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January 16, 2007
Snow Place like Home
I've just returned from teaching for ten days at the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA program residency where not even a power outage could dim the light of learning. (I do have to say that the recent power outages I've gone through have made me realize I much prefer writing about pioneers to being one).
There is the sweetest little hummingbird who's adopted us. He sat patiently in our lace-leaf maple this morning while I got him fresh food (the feeder was frozen). After getting his fill of the new nectar, he's adjourned again to the maple where he is most un-hummer-like in his stillness. I worried that he might be too cold but then it occurred to me that he's modeling for me what I need to do: just sit for awhile, myself, with all the new and tasty information I've dined on over the past ten days.
From Brian Doyle, editor of Portland, the magazine of the University of Portland alumni publication (this is not your average alumni mag), I was reminded that there are stories all around me. I simply need to extend my antenna. John Calderazzo, nonfiction writer and professor at Colorado State University, challenged me to write up the presentation I gave on finding the story in history for The Writer or Writer's Digest. His thoughts on writing from our memories led me to fill several pages in my journal. Former editor at Rodale and Running Press, Deborah Grandinetti, made me laugh out loud when she reminded us that "we writers send our thought children out, expecting they'll be welcomed with a warm blanket not knowing we're sending them out to dysfunctional families." As always, my permanent faculty colleagues -- Lisa Dale Norton, Bruce Holland Rogers (winner of a World Fantasy Award!), David Wagoner, Carolyne Wright and Susan Zwinger-- took me to a new place in my writing. I'm still glowing from David's compliment about my reading of the first chapter of my NaNoWriMo project.
Visiting agent, Regina Brooks, wins the "best sport" award for suffering through the power outage and a rotten cold. Seattle agent, Elizabeth Wales, is a fine and thoughtful human being who described agents as "benevolent parasites" and left us with this thought: "If you aren't failing, you aren't interesting." Joining us for the last few days was Rita Rosenkranz, who reminded us that "rejection won't go away if we're doing our jobs" as writers. All three of these agents were so warm and generous, I'm worried they may get kicked out of the agent club!
So, now that I've shared the highlights with you, I'm going to play hummingbird and give myself a day or so of rest to absorb all the rich, challenging, and thought-provoking nourishment of the residency.
Right after I go out and make a snow angel.
Posted by kirby at January 16, 2007 02:14 PM
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