Why such a good thing, you ask? Because March was crazy.
Since AWP, my life has been nonstop stress and chaos and excitement. You might've
wondered if I had, in fact, disappeared into that wormhole I mentioned (you
probably didn’t, but I like to think you did). So this is just a life update –
where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing, what’s happened to me in the past month.
First off, I’ve been writing. Yes, yes, I know, I’m always supposed to be writing. But I’d
been working on one particular story for about a year, revising extensively
within the past few months. I’d gotten some generally positive feedback on the
piece, and I felt confident the revisions I made would remedy many of the
concerns raised in initial critiques. To put things bluntly, I was wrong. I’ll
spare you the details – let’s just say there are significant problems, not only
with the story, but the way in which I tend to construct stories, in general.
Tough to swallow, but enlightening. I’m in a rut. So I’ve been tweaking my
writing process, trying new things – less editing as I go, more thinking “outside
the box,” more trust in my own instincts. But more importantly, I realize I
need to write more. I need a routine. I’ve managed to get by on a fairly loose
and irregular writing schedule. That’s all changing now. I’m going to sit down
and write (prose!) every day. No exceptions. No excuses. This is the only way I’ll
get better.
I've also been leading a workshop of about ten undergrads in
a beginning fiction writing class. It’s awesome. They’re awesome. The best
thing about UMSL’s undergrad writing classes (no disrespect to U of I’s; those
classes changed my life) is that they’re electives – all students in the class
enrolled because they wanted to, not because they’re required. This makes
teaching them a lot of fun. They’re talkative and funny and say and write tons
of interesting and smart things, and they’re making my semester much more
enjoyable.
I became the new secretary of UMSL’s Graduate Writers Association ("like" us on Facebook!), which means you all get more information about awesome author
events going on in St. Louis. Speaking of which, Caitlin Horrocks is coming to
the Regional Arts Commission April 27th at 7pm. I just got my hands
on the galley for her collection, This Is
Not Your City, and though I haven’t read it yet, a good friend of mine
raves about her and her work. More info about that to come.
And last, but definitely not least. Last post, I mentioned a
pretty awesome job I was applying for. That job was Managing Editor of UMSL’s
literary journal, Natural Bridge, and
I’m beyond excited to say I got the position. This is a really spectacular
opportunity, because even before I applied to grad school, before I knew I
wanted to study writing, I was interested in publishing and editing, and this
is one of the best ways I can imagine to start learning the ins and outs of
the industry. I can’t wait to get started, and I’ll definitely be sharing my
experiences here.
So that’s a snapshot of my life since you heard from me
last. Plans for April and beyond: rooting for the Blues in the playoffs,
watching tons of Cardinal baseball, running a 5k in Champaign (my old college
town), getting a new phone (finally), writingwritingwriting, and hopefully,
staring on my summer project: reading one book a week until September. I’ll let
you know how it goes…
Until next time!
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