Sunday, February 12, 2012
Literary Festival Takeaway
As promised, here's your call to share with others in the group what you gleaned from this year's festival. This is not so much evaluative: You'll get that chance in class anonymously. Here, please share what you value from the week, especially as it impacts your writing or your ideas about writing. This is a required posting, but length is up to you.
We'll talk about all this in class, too.
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What I valued from this year’s Lit Fest is that there are many ways of communication. One of the session’s I went to had numerous teachers sharing stories from their past. Joseph Coulson shared excerpts from his book and taught the audience about historical fiction. At the assembly the next day, the brilliant Robert Pinsky recited his poetry, both with music in the background and without. Lastly, I learned about the history of printing and printing in itself contains different ways of communication. I realized from attending these different sessions that ideas can be expressed and shared in different forms. I hope to eventually be able to share my ideas in some of the ways shown during Lit Fest.
ReplyDeleteAt this years literary festival I attended one held by Joseph Coulson, one about the printing press, and lastly the assembly on poetry. I valued Joseph Coulson's idea of writing about himself in a different situation/place than normal. He said that writing about oneself in your normal situation can be constricting but when you change the location or time period it opens up new windows and allows room for more creativity. I found this interesting and plan on adding more to my piece that I began to during this lit fest. The printing press was interesting to me because I love arts and crafts and bookmaking. I did not realize the tremendous amounts of labor it took to make books years ago, first requiring a steal mold then lead, then a softer material, then finally clay. I also was not aware of the large size and weight of the printing press, 1560 pounds. I would be interested in seeing on of these in person some day. I was not as interested in the assembly literary festival because I had a more challenging time connecting with the topic/ style and the gym does not have the smaller quieter feel of the bblc lecture hall. Next year, I hope to attend the lit fest on teachers stories.
ReplyDeleteThis year at Lit Fest I went to the one about the printing press, and the one where Joseph Coulson taught us about historical fiction. I think that Joseph Coulson's presentation amazed me the most because of the difficulty of writing historical fiction. After hearing about his process and how he began to formulate his book and ideas, I gained a greater respect for historical fiction. The way he added his own experiences into his writing really surprised me. Furthermore, his fluidity in placing these real life experiences was excellent. Then, when he asked us to write the first paragraph to our own historical fiction; I didn't know how to start. Trying to connect my own experiences with a time in history was very difficult. Overall, I was most intrigued with his presentation because it challenged me but at the same time allowed me to appreciate his work at a whole new level.
ReplyDeleteThis year, I particularly enjoyed the seminars I attended. My favorite was the one with Joe Colson. He was an exceptional speaker and he was interactive with the audience. I enjoyed learning how he imposed his own stories into history. I look forward to using this technique because I think it will allow me more room and freedom within my own writing. I found it helpful the way in which Joe Colson broke down his writing method so that I could easily follow it. From the short excerpt of The Prince of Memphis that he read I was immediately captivated by the story. I also enjoyed the all school assembly with Robert Pinsky. I valued how his whole goal was to read his poetry not on top or separately from the music. His poetry was supposed to accompany the music just like another instrument. I enjoyed the opportunity to listen to poetry instead of reading it because in my opinion I consider poetry the best when performed.
ReplyDeleteI went to Joseph Coulson’s historical fiction workshop, the one where teachers share their stories, the assembly with Robert Pinsky and lastly the one about the printing press for Literary Festival this year. Coulson was interesting because he showed how you could share your life experiences though someone else’s journey, even if in a different era. I also learned how expressive writing can be, not just through details and description, but also through the way in which it is spoken and seen. When the teachers shared their stories the tone was informal and funny, they used their bodies, hands and facial expressions to convey their meaning. It was easy to see that the way a story is read or told has a great effect on what it is about. When Pinsky used the jazz band to add another layer of depth to his poems, I realized that writing can be incorporated with new mediums and be expressed through a band without being a song. Finally the one on fonts and the printing press opened my eyes on how accessible books and magazines are today and how the graphics and fonts you use can also convey meaning in the writing, for example a whimsical or retro theme.
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ReplyDeleteOut of the four lit fest sessions I went to, two really stood out to me. Firstly, I really enjoyed the first D block session on Profile Writing with Mary Collie and Lena. It was interesting to see the different formats people write in. She showed us a variation of serious and quirky profiles that really revealed core human values in content and cosmetic values of the pieces. They helped me with a skill that is good to have in order to characterize someone. We also learned about what type of questions are good interview questions and which ones are bad. This really helped me figure out what makes someone interesting and how to get to the juicy details of that person's character.
ReplyDeleteI also attended Brechoes, Bre(echoes), or Breakfast with Echoes. While at first I was reluctant to relegate my free block to this, I really enjoyed. It was great to write and share my writing for a solid block of 80 minutes. They helped inspire me creatively and introduced me to a new way to look at creative writing. This Lit Fest was also a great block to de-stress, forget about all my homework, and just focus on writing. I really valued some of the lessons they taught about overcoming writers block too.
I also enjoyed the session by Joe Colson. I liked his way of looking at writing and how he approached his book. I think it is really interesting what he does--abridging his life, letting one of his characters adopt his experiences, fictionalizing the story in a different era, and really expressing a story with a lot of Truth and almost fictitious integrity to it.
This year I generally enjoyed the literary festival sessions that I attended. In particular, I really enjoyed storytelling and Joseph Coulson's talk. Storytelling was hilarious and it was the first time that I was able to attend it. It was really interesting to hear stories from various teachers that showed their experiences in a setting that I would never before see them in. I actually think storytelling really connects to our own Personal Expository Writing class because the speakers had to consider how to draw in the listener and have a steady voice and such. In addition to storytelling, I really enjoyed Joseph Coulson’s talk. It was clear how in order to understand Elvis he traveled and talked to people who truly knew him. I also really liked the idea that he tends to include aspects and experiences from his own life but from the perspective and situation of a different person. I think that this is an interesting way to write about what you know, because most likely what you have experienced and understand will be the richest work, while also livening up the stories and being able to set it in a different time that is more interesting. I think that the literary festival this year was a really great experience and I think that the opportunity to hear the speakers is a truly valuable one.
ReplyDeleteI thought Joseph Coulson's presentation was brilliant. He was incredibly articulate and had a very directed and planned speech to give. The chapter he read from his book read like a slam, and even though I closed my eyes to better hear his recitation, I didn't fall asleep (which, by the way, was miraculous). I was totally engaged and really, frankly, cared about his character. It was probably that he was able to describe it so well because it was HIS OWN experience--that is, he went through the mental anguish of knowing a friend was abused etc.--that I was so enthralled by it.
ReplyDeleteIn writing my own piece during the latter half of that block, I realized just how difficult it is to improvise a scene or interaction. Obviously, I am not and have not ever lived during the Siege of Leningrad, and I didn't quite get to expanding on my own experience, but I can imagine how hard it is to place oneself as a writer completely in someone else's situation. So, Mr. Coulson was good, reeeaal good.
On the other hand, I enjoyed hearing Gary Synder talk about any number of topics, but I just wish that his presentation was more focused. I can certainly understand what an accomplished writer and literary performer he is, but I just wish he'd share more of his own experience and its triumphs and pitfalls than he did. Certainly an interesting talk about the nature of language, though, for sure.
I went to Joseph Coulson, the Profile Writing workshop, The History of Printing, and the Alumni Panel. I valued the Alumni panel the most because it was entertaining AND relatable. The speakers discussed not only writing as a career, but also going into a career in general from MA. I particularly remember the Sports Illustrated author's advice to write at the moment when you feel like it, and not to put it off. This piece of advice, along with the other alumni's tips on how to avoid procrastination, was incredibly useful.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the parts of the workshops where wrote something of our own: for example, in the profile writing workshop, I learned a lot from writing my own profile of someone in the room. In addition, the extra practice and tips on how to write interesting questions was very useful to the interview component of our research paper.
Above all, the idea that there is something beyond our academic lives at MA was most valuable. I tend to forget about the outside world and the rich cultural opportunities that we have at MA when I am absorbed with my work, but Lit Fest awakens me from my bubble. Besides being a welcome change of pace, Lit Fest gives me a sense of "nourishment" from the interesting literature, compelling speakers, and quirky but fascinating topics, like the Printing Press session.
The keynote really got me to think about the rhythmic aspect of writing, not to mention the performance aspect. Lucy Corin also talked about the rhythmic aspect of prose. I thought her workshop was valuable, especially because she effectively reiterated one of the most important concepts for me about writing this semester, which is that you can’t worry about other people’s judgment of your work when you start; what you say has to be important to you first. She and Joe Coulson both ran workshops that were really interesting in the context of personal writing. They both wrote fiction, but they went into depth about how their fiction was rooted in personal experience. It was another reminder that personal writing is not just about college essays, it is also the greatest resource we have for material used in all kinds of writing.
ReplyDeleteJoe Coulson is quite obviously a teacher. And a good one at that. As others have mentioned his presentation was concise, focused, and he directed his audience right in the direction he wanted them. The concept of writing fiction laced with one's own personal anecdotes was a very interesting concept to me, especially from the lens of a personal writing class. I had seen writing about oneself to be an act that required truth and the fudging details was only for when one couldn't remember something particularly well. His use of his own experience, in my opinion, deepened the emotional connection in the story and created more tangible images that seemed to be based in a strong reality.
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoyed Gary Snyder's presentation, but wished it had been a bit more about his experience in nature and the things he's written. Talking about how he writes and why was still fascinating though. He seemed wise and knew that many people had questions for him, and it was smart of him to open it up and allow people to ask what was on their mind. I really respected his idea of waiting for a poem to come to him, but allowing prose to be something one can crank out, because I feel similarly about the two forms of writing.
I really enjoyed Joe Coulson's session because he went through the steps in which he had to take to write such an interesting novel. I was extremely impressed by the amount of time Joe put into getting to know all about the life and career of Elvis. I found the exercise we did at the end of the session to be very challenging. It was a completely different kind of style that I had never thought about before. It was extremely helpful to hear how other people interpreted the prompt and took their own spin on it.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the Keynote speaker at assembly who incorporated music to go along with his poetry. This added a whole new dimension to the poetry and allowed for me to hear it in a different way I had never considered before. Over all Lit Fest this year was really valuable and exposed me to things I had never experienced before. I can now incorporate some of the writing styles I learned into my own writing.
Due to a lack of teacher support for Lit Fest, I was only able to attend three of the lectures.
ReplyDeleteOut of all three, the presentation with Joe Coulson was the most interesting. When he said that a fiction writer often integrates personal experience into their stories, I immediately understood why such a technique would be desirable. When somebody describes something that they intimately understand, it helps the story to seem more realistic. Yet not only does such a technique make it more enjoyable for the reader, but it also makes the writing process seem more fun to the writer. Writing fiction laced with personal experience allows for a particularly unique type of self-exploration. One is able to talk about the events in their life that may seem generic or mundane, and put them in this grandiose context that makes them seem larger than life.
Furthermore, I also attended the special assembly in which the keynote speaker performed his poetry with music in the background. I find it interesting how some other people mentioned that that performance illuminated a relationship between rhythm and poetry that they had not seen before. This idea is actually the root of hip hop- something that we are all extremely familiar with in our culture. While it is not as prominent in some of the more popular artists, artists such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def, and the Roots all try and have their lyrics sync with their beats. When it is done right, there is this inexplicable harmony that is elegant.
This year's lit fest really made me value the variety of writing styles, especially for personal expository writing with Joe Coulson and the teacher's oral stories.
ReplyDeleteCoulson's work was one of the most difficult and interesting writing styles I have seen. A combo of history, fiction, and personal expository writing. Despite the obvious difficulties of trying to envelop such a unique writing style, there seem to be numerous advantages, as a fiction writer. By basing the character loosely off of yourself, you make certain interactions and events more authentic. It also allows you to jump into the character without having to develop an entirely new identity.
As for the teacher's narration's, most of them were fairly lighthearted, amusing stories. However an important takeaway from this session was how making a story more conversational makes it much more interesting and easy to follow. This may be due to the fact that they were actually talking to the audience, however I still feel as though my pieces have too much of a "lecture" feel to them and could benefit from the approach that most of the teachers took.
As for Robert Pinsky, I have never seen anything like that before. The best way I could describe it to someone would be "jazzed up spoken word". When he said "I want to act as the second horn" I was confused looked past it, however he really did fill this role. He and Michael bounced off each other very well and shared space.
Although I enjoyed most of the lit fest sessions I attended, there was one that really stood out to me. Friday's G Block alumni panel was something that I really liked and found myself engaged in. Each of the writers were so inspiring to listen to, partly because they each graduated from MA, but also because they each seemed so absorbed in what they do. Even though they talked heavily about the downsides of being a writer for a living, and how hard it can be on a financial spectrum, something about them made me feel inspired. Each of them loved something different about their job, and each of them always had something unique to say regarding a specific idea or question asked. One of the women was able to talk about how she completes most of her work between 2-4am, and although this would sound extremely unpleasant to some, I found it refreshing to see her still be able to say that she loves what she does. Another woman who is a frequent blogger touched on the fact that there are people who verbally attack her online and "say the meanest things you could imagine", but she continued to talk about how she found such enjoyment and pleasure in blogging anyways. This particular session opened my eyes to the lifestyle of writers today, and made me interested to learn more about all the different job opportunities that come with writing.
ReplyDeleteDuring the course of this year's LitFest, I attended Joseph Coulson's presentation, Gary Synder's presentation, and the lecture on the history of printing.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting points I absorbed from LitFest was made during Joseph Coulson's presentation on historical fiction writing. He said that if you feel that a story you wish to tell is lacking in excitement or remarkableness, that by projecting that story into a different time period, you can add a more interesting feel or lens to your story. He said that, through putting your ideas into a different historical frame, different aspects of your story may become more significant than if the story were to stand alone. For example, a story about a kid sneaking alcohol from their parents may be different if it were set during Prohibition. I also like this technique because it becomes much easier for the author (and perhaps the reader) to connect with the historical era they are writing about. Using this technique forces you to formulate a deeper understanding of the ideas and societal norms of the time, so that you can theorize how they could have affected your story.
I only went a few Lit Fest sessions but the ones I did go to I really enjoyed. My favorite one was the E-Block session. I thought that Robert was one of the most intelligent men that I have ever had an interaction with. Even his brief hints at how much more there is to poetry than what we know as students baffled me. Also, how smart he is and how he knows so much not only about his writing but about other styles as well. He also introduced me to how you can incorporate music and poetry in other ways than just songs.
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