Posts Tagged ‘creative writing’
Shining a Light: One Writing Teacher’s Observations
Last Sunday, for the second consecutive year, Cathy and I attended our local high school’s spring musical. The production was excellent, but what struck me most, as it did last year, was how I got a little teary-eyed at the curtain call because I was thinking about what it must be like for parents to…
Read MoreMFA Thesis Defense Season
We’re in the middle of MFA thesis defenses now, so it seems like an opportune time to re-run this post from six years ago. It’s MFA thesis defense season here at Ohio State, which always reminds me of my own MFA experience at the University of Arkansas. So much of my education as a…
Read MoreHigher Education under Fire
It’s MFA thesis season here at Ohio State University, which means I have eight manuscripts to read. If it sounds like a lot of reading, it’s because it is. I spent the last two days reading a student’s very good novel, and now I feel like I need a rest—well, at least my eyes could…
Read MoreA Consideration of Audience
A question came up the other day regarding the audience for a particular short story. That question may be interesting after a story is written, but when it’s in progress, I’m not sure a consideration of audience is particularly useful and may, in fact, be detrimental to the writing process. We all have our reasons…
Read MoreThe Softer It Falls
Yesterday, Cathy and I invited our friends, Sheila and Gerry, to attend a cooking class at the Glass Rooster Cannery, where we prepared a Greek feast of falafel, spanakopita, hummus, tzatziki sauce, and baklava. Our instructor, Jeannie, offered tips as we cooked—how to cut an onion if you wanted your slice to retain its shape,…
Read More