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Three Pathways into the Writing LIfe
What is the writing life? It must be a life of practice in the art of writing. It must be a life of study, experimentation, and creative excess. It is a vocation, a calling into a community.
This page is a sort of curriculum vitae, it lists my education, publications and honors in the arts. But I am one of those who was taught both how to write and how to learn. The links on these pages reach out to some in this community who have taught me.
I followed three pathways into this vocation and these pathways are represented by three places, Click on the photos for a slide show of each. Click on the pictures for a photo essay on each.
Warren Wilson MFA Fiction
THE WRITERS CONFERENCE
A sort of entry into the life, then a way to expand. Learn from the lectures and classes. Learn how to interact from the workshops. Learn the shape of the community from your interactions. Meet the editors, the writers, the administrators, and the donors who have both created and nurtured the writing community. The conferences I've attended that I would recommend and their links are below:
Writers @ Work, 2007
Bread Loaf Writers Conference:
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
ASU Desert Nights, Rising Stars, 2010
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
MacDowell Colony
THE MFA PROGRAM
An MFA seemed right for me. From the conferences, I learned that I gain a great deal from reading, the lectures, the interaction with individuals, and the study of craft A low residency program worked best for me, and the GI Bill made it possible.
MFA in Fiction from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, 2012
THE ARTS COLONY
My interests go beyond the written word; the arts as a whole influence me. The colony provided a long period of uninterrupted work in an arts atmosphere shared by many disciplines. I found my way into the craft and the community of master artists through the arts colony at MacDowell
MacDowell Colony Fellow
Spring 2012
"Writing is a job, a craft, and you learn it by trying to write every day and by facing the page with humility and gall. And you have to love to read books, all kinds of books, good books. You are not looking for anything in particular; you are just letting stuff seep in. But I think you have to learn how the craft developed, what led to what, and how that led to something else. And you have to gain a sense of the culture in which it was written, the history of that culture, and how it affected what came next. You are also trying to absorb more of your unconscious into your conscious mind and to educate your choices, while realizing you will always be a student. It’s a long list, and none of it will necessarily make you successful."
Stephen Dobyns
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Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about your services.