres, different tones, and that each reader is “true to their own voice.” 

“I hope each time that each reader is learning something about their writing and about themselves,” Carroll said. 

All local writers are welcome! Writers don’t have to be a part of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild or have had any work published. If interested, just shoot an email to chippewavalleywritersguild@gmail.com. 

“I’m delighted to be part of 6x6, and if only once and forever, that’s wonderful!” Arnold said. “Perhaps this experience will lead to other opportunities to share my writing at gatherings like this.” 

 6x6 is shaking things up and hosting the event at 200 Main Art and Wine Gallery. Space is limited, so nab a ticket ahead of time. Check out more info here! 

Sound and Stories Sneak Preview: 7 Questions With "Joy to the Word" Performer Samantha Kobs

Samantha Kobs / Photo credit: Justin Patchin

Rebecca Mennecke 

Samantha Kobs knows a thing or two about joy – she experiences it with many of the things that keep her busy. She’s served as a Fulbright fellow in South Africa where she taught English for a year. Additionally, she worked in Mauritius – a small island country near Madagascar – and Rwanda for a start-up university. She eventually came back to Eau Claire to work part-time for a year at Delong Middle School. Now, she happily works as an English teacher at Stanley-Boyd High School. 

Besides being an adventurer of sorts, Samantha is also a prolific writer. Her recent piece, “Star Stuff,” was originally written for a 6x6 reading and is now featured in the third issue of Barstow and Grand. She’s also a Volume One contributor, where she says she’s a “meticulous” writer. She records each of her interviews and transcribes them, which she says makes her feel like Katie Couric – or something. 

“I guess I mostly do it to feel cool,” Kobs said. “I don’t have quite as quick of a turnaround with the other creative writing opportunities, and my focus with those is more on storytelling and connecting than relaying important information. Now that I’m thinking about it, my creative writing pieces are written more for my own personal feelings of accomplishment than for the readership’s pleasure. Or are they? Actually, I really don’t know anymore!” 

I had the immense pleasure of chatting with Samantha about an upcoming event in which she’ll be featured: “Sound And Stories Presents ‘Joy To The Word.”—an evening of holiday stories, humbug, good tidings and good cheer.  On December 16, she’ll be performing alongside storytellers and writers Tom Barland, Jan Larson, Bruce Taylor, and B.J. Hollars. All of this, alongside the musical stylings of The UKE Klub!

Rebecca Mennecke: The title of the event is “Joy to the Word,” so I have to ask—how does storytelling bring joy to the world?

Samantha Kobs: First of all, what isn’t storytelling? Movies, songs, video games – it seems like they all tell a story. It’s human nature to turn towards stories for comfort and entertainment. I think humans just want to know that their individual experiences – good or bad – are also experienced by others. That’s why I love going to different events, no matter where I’m at – in Eau Claire, out of town, or abroad. I’m always touched by the things that people share, and it is a great way to build relationships with people. 

RM: What are you excited to bring to this event?

SK: Well, I have no idea what anybody else is bringing to the event, but I’m hoping that I can offer a unique piece that is both reflective and relatable to the audience. My piece is a story, of course, but my writing is usually a strange form of talk-therapy. Often, when I write about moments in my life, I don’t really know why the moment is significant to me. At some point in the writing process, it usually hits me—it’s like this a-ha moment in which the entire memory makes sense. I’ll realize that the memory serves a purpose and tells me something about myself at the time of the experience that I may not have been aware of. It’s pretty cool, actually. And I’m hoping that the audience can experience that with me.

RM: What is it like to prepare a piece to read at this event?

SK: Writing for these local events is such an awesome opportunity. The theme is always pretty loose, which gives me a lot of creative freedom. At the same time, I’m given a time limit and a deadline, which is exactly what I’ve found I really need in order to create a solid piece. When I write in my own time without a particular event in mine, I often feel myself floundering with so many ideas or a complete lack of focus. I usually table those pieces because I just don’t know which direction to take them. With events like this, I’m given restrictions. As a person who loves a good challenge, it’s the best way for me to produce something!

RM: What is the best part of the holidays in the Chippewa Valley?

SK: I love the holiday season in the Chippewa Valley because there are always so many different events going on. During the summer, I take advantage of free music and the beautiful bike trails and parks, but it’s during the holiday season that I find myself wanting to get out of the house so much more, so I attend more readings, live music performances, or other events. It’s a great time to explore new places, especially when it helps to cure the cabin fever that so many of us get from being cooped up inside. Last winter, the snow was so high and the paths so narrow around my neighborhood that going for walks felt just as stifling as being at home. The different events around town really help combat the winter blues and remind me of how lucky I am to live here!

RM: Do you have any unique holiday traditions in your family that you would be willing to share?

SK: As much as I wish I could say that my family always rents a cabin in Duluth or that we sing carols by an open fire, none of that is true for us. I grew up in a low-income home, and some of my family still continues to work paycheck-to-paycheck to make ends meet. We don’t do holiday-themed family photos or decorate a tree together. Some years, we just bake Great-Grandma Sylvia’s signature sugar cookies or see if we can get a snowmobile or other random vehicle to start so we can rip around the yard (side note: my parents live on a junkyard). My sister and I usually try to squeeze into these retro snowsuits that belonged to my grandpa back in the day, I think. Last year, she blew out a leg zipper and had to duct tape it closed to keep the snow out. It felt very much like a typical holiday celebration to us – nothing Hallmark worthy by any means, but definitely full of laughter and the occasional non-life-threatening injury. I think my family holidays are so much more fun than holidays I’ve spent with friends or significant others. There isn’t any focus on the food being perfect or people being satisfied with the gifts they get. We just hang out until we’re tired, cold, and crabby, and it’s awesome!

RM: Do you have any tips on writing about the holidays?

Ken Szymanski / Photo credit: Justin Patchin

SK: My most frequently used writing tip comes from the wise and underrated Ken Szymanski, local English teacher and creative writing guru. He used to really stress the importance of moments, and he’s right. There are individual moments that stand out. Brief memories. Detailed visuals that we can’t seem to forget. I think it’s these things that make the best writing material. Again, the big question to ask yourself is this: why is this moment or image so important? If you’re like me, you might not know until you’ve been writing about it for a while. Sometimes something that seems insignificant can make the best damn story, and those are my favorite pieces as both an audience member and a writer. 

RM: What are your hopes for this event?

SK: To put it simply, I hope this event is just as awesome as the previous “Sound and Stories” events. I love how different each reader’s words are, and I’m hoping that our pieces all tell individual stories that collectively reach everybody in the audience in some way.

Join Samantha, Tom Barland, Jan Larson, Bruce Taylor, and B.J. Hollars as they celebrate words with good tidings and cheer at 7pm on Monday, Dec. 16 at the Pablo Center! There will be festive tunes from the UKE Klub.  This event has been generously sponsored by Royal Credit Union.

Support Your Artists, and Support the Arts, Too

B.J. Hollars

According to a newly-released study from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and  the National Endowment for the Arts, in 2015, America’s arts and cultural sector brought in over 763.6 billion dollars to our national economy. 

That’s billion with a b.

The study further notes that the arts “generated 4.2% of the overall U.S. GDP, with roughly 4.9 million Americans working in the sector in 2015…”

Those 4.9 million Americans do everything: from showcasing the art, to selling the art, to marketing the art, and on and on.  Simply put, it takes more than artists to contribute to the artistic community and its economic impact.

But at the same time, we can’t forget the artists, either.   Here’s a difficult truth: only a small sliver of that 763.6 billion ever actually makes it to the artists.  It’s discouraging, but it’s true. 

Here in Eau Claire, I’m regularly greeted with warm smiles from well-wishers who inform me just how much they love supporting “the arts.”  Of course, I always thank them for their support.  And perhaps I’d be better off stopping there.  Yet I can’t help but ask what, for me, seems like the logical follow-up question: “So how do you support the artists?” 

This question is usually met with an uncomfortable silence, mostly because people assume that when they support “the arts” they’re supporting “the artists” too. 

They’re not wrong.

Yet for many, supporting “the arts” begins and ends with buying a ticket to a show.  While that’s a great first step toward supporting the arts, it’s important to understand that only a small fraction of that ticket sale ever makes it into the hands of the artists.  Budgeted within each ticket sale are a variety of other expenses: staff, marketing, heat, electricity, not to mention the cost of the space itself.  This is not a criticism of the business model; it’s merely the way of things.

Every time I talk about the importance of supporting “the arts,” I worry that such a claim sounds much too nebulous.  What I mean to say is that we ought to support the artists—the writers and dancers and painters and sculptors and singers and strummers, all of whom have mortgages and medical bills and car payments just like everyone else. 

Here at the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, the vast majority of our budget goes directly to supporting artists.  If you give a craft talk, you can expect a paycheck.  Or if you perform at one of our ticketed Sound and Stories events, then you know that every penny of those ticket sales goes directly to you and the ticketing fee. 

The Guild takes no cut of the profits.    

It makes for a difficult business model: how can we provide free and low-cost programming year-round when most of the money is immediately distributed back to the artists? 

The answer is you. 

 Help us do away with these fundraising requests forever by becoming a 5.00/month sustaining member today.  If everyone did, we’d be on fantastic financial footing for the long haul.  Equally exciting, we’d be able to dedicate more time to creating great programming for you.  Or if you prefer to make a one-time donation, we’d be grateful for this support, too.

I’ll be the first to admit that the CVWG isn’t quite bringing in billions of dollars just yet.  However, we are proud to contribute nearly $30,000.00 annually to our local creative economy.  Not only that, but we’re contributing to the regional writing community as well by being a member of the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission, and by collaborating with various regional partners: from the Wisconsin Writers Association to Write on, Door County, and more.

Simply put, we are currently poised to do more than ever.  But we need your gift more than ever, too.   Please take a moment to make your tax-deductible gift today.  

Let’s support the artists.  And by doing so, let’s support the arts.

Be inspired, inspire others,

B.J. Hollars

A Sneak Preview on Elizabeth Evan's Craft Talk "From Acorn to Oak: On Editing, Agenting, and Nurturing Your Literary Work from Idea to Published Work"

B.J. Hollars

Last June, while strolling the streets of Homer, Alaska during a break from The Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference, I had the great pleasure of befriending editor and former agent Elizabeth Evans. As we watched the fisherman haul in their halibut, we discussed writing, publishing and beloved books. Immediately, I knew we needed to bring Elizabeth—and her expertise!—to the Chippewa Valley. On November 12 at 6PM, Elizabeth and I will be in conversation on a talk we’re calling “From Acorn to Oak: On Editing, Agenting, and Nurturing Your Literary Work from Idea to Published Work” at 6PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. We’re grateful to the library for co-sponsoring this event.

During this event, Elizabeth will provide insight on the vital role of editors and agents, as well as “live critique” previously submitted query letters written by local writers. This is not to be missed!

Elizabeth and I recently had the chance to catch up. Read the complete interview below!

BJ Hollars: Tell us about how you found your way into the world of agenting and editing?

Elizabeth Evans: In my early 20s, I was living in San Francisco, and poking around the writing world in various ways. SF is a wonderfully literary city. I went to the Litquake festival, and to author readings all the time. I interned for the literary magazine Zyzzyva, which gave me a first taste of the submissions process and how editors select works for publication. And then I joined the MFA program at the University of San Francisco. It was there I met a wonderful writer and instructor, Judy Greber, who helped me find an internship with a local literary agency. The internship was a dream. I couldn't believe my job was to read all day. Before I graduated from my MFA program, I was agenting my first projects.

BH: Tell us about some of the books you were most excited to work with. What made those projects exciting?

EE: It sounds corny, but every book I repped was exciting, because as an agent you have to truly believe in the potential of every book you represent. My first sale was Glenda Burgess's The Geography of Love, a devastatingly beautiful memoir, and each moment of progress, from the cover reveal to the first glowing reviews, was special. Another one that stands out is Ella Frances Sanders's Lost in Translation, which was one of my first books to hit the bestseller list. It was such fun to call Ella to share the good news. My role as an independent editor is exciting in a different way. Often what's most rewarding is seeing the ways in which a manuscript improves between drafts, and feeling you've played a small part in the evolution of an exciting work.

BH: What's the most challenging part of being an editor?

EE: Managing a writer's expectations can be tricky. There are certain realities of the world of traditional publishing that most writers aren't aware of. The need for a platform in nonfiction, for example. I approach every project with enthusiasm, and never want to deter a writer from pursuing their dream, but it's important to me that my clients go into the process with eyes wide open and a clear understanding of the challenges they might encounter in a notoriously difficult industry.

BH: What don't most writers understand about the publication world?

EE: So much is expected of writers beyond the writing. Authors must be proactive partners to their publishers. There's a lot of hustle that's required, even once the manuscript is final and off to the printer. It's a full time job. There's never really any down time.

BH: If you could recommend one book that we should all read this minute, what would it be and why?

EE: Oof! Hard question. Like so many, Toni Morrison has been on my mind lately, and I don't think I've ever had a more powerful reading experience than I did with Beloved. That book is a force. It changed my ideas of what was possible in writing. It absolutely blew me away.

See you at 6PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library on Tuesday, November 12!

A Sneak Peek at "Toil and Trouble": An interview with Dan Lyksett and Sarah Jayne Johnson

It was a dark and stormy night in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, with four friends huddled next to a crackling fire, when one of the friends challenged the others to a ghost story competition. This friendly literary camaraderie between Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Polidori, and Mary Shelley led to one of the greatest pieces of gothic literature ever — Frankenstein. 

Although this is Wisconsin, not Switzerland, literary masterminds still gather for a night of “spine-chilling stories and spooky sounds” with the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild’s Sound And Stories Presents “Toil and Trouble” event on Oct. 29. 

This event will feature the “ghoulish” works of Elan McCallum, Ken Szymanski, Sarah Jayne Johnson, Dan Lyksett, and Deb Peterson with the dark music of Peter Phippen, Victoria Shoemaker, and Billy Krause. 

I had the chance to chat with Lyksett and Johnson about this spooky event and why folks should be on the edge of their seats about this storytelling and music event. 

Rebecca Mennecke: The “Toil & Trouble” event is coming up quickly! What are you most excited about? 

Dan Lyksett

Dan Lyksett: I’m honored to be asked to share that time with such a fun and talented crew. The audience is going to witness skilled writers and inspiring musicians collaborating to present singular moments. The words are known, but much of the blending of music to those words will be spontaneous. The night will be a singular combination of heart and mind.

Sarah Jayne Johnson: It's great to have any type of event that allows local talent to show their work. Whether it's writers, musicians, artists, etc., Eau Claire is bubbling over with people wanting outlets to show off their chops – "Toil & Trouble" is absolutely just that. I'm also excited to be surrounded by a room of weirdos who are (looking) to get a little spooked close to Halloween. Who doesn't like a lil' scare?

Sarah Jayne Johnson

RM: What are some of the ways you make your writing spooky? 

DL: My piece is perhaps less spooky than disconcerting. The title is “Death Trip: A True Story,” and there is sadness, and there is consolation. I’ve tried to make it relatable to anyone who has suffered loss, and, because of that, each member of the audience will bring their own experiences to the piece.

SJJ: I'm probably a little too into a lot of creepy stuff (scary videos, paranormal stories, true crime, etc.) so I get a lot of inspiration from different short stories and podcasts I listen to. It's easy to know what scares you but to try and pinpoint what scares other people is a whole other realm. When I'm writing scary stories, I try to take myself out of it and instead convey it in a way that will linger with people even after they're done reading/listening to it.

RM: Even if a spooky story isn’t really that spooky, we as writers can still make it sound scary. What are some of your top scary storytelling tips? 

Musicians Victoria Shoemaker and Peter Phippen

DL: Whether you’re telling a scary story or trying to make someone laugh, “place” is key. The more familiar your characters and their circumstances are to the audience, the more your entire story will ring true. If your story then takes them to a “place” they’ve never been – meeting a spirit, for example – it’s all the easier for them to follow and place themselves there.

SJJ: Honestly, letting other people read and listen to it is the best way to make something scarier. We are all in our own head when it comes to pieces we create, so giving it to an audience – even if it is just one other person – is going to make all the difference in how it is conveyed. Deb Peterson, one of the other speakers at the event, gave me some really positive feedback about pace, pausing, and tone of voice that I wouldn't have been able to hear on my own. I would say that if you ever get the opportunity to workshop your piece, do it. It's a little bit nerve-wracking, but it's worth it.

RM: For folks who are new to this event, what is the number one thing they should know about “Toil & Trouble”? Is it actually a lot of toil and trouble? 

DL: To borrow a cliché, “They’ll laugh, they’ll cry.” There is toil and trouble, but there is also humor and a sharing of important personal experiences and quite a bit of “Well, I didn’t see that coming!” And again, there is the amazing collaboration between musicians and writers that makes this type of event special.

SJJ: Anyone coming to this event should anticipate some very different stories set to some truly impressive music. The combination of scary stories and eerie sounds is sure to fill the room with some very tantalizing tension. Anyone who wants a pre-Halloween spook should definitely consider coming. Maybe there will even be a real ghost! Who are we to know? 

Ready to get into the literary Halloween spirit? “Toil & Trouble” will be from 7-8:30pm on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the Pablo Center. 

Attack of the Fifty-Foot Centerfold: 10 Questions With Dorothy Chan

Rebecca Mennecke 

For Dorothy Chan, the newest assistant professor of English at UW-Eau Claire, writing is a non-stop process; she writes as often as she can. Her reading from her recent collection of poetry, Revenge of the Asian Woman, will be a highlight of the Chippewa Valley Book Festival at 6PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library on Oct. 23.

In anticipation of her latest book, we thought we’d familiarize ourselves with her previous book, Attack of the Fifty-Foot Centerfold. Described by poet David Kirby as “steam punk on steroids… plutonium-powered and neon-lit,” Attack of the Fifty-Foot Centerfold explores themes like feminism, Asian culture, food, and sexuality in a fresh way. 

I had the opportunity to chat with Chan about some of the themes she has explored in her writing since the very beginning. 

Rebecca Mennecke: What inspires you to write a poem? 

Dorothy Chan: Lots of things but mostly food, sex, fantasy, fetish popular culture, and Asian American identity. Oh, and power. I think it's important to surround yourself with interesting people. That way, you're always inspired. Sometimes, one of my close friends will say something funny, and the next thing you know, I'm typing up notes on my iPhone. At certain points of the year, I'll have over 200 notes on my phone just from things I overhear, fantasies I have, dreams from the night before, etc. It's the poet's job to always remain awake, alert, ready to take in new ideas.

RM: How on Earth do you title a poem (or a book) that explores so many different elements? Specifically, I’m super interested in your poem “Ode to Psychics, Hookers, Shark Bone, and Free Iced Tea.” How did you decide on the titles that appear in the final version of your book?
DC: This is what I tell my students: aim for titles that are five words or more. Excess. Create full titles that tell stories – that are full of dimension. Back in my MFA, my poetry uncle, Alberto Ríos taught me that "The best line of the poem is the one that I am reading. And that does not exclude the title."

RM: How do titles and the poems themselves work together to create meaning in your work?
DC: Titles should tell stories in themselves. When you open a book of poetry, I think it's important to first fall in love with the titles. Look down the page at the table of contents. Make observations. And then of course, once you read the poems themselves, more meaning is created and observed.

RM: Feminism. Asian culture. Food. Sexuality. How do you weave and intertwine each topic so seamlessly?
DC: I believe all these topics are naturally connected. Intersectional feminism is the way I live my life. It's the way I structure my classes and choose my reading lists. And intersectional feminism is of course linked to sex positivity, along with culture. Food is also this common language for the world. I'll leave this open-ended, but I think you can tell a lot about a person based on the food they eat, the food they prepare, the food they order, and the food they try.

RM: You write a lot about food! It makes me hungry just reading your work. What’s your go-to writing snack?
DC: And Rebecca, you win the award for best interview question of all time! I love Pocky, Koala's March, jalapeño chips, and salt and vinegar chips. If I had all the money in the world, I'd be eating Jean Philippe pastries and macarons while writing. I also love green tea and iced black coffee.

RM: In Attack of the Fifty-Foot Centerfold, you explore some complex relationships with your parents and your family. How do you recommend writers explore complex relationships with people who are important to them through the writing process?

DC: I'm bad, but I'd say don't worry about it.  I find that many times, young writers worry too much about writing about a family member, especially a parent. Again, don't worry about it. Your feelings are valid. 

RM: You write a good number of sonnets in this book. How did you come to like this type of poem? Was there a specific poem or poet that inspired you to use this form?
DC: I could go on and on about the sonnet for days, but I believe the sonnet is the perfect form. Think about it: fourteen lines, ten syllables per line – it's really the amuse-bouche of poetry – it's that palate teaser that makes you want more and more, makes you go on and on. I fell in love with the sonnet during my undergraduate at Cornell. There, I worked closely with Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon. In Lyrae's classes, we not only wrote sonnets, but we also wrote sonnet crowns (7 sonnets in a row). Then, over the years, I experimented with this form, from my chapbook Chinatown Sonnets, to what I like to call my specialty – the triple sonnet.

RM: You also break up your poems in this book into three sections.  How did you decide the different sections?
DC: A triptych is just so romantic. It reminds me of the years I studied art history. When writing a book of poems, I think about the overarching narrative, along with the speaker's development.

RM: In your poem, “My Mother the Writer,” you talk about how your mom is a writer too. You also dedicate this book to her! How did your mom help shape your writing?
DC: She's always been undyingly supportive of my career as a writer.

RM: What writers or writings have inspired you?
DC: A lot! I will first say my mentors, Norman Dubie, Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Alice Fulton, and Alberto Ríos. I'm currently reviewing Rae Gouirand's The History of Art and Lee Ann Roripaugh'sTsunami vs the Fukushima 50 – these are two gorgeous collections. Of course, I'm currently reading my poetry sister, Taneum Bambrick's debut, Vantage, which won the APR/Honickman Prize. I love everything in the Spork Press catalog. I love Richard Siken's poetry. I've been recommending the novella, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata to everyone I know, since the summer. And, I'm excited for E.J. Koh's forthcoming memoir, The Magical Language of Others, along with my Spring 2020 course reading lists, which include Vantage, along with Mess and Mess and by Douglas Kearney, Tender Data by Monica McClure, Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel, Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang, The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy, and Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls: A Memoir by T Kira Madden.

RM: You also have strong female and Asian representation in your poetry. What impact do you hope your perspective has on future writers?
DC: Always practice and preach intersectional feminism. 

Be sure to hear Dorothy read from her latest work from 6pm-7pm on Wednesday, Oct. 23

Chippewa Valley Book Festival: Rebecca’s Top 7 Picks

by Rebecca Mennecke

Most kids get to go to the zoo on the weekend. Or, perhaps, they go to the playground, to sleepovers, or to see a movie. When I was younger, I was dragged to authors’ book talks and  signings. Correction: I was willingly dragged to authors’ book talks and signings. A letter from my first-grade teacher revealed I was “sparkly-eyed” when talking about how I met David Shannon – the author of No! David. The author list continues: Marie Lu (author of Legend) Marc Brown (the mastermind behind the Arthur books), Patrick Carmen (author of Skeleton Creek), Lemony Snicket (author of A Series of Unfortunate Events), and so many more. I grew up immersed in literature, so it’s no surprise that I’m super pumped for the Chippewa Valley Book Festival this year. 

But, I’m a busy lady. As much as I’d love (seriously, love!) to go to every one of the events, there’s no way I can cram them all into my already-bursting schedule. Here are my top-picks for this year’s festival, and why I know I can’t miss them. 

1.) Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time

Tanya Lee Stone's Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time discusses one topic I’m personally passionate about: girls’ education and the positive impact it has on society as a whole. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a feminist. I wrote an entire column for my school newspaper, titled Bad Feminist based on Roxane Gay’s TED Talk Confessions of a Bad Feminist. As a writer, and as a human being in general, it’s crucial to know the importance of women empowerment in society. This could be me channeling my inner Emma Watson here (“If not me, who? If not now, when?”), but this is one event you won’t want to miss.

Wednesday, Oct. 16 from 7pm-8pm at Centennial Hall (Room 1614), UW-Eau Claire

2.) Don’t Call Me Crazy: Navigating Mental Health with Compassion, Understanding, and Honesty

I have anxiety. It’s a fact of my life. But, I’m not alone in that respect. At least 20 percent of Americans have a mental illness. Yet, it seems like talking about mental health can be really tricky, leading many people to skip conversations about it altogether.  Kelly Jensen, the author of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation about Mental Health is shaking things up by openly talking about mental illness. (Cue the enormous collective gasp.) This is a book I’m seriously in love with, and I know you will be too. 

Thursday, Oct. 17 from 5pm-6pm at Schofield Hall, UW-Eau Claire

3.) Making the Unseen, Seen: Giving Voice to Diverse Characters in Fiction and Beyond

Achieving diverse representation is something we all as writers aspire to achieve in our writing. However, it can be really tricky to achieve not just representation, but representation that has agency and is meaningful. This talk will walk writers through that complex topic of diversity in writing  with the fantastic read, If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi. 

Monday, Oct. 21 from 6:30pm-7:30pm at the Memorial Student Center Ballroom, UW-Stout

4.) A Font and the Search for One Man’s Fate

If you know me well, you know I work hard to make my handwriting look impeccable. I love looking up “study inspo” on Pinterest just so I can look at neatly-printed notes, and I keep a hoard of colorful pens and markers around my apartment just for that rare moment when I want to try my hand at my own “study inspo.” How the handwriting of Frenchman Marcel Heuzé became a modern cursive computer font is a mind-blowing story that attracted me immediately. When I saw this book on the new book shelf at the library (where I work), I snatched it before any of the other librarians could. 10/10 would recommend. 

Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 7pm-8pm at the Fall Creek Public Library

Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 10:30am-11:30am at the Menomonie Public Library 

5.) Revenge of the Asian Woman: A Reading with Dorothy Chan

Besides being the new assistant professor of English in the English Department at UW-Eau Claire, Dorothy Chan is a brilliant poet who takes on seemingly ordinary topics like sex, food, Asian culture, and family while serving up some fresh (and savory) takes. Her poetry is a delightful read, and so I know I’m more than a little bit stoked to attend her book talk. (Plus, let’s talk about that title: “Revenge of the Asian Woman.” Talk about powerful. I want to know all her titling secrets.) 

Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 6pm-7pm at L.E. Phillips Memorial Library

6.) The Great Believers: Where Fiction Meets History

I couldn’t escape Rebecca Makai’s The Great Believers even if I tried. And, believe me, this is a good thing. Besides sharing the phenomenal same first name, we share the same home – Chicago. (Okay, I cheat. I’m from the suburbs. But, close enough.) This book is seriously phenomenal (and, not to mention, it’s a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer in fiction and the 2018 National Book Award). Also, this book is available literally everywhere. Every time I go to a bookstore, the book is waiting right there on the shelves. I’m pretty sure the bookstores are trying to subtly tell me to buy every copy. Tickets for this event are free, but reserve ‘em ahead of time here. 

Saturday, Oct. 26 from 7:30pm-8:30pm at the RCU Theatre, Pablo Center at the Confluence 

7.) Barstow & Grand: Issue #3 Release Reading

One of the beautiful parts of being a part of the Chippewa Valley community is that we have an awesome literary community, jam-packed full of talented writers. Barstow & Grand offers just a snippet of those talented writers, and so I’m not kidding you when I say this issue will be phenomenal. The Issue #2 release was more than just a book release; it was a joining of great creatives and literary minds from around the Chippewa Valley collectively celebrating words. It’s on a whole ‘nother planet to hear writers read their own work. Check all these fabulous local writers out yourself at the new issue’s release. 

Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 7:30pm-9pm at Lazy Monk Brewing 

As much as I wish I could attend every event, my busy schedule says I have to choose carefully. This is only one short snippet of the talented writers who are presenting their hard work, and they’re all about topics I’m really passionate about. You might find other topics that are way more interesting to you. You can only find out by checking out the event lineup for yourself at the Chippewa Valley Book Festival website, found here. You never know the neat things you’ll find there…

"Oddly Enough" season 2 creeps Onto Converge Radio in October

by Rebecca Mennecke

CREEEAK... 

What’s that sound? No worries, it’s just season 2 of the local radio drama series, Oddly Enough creeping onto Converge Radio (99.9) beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4 and running every Friday through Dec. 13. 

This local radio drama comprises the so-good-it’s-spooky work of local writers and radio masterminds resulting in ten episodes involving supernatural and sci-fi elements. Karen Drydyk, the showrunner, assures listeners that the new season will offer “a gasp, a giggle, and the chance to embrace our world in all its weirdness.” 

Drydyk said it takes about a year to put each season of fictional episodes together. After the writers finish the scripts, they do a table read, record and then spend significant time “crafting the auditory experience of each episode.” 

What exactly does that look like when it comes to season 2? I chatted with Karen Drydyk to find out more about this thrilling new radio drama masterpiece. 

KAREN DRYDYK 

Rebecca Mennecke: What should listeners expect from this season? What are you looking forward to in the release of season 2? 

Karen Drydyk: Listeners should expect some twists and turns, some regional geographic nods, and a few surprises. I’m most looking forward to our first and last episode of the season, but that’s because I think they’re relevant for me and other Millennials. 

RM: What makes Oddly Enough a unique storytelling experience, as compared to other radio drama series? 

KD: Oddly Enough is a unique experience because it’s a fictional account of sci-fi and odd concepts. No other local (and very few national) radio dramas focus on episodic sci-fic topics. 

RM: This is a locally created radio drama series! What is it like to work with folks around the Chippewa Valley on this project? 

KD: My favorite part of working as a showrunner for Oddly Enough is working with the incredibly talented inhabitants of the Chippewa Valley – from writers to production staff to voice actors. We have such a vibrant community, and I’m honored to bring their talents and voices to the airwaves. 

JIM JEFFRIES 

One of the writers behind two of the episodes, “Memory Root and Bough,” and “Wrong Number,” Jim Jeffries (also known as: Jane Jeffries’ husband) said it’s pretty sweet to get to work with such “amazingly creative” people. 

Rebecca Mennecke: Can you walk me through the creation of each episode from start to finish? 

Jim Jeffries: My wife, Jane, and I work as a team.  Usually each of us has an idea for a script and write the first three pages.  Then we switch scripts, revise what was written by each other, and then advance the script about three more pages.  We are more objective (ruthless) with each other and are not worried about hurting each other's feelings. We end up cutting a lot of dead wood.  

RM: What makes Oddly Enough unique as compared to other radio dramas? 

JJ:  I like the local feel of the scripts in a Twilight Zone universe.

RM: What makes writing for print different from writing for radio? What are some tips you have to keep in mind? 

JJ: We love radio because we don't have to worry about sets, costumes, blocking, or memorization. And the sound wizards at Converge are awesome to work with for sound effects.

After the writers finish up their reads, the “sound wizards” at Converge radio takes over to make the episode in its final form. One of those sound wizards is Alexx Stadtlander, a UW-Eau Claire student and the producer of every episode. 

ALEXX STADTLANDER

 Rebecca Mennecke: Converge Radio works on adding in music and sound effects to the radio drama. Can you tell us more about the work you have to do to reach the final product of season 2? 

Alexx Stadtlander: The final product for each episode takes anywhere from 3 hours to 6 or 8 depending on how detailed the writer wants the episode. As the producer I have a sound effects library that I get most of the sound effects and music from. If an episode calls for footsteps I'll find it in my database and listen to 2-4 recordings to find the sound that fits the episode best. I do the editing and recording in Adobe Audition so once I find the right sound effect I place it in the correct spot of the recording. Sometimes if I can't find a sound effect I like or the writer is looking for a specific sound I get to find something close and then edit by putting filters on it, I like having the freedom to put my own little twist on the sound effect. 

RM: How does adding music and sound effects change the storytelling process? 

AS: Music and sound effects bring the radio drama to life. It starts with a few voice actors that we record in the studio. They do a good job bringing their voice and character to life but if that were to air on the radio it wouldn't hold the listeners attention very well and the story wouldn't make as much sense. The sound effects add depth to the story and help bring it to life. Footsteps show that the character is walking around or is anxious and pacing around. The campfire ambiance shows that the scene takes place outside at dark. Without those little cues the story is not as exciting.

RM: What was it like to work on Oddly Enough? What is your favorite part of working on this project? 

AS: It was a lot of fun to work on "Oddly Enough". I was part of the recording process for this season and I was the only producer this season so it was a lot of work but I enjoyed all of it. My favorite part of working on this project is the people I get to meet. I get to listen to really interesting stories written by local residents and then I get to meet and work with the writers.

Last season featured five spooky episodes, but this season,  the Oddly Enough team has doubled their efforts with ten jaw-dropping episodes including: 

• Friday, Oct. 4: “Cornfield of Love” by Laura Buchholz 

• Friday, Oct. 11: “Go the Extra Mile” by Deb Peterson 

• Friday, Oct. 18: “Memory Root and Bough” by Jim Jeffries & Jane Marie 

• Friday, Oct. 25: “The Legend of Gassy Gus” by BJ Hollars 

• Friday, Nov. 1: “The Colony” by Deb Peterson 

• Friday, Nov. 15: “Civil Dialogue” by Laura Buchholz 

• Friday, Nov. 22: “Hold Your Nose and Make a Wish” by Deb Peterson 

• Friday, Nov. 29: “Wrong Number” by Jim Jeffries & Jane Marie 

• Friday, Dec. 6: “The Tinkerer” by BJ Hollars 

• Friday, Dec. 13: “7 Inches of Snow” by Laura Buchholz 

In addition to listening on the radio and via online streaming, “Go the Extra Mile” will also be performed live on October 29 as part of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild “Sound and Stories” series.  Tickets are available here.

More information can be found on the Oddly Enough Facebook page here. 

Finally, to get caught up on last season’s episodes, check out our Midwest Radio Drama portal available here.

Riding And Writing: An Interview With Ron Davis

Rebecca Mennecke

In wintertime, some UW-Eau Claire students used to ride down the hill on lunch trays from the campus cafeteria.When Ron Davis was a freshman at UW-Eau Claire, he would ride his first motorcycle down the hill from his apartment by the former Shopko building and park it down by the science building. After class, he said it was “pretty humiliating” to bump start it in front of all the other riders. Years later, he’s still riding with his BMW G310GS – his fifth BMW. In the time between that first motorcycle and his current one, Ron Davis has seen, heard, and experienced a thing or two. Davis recounts these life experiences and his love of riding in his recently published collection of articles and essays, Shiny Side Up: Musings on the Improbable Inclination to Travel on Two Wheels.

I had the chance to catch up with Davis about Shiny Side Up and his love of riding – and writing. 

Rebecca Mennecke: What inspired you to write your book about motorcycle riding — Shiny Side Up?

Ron Davis: About five years ago I had written a number of stories for motorcycle mags and for Wisconsin Public Radio, and the editor of BMW Owners News asked me if I would write a monthly column. I didn’t think I could come up with something every month, but he said, “Just give me one year.” Five years later, I had a bundle of more than 50 essays, and a publisher urged me to compile them into a book. I had thought of that before, but this was the first time I had been offered a book deal. It’s hard to say what inspires me as a writer. All my life, once I get an idea for a story, my brain won’t let me rest until I get it down on paper. It may have something to do with the fact I come from a family of voracious readers, and my father was a newspaper guy. It’s always been, I can’t not write, for some reason. For instance, I recently did a story for Volume One about a tragic circus accident that happened in Eau Claire in 1901. Somebody had mentioned a kernel of the story to me, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I did the research and wrote the story.

RM: I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before, but I still found your book to be humorous, quite clever, and extremely relatable. How did you balance your writing to appeal to both folks in the motorcycle-riding community as well as folks like me who have never touched a motorcycle before? 

RD: Many of the stories in my columns and in the book have a pretty thin connection to motorcycling. In fact, once, after a story called “The Grand Adventure” was published, a reader sent in a letter to the editor asking, “What the heck does this have to do with motorcycling?” My answer was, “Not very much,” but my editor gives me a lot of rope. I write about personal experiences that somehow, luckily, resonate with readers – riders or not.

 RM: You have quite a bit of humor in your writing! How can a writer learn to incorporate more humor into their work, as you have done in your essays? 

RD: I guess most of the humor in my writing is self-deprecating. I think that’s often the key to being successful with humor. If you watch stand-up comedians like Jim Gaffigan, you’ll see much of their humor is based on confessing to their own imperfections. There’s a connection, maybe a kind of relief to hear, or read, someone else talk, write, about human foibles—pride, impulsiveness, conceit, etc. Your question made me remember a creative writing class I took in high school. We had to turn in journals and the teacher, with whom I was hopelessly infatuated, would read them silently as we worked on something else. I could tell when she was reading mine, and sometimes I would catch her giggling about something I wrote. That forever hooked me on trying to incorporate humor in my work.

RM: You also have a very down-to-earth tone throughout the book. How do you achieve that fun, casual manner of writing?

RD: I try to write like I’m telling a story to a friend. It’s strange how many hours you can spend crafting a story on paper to make it sound “casual!” When I taught writing classes, I used to force university students to tell a partner their stories before they started their first draft, and I think that gave them a little insight into what worked and what didn’t.

RM: In chapter 12, “A Long, Strange Trip” you argue that riders “attach special meaning to the phrase, ‘The journey is the destination,’ but sometimes our destinations can change the way we feel about our journeys.” Did you find this phrase to be true when you were writing the book? 

RD: “A Long, Strange Trip” – about a story of a Nazi work camp survivor and his family – turned out to be one of my favorite stories. I initially wanted to write the story just for the subject’s family since, though really amazing, it had never been put down on paper. But it made me rethink my own life also. I think writing has always been a way of learning about myself, and when you see your writing in print, hear it on the radio, or get a response from a reader, it also changes your self-image.

RM: Riding motorcycles is clearly something you love a lot! What was it like to incorporate your love of riding into your writing?

RD: Truth be told, I’m not a die-hard rider anymore; in fact, the older I get and the more dangers I see for riders, the more it scares me. I guess I’m more what you would call “an enthusiast.” No pun intended, but writing about motorcycling is just a “vehicle” for me to write about the things that make us human.

RM: Let’s talk about your clever titles! “How to Lose Friends and Influence Absolutely No One,” “The Happy Camper,” “We Are What We Speak,” “Welcome to My Nightmare: The Parking Lot,” and so many more! How do you come up with such great titles? 

RD: I’ve never been very good at writing headlines for features and news stories, but you have much more freedom when it comes to columns and essays – it’s okay to be obscure or to turn a hackneyed phrase or basically steal a title from elsewhere. It’s fun to fool around with those. Usually I write a few, wait a while, then settle on one; sometimes I get overruled by an editor.

RM: You also have some pretty fun pictures and graphics throughout the book. How do you use images to work with your writing? 

RD: I guess one thing that has made my columns and essays unique is I usually try to include some sort of image with them that ties in. Just like my need to write, since I was a photography teacher for 30 years, I can’t resist the impulse to include some kind of image. Even for my stories that have been featured on “Wisconsin Life,” I try to offer my own image for the web archive.

RM: Although your book focuses primarily on riding, you also explore other themes! How do relate your other life experiences back to motorcycles?

RD: Sometimes you have to kind of amalgamate experiences, which is permissible in the kind of writing I usually do. Motorcycles have been a part of my life, off and on, for a long time, so it’s usually not too hard to weave in some sort of connection. In my last column I wrote about a rather unfortunate high school experience where a former girlfriend knocked me off my feet in front of half of the school with what I later surmised was a five pound purse. I sort of co-mingled that story with another time I was jealous over seeing a different girlfriend on another guy’s Royal Enfield motorcycle.

RM: In chapter 33, you say “The more I learn, the less I’m sure I know.” How can this also be true of writing, as it is with riding? 

RD: Every time I get something published, for a moment I feel pretty good about myself as a writer, then I read somebody else. Like right now I’m reading a lot of Richard Russo, and I am instantly humbled. Every writing project presents new and unique challenges, just like every road I cover on a bike. Like Heraclitus once one wrote “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” You can never step into the same river, just as you can never ride the same road when you’re on a bike.

In addition to teaching high school and university classes in writing, photography, and publishing, and working as a social media writer for the tourism industry in Northwest Ontario, Davis works as an associate editor and columnist for BMW Owners News and has had writing appear in BMW Owners News, BMW Motorcycle Magazine, Volume One, Our Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life,” and the National Writing Project. 

“Not A Good Fit: Overcoming Rejection And Learning To Thrive In The Literary World”: Interviews with the Writers

by Rebecca Mennecke 

The phrase “turning lemons into lemonade” is a common colloquialism in the English language – particularly in the Midwest. But, what does it mean to turn lemons into lemonade when the lemons are rejection letters and you’re a writer, not a lemonade-maker? 

Join Max Garland, Eric Rasmussen, Elizabeth de Cleyre, and Katie Venit at the “Not A Good Fit: Overcoming Rejection And Learning To Thrive In The Literary World” event from 6pm-8pm on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Library, where they will focus on how writers can spin the negativity of rejection into a positive. 

Rasmussen, de Cleyre, and Venit will kick off the event at 6pm with their presentation “If At First You Don’t Succeed: A Conversation on Persevering Beyond Rejection.” Garland will follow with his presentation, “Befriending Failure: Lessons from the Whitman School of Condemnation, Defamation, Denunciation, and Vilification, or So You Think You’ve Been Rejected?” 

We had the opportunity to chat with the writers/masterminds behind this event to learn more about their backgrounds with rejection and how they turned those literary lemons into lemonade.

Chatting with Max Garland 

Rebecca Mennecke: This presentation focuses on overcoming rejection and learning to thrive in the literary world. Can you tell us about your experience with rejection?

Max Garland: I think "rejection" in the literary sense of the word is simply a part of writing. It's really a part of any human process or endeavor, isn't it? You offer things and sometimes your offerings are accepted as useful to others, and sometimes not. But whether a poem or story or essay is accepted or rejected really has very little to do with the deeper reasons for writing.

RM: What can make rejection so frustrating for a writer?

MG: When a writer is starting out, rejection may seem like a judgement on the "person" rather than the work. Writers may begin to concoct conspiracy theories – how unfair the literary world is, how it's "who" you know, rather than "what" you know. Or writers may become discouraged and doubt the validity of their words. But doubt is part of any heartfelt endeavor. If you need to write to make sense of your life, then you continue, and, in the long run, the "success" of that continual effort will be dictated by how satisfying the writing process seems to you, how important the discoveries you make while writing become to your life.  

RM: As the winner of the 2017-18 Brittingham Poetry Prize, the winner of the Cleveland State Poetry Center Open Competition, winner of the Juniper Prize for Poetry, and the poet behind several successful publications, do you still find it challenging to face rejection?

MG: For every publication or prize there have been many more times when the outcome hasn't turned out the way I wanted. I don't really consider those outcomes as rejections any more than I consider those prizes to signify success. I consider both as part of writing.

RM: How do we as writers turn something as negative as rejection into something positive?

MG: I'll paraphrase the poet Rilke, and say that "doubt" need not be a hindrance, but a signal that you're approaching something important, and you have a decision to make – embrace the doubt, live with it, knowing that it's part of the challenge, or give it the power to stop you. 

RM: Walt Whitman had to appreciate his own work, Leaves of Grass, before anyone else really did. How do you recommend writers gain that kind of confidence with their own work?

MG: Walt Whitman was an undaunted soul. He felt doubt, and was not above calculated professional intrigue, but his reasons for writing ran deeper than discouragement. He was audacious, ambitious, and had a sense of "self" that seemed to transcend the typical understanding of that word. He wrote as if his words came from the shared human experience. When I think of Whitman, I think of something the poet Mary Oliver said. She said it was never a matter of whether or not she was going to write, but a matter of whether or not she was going to love her life.

Chatting with Eric Rasmussen

Rebecca Mennecke: This event focuses on the theme of rejection. Can you tell us about your experience with rejection?

Eric Rasmussen: I started submitting work, including short stories to literary journals and novel manuscripts to agents, about six years ago. The rejections started almost immediately after that and haven’t stopped since! As I’ve learned more about the publishing industry and what writers who eventually get published go through, I understand more than ever how rejection functions in the writing world. But even with that understanding, rejection is still something I struggle with. No more than a few days go by where I don’t receive a rejection, and that still stings.

RM: You have around 1,300 rejections! What do you do with a piece of writing after it is rejected?

ER: One rejection doesn’t prompt any changes. A dozen or so will prompt me to dive back into a piece to add another coat of polish, cleaning up sentences or trying to add creative flourishes. By the time I hit three or four dozen it’s time to think about bigger revisions. What could be added or taken away to make the story sleeker, more engaging, closer to something that lit journals or agents are picking up, or weirder and more unique so as to stand out from the pile?

RM: What makes rejection so frustrating for writers?

ER: Once a writer gets over the emotional response to being rejected (I’m not good enough, it’s not fair, the people who rejected me are mean/stupid/biased/etc.), what remains is the question of what to do with a rejection. How do I use this to improve the writing? The frustrating part is that rejections can mean so many things (that) they are essentially meaningless. Maybe your piece didn’t fit with the issue, or is too close to something recently printed, or is about a topic the editor has seen too many times before. Maybe your writing skills need some work, or your bio isn’t impressive enough. Maybe the editor ended up soliciting most of the pieces for the issue. Maybe your ending isn't dynamic enough, or your characters aren’t likable enough, or the situation is too quiet. Or not quite enough. Good writers will do their best to collect evidence of what they need to improve, but unfortunately, squeezing evidence out of a pile of rejections is an incredibly difficult task.

RM: As an editor, what are some characteristics of pieces that are rejected? What makes a piece "rejectable”?

ER: At the lowest level, not following submission guidelines and errors in basic writing and proofreading skills make a piece rejectable. After that, there are a whole pantheon of reasons, most of which vary by editor. We all like different things, as evidenced by the unique collection of books and TV shows and movies we all love. So, part of submitting is a game of statistics, of finding someone who loves the type of thing you’ve written. I wrote a story that got rejected about forty times because no one liked the ending (I assume this is true, because none of my writing friends liked the ending.) The forty-first editor who read the story loved the ending and accepted the story. That’s how most slush pile successes work.

RM: How can writers get over a fear of rejection?

ER: Sadly, I have no good answer here. I struggle emotionally with rejection all the time. With every new piece, I try to write something more engaging, more entertaining, more tuned to the marketplace. But I would also be betraying my craft if I didn’t write things that I wanted to write, things that I found profound and creative and worth putting on paper. Someday I hope to find where both those concerns overlap, at which point my acceptances will come a tiny bit closer to balancing the rejections. Until then, I wince a little bit whenever I check my email. But at least I understand better than ever before that it’s all part of a process that everyone goes through.

Chatting with Katie Venit

Rebecca Mennecke: This presentation is about overcoming rejection. Can you tell me about your experience with rejection? 

Katie Venit: Well, I’ve been rejected a lot. I’ve been rejected quickly, and I’ve been rejected after months and months and months of waiting. One of my happiest moments as a writer was when I got a “higher tier” rejection from one of my crush journals. This is a rejection, but also a note that says they liked it, it just wasn’t quite exactly right for them and please submit again. I was so excited to get that rejection – even more excited than any of the acceptances I’ve gotten because I haven’t quite managed to get anything accepted at my first-choice journals.

RM: What can make rejection so frustrating for a writer? 

KV: For me it’s the black box of rejection – not knowing why a piece wasn’t picked up. Was it just not a good fit for them or was there something wrong with my piece – something fixable but that I just can’t see because I’m too close to it? I’ve been trying to place a particular piece for over a year—easily my favorite thing that I’ve ever written, but no one wants it. Is it because it sort of a hybrid piece that doesn’t fit into clear boundaries of flash fiction or prose poetry? Or is it just bad and no one could like it but me? I think I have good taste, but it’s also a very personal piece for me, so I don’t know.

RM: How can we as writers spin something as negative as rejection into a positive? 

KV: Someone told me to think of submissions as an opportunity for relationship building. So I try to think of rejections as just a part of the start of the relationship. Let’s say I meet someone I think might make a good friend and ask them to go to a monster truck rally with me. They say no, that’s not their thing. Well, now I know that’s something we don’t have in common. That’s a data point. It might turn out we don’t have enough in common to have a long-term relationship, or it might be that that’s the only thing we don’t share. I gotta keep asking and trying to see what future there is with us. How they refuse my invitation is important, too. Are they classy and kind, or scornful? On the topic of writing, I make a note of the places that say why they didn’t pick up the story. Those are the places that I will submit to more quickly in the future. If the rejections are snarky or inconsiderate, I don’t really care to have a relationship with them, so I can safely take them off my submission list for future pieces. In the flash fiction world, there’s a really prestigious online magazine that took a year to respond to my submission and just said, verbatim, “we’re going to pass on this.” That’s no way to form a relationship with a writer. If you asked your new acquaintance to a monster truck rally and they just said, “no, I’m going to pass,” and walked away how would that make you feel? For me, personally, it’s a sign that they’re not a good fit for me because I value life’s niceties and appreciate the acknowledgement that making an invitation and submitting a story is a vulnerable act. So I suppose the positive would be to look at it as relationship building. Which journals do I want to continue to have a relationship with? Which are a good fit for me, and not just the reverse?

RM: After a piece is rejected, what do you do with it? 

KV: After each round of several rejections, I’ll look at it again and decide if, with distance, I can see how to improve it. And eventually, after 10, 20, 30, 40 rejections I’ll probably give up on it if my passion for it is gone. I recently submitted a piece to only one place and it was rejected, and I don’t think I’m invested in it enough to keep trying.  It depends on how strongly I feel about it. I find submissions to be incredible tedious, so I’m not going to bother if I don’t love it. But it all comes down to priorities and what brings you joy. I couldn’t care less about seeing my name in print—I’ve seen my name in print regularly for 25 years because I’ve been in journalism and freelance writing. That drive for me is spent. The joy of writing, for me, is in the writing and revising. If I enjoyed writing and revising a piece, but it’s not getting picked up and I don’t feel passionate about it anymore, then it’s done its job and I’ve gotten all the joy out of it that I’m going to. So I let it go. The only time I still get an additional jolt of joy out of publishing is when I publish locally because then people tell you they read it and enjoyed it and then you can build a relationship with that person. (Bonus: it’s also easier to place a piece in a local publication like Volume 1’s local lit column or Barstow and Grand.) But random people living in California or Estonia who read your piece on a smaller flash journal don’t tend to reach out to you. Maybe it’s different if you’re published in larger venues. I don’t know yet.  

RM: After getting rejected, do you ever get nervous about being rejected again? How can writers move past a fear of rejection? 

KV: They say that little kids have big emotions because everything is a new experience for them. They scrape their knee and it’s awful, the end of the world, because maybe it’s the first or second time that’s ever happened to them. But eventually, by the time they’re 40 years old, they’ve scraped their knee so many times that it’s not noteworthy anymore. Slap a bandaid on it and get on with your day. I’ve heard the same thing happens with beekeepers. The more you get stung, the less it matters because you’ve been stung so many times before and survived. The novelty wears off. Same with rejection, I think. I used to be sad about it, like, down in the dumps for a couple days, but really quickly into my submission journey I stopped caring. Partly it’s because I got used to it, and partly because I realized what I was just talking about, that seeing my name in print doesn’t call to me. The thing I still struggle with is submissions because I’m a working parent of young kids, so above all else I value efficiency and efficacy. My free time is so limited, and if I spend that not writing (which brings me incredible joy) but submitting, only to be rejected very often, one wonders what’s the point (which is why I will so often abandon pieces). I sure hope the purpose of this panel was not to be purely motivational, because I will not succeed in that. I’m not the person who’s going to tell you to keep trying and not to give up, that it will eventually happen if you just keep going. First of all, that’s just not true. I could try to play for the NFL with every fiber of my being, and it’s not going to happen. I could try to be the next JK Rowling, but the odds are pretty similar. However, I will tell you not to give up on something just because it’s hard or it hurts sometimes, because it won’t always be that hard and it might not always hurt. But eventually you have to figure out where your bliss is and chase it. Maybe that’s writing fan fic in a composition book that you hide under your mattress and never show anyone. Maybe that’s trying to see how quickly you can rack up 100 rejections. I’ve done both, and I know what brought me more joy, and that’s my path. Your path is your own.

Chatting with Elizabeth de Cleyre

Rebecca Mennecke: This presentation is above overcoming rejection and learning to thrive in the literary world. Can you tell us about your experiences with rejection?

Elizabeth de Cleyre: My experiences with rejection aren't especially unique. I imagine all writers can attest to the cycle of submitting, receiving a rejection or an acceptance, and then doing it all over again.

RM: How do you continue writing after rejection?

EdC: I view writing and publishing as two separate yet overlapping entities. Rejection doesn't make me write any less; if anything, it prompts me to write more. This may be an extreme way of looking at it, but how one writes in the face of rejection seems akin to how one lives in the face of death. We know it's inevitable, but do we stop ourselves from writing as a result of it?

RM: As an editor, what do you look for when deciding what makes a piece “good” or “bad”? 

EdC: "Good" and "bad" are subjective terms I avoid as an editor. I'm in service of a piece of writing or a publication, so I ask myself what the piece/publication is aiming to do, and whether it's accomplishing it. What I look for in a piece changes depending on the context of the publication. I don't think pieces are good or bad, as much as they are the right fit for the right venue at the right time. Which, in many ways, is trickier than just naming something as good or bad.

RM: What do you do with a piece of writing after it is rejected?

EdC: After a piece is rejected I either send it to another venue as-is, or I decide to revise it before sending it out again.

RM: What makes rejection so hard for writers?

EdC: Personally, rejection is hard for me because I put so much of myself into my work. As storytellers, it's up to us to make meaning out of events in life. So often we make meaning out of a rejection, and that meaning is usually, "I'm a bad writer." There are so many factors that go into placing a piece (timing, voice, subject matter, context, the editor's subjective tastes, whether that publication has run a similar piece recently) that it's really impossible to determine why it wasn't accepted. Ever since I dropped the story and started to view rejection as a kind of protection or redirection in my career, it's helped me take it less personally. 

Learn from Max, Eric, Katie and Elizabeth on Thursday, September 19 beginning at 6PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library.