On the first day of classes, the main thing I try to convince the students is that theyve already lived long, rich, story-filled lives, that there is never really a white page to fill, only a transfer of what they already have and can imagine, in arrangement. We talk about the Oliver Wendell Holmes quote, Memory is a net, in order to further convince them that in addition to the material, they already possess an editor. The memories that remain have had some sorting and whats left has psychological resonance, even if just a small simple detail. And then we do an exercise -- they jot a memory of birds, water, bad job, odd neighbor -- and they shout out the ones they want to volunteer. Here, they start to see what they already have. I talk about whats on the board, how each of these bits registers as different elements for me, as a writer whos a bit seasoned -- a scene, a flashback, something used to punctuate a story, a climax, an oracle figure...and then together, we make a story. Its improvisational and ephemeral. Its a story no one will ever write and no one will ever see outside of that room, and yet they are some beautiful stories and I love that they exist -- collectively and only for a brief time. The parts go back to their rememberers to work with as they will -- more exercises, memory, observation, collection, imagination. And at the end, I erase the board and theres something beautiful in that. If my job is to build stronger writers -- for me, that means to first empower them as storytellers and to make them aware that they are walking through a life that -- with their eyes a little wider open -- is worth keeping, holding, examining, and sharing. If this gaze and thoughtfulness and appreciation is what they walk away with, I dont care what job they take on one day. Even when I am teaching someone who will become a writer, Im really trying to help that person strengthen their ability to see observe and listen, to remember and collect, arrange and rearrange, to imagine and give back.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 13:07:22 +0000