Monday nights is Contemporary Fiction Craft with a teacher who has the potential to be a mentor. I've only had male teachers and thus been dissatisfied with their short and guy-like responses to my other-wise delightful, if not slightly emotionally loaded, emails. They're just not giving me what I want. I don't want coddling--but maybe a little slight encouragement, maybe someone who believes in me, sees my potential and desires to take time out of their busy schedule to be my mentor (no pressure or anything).
This teacher has a Ph.D and has published novels and is currently in the process of editing a novel that is to be published next year. She made reference to her friends in publishing. She told us about her novels and her style of writing. She made the annoying film major stop talking in the terribly fake British accent. She did all of this with out a hint of pretentiousness. And pretentiousness is like the minor to any creative writing student.
(Honestly, I think every writer has a touch of it. It's our defense mechanism, our furry sloth claws that help with the otherwise slow and painful process of making our mark in the literary world. It's when you corral us solitary and ego-driven writers together that the pretentiousness spreads like the bubonic plague.)
Wednesdays is Narrative Techniques. Out of the twenty people, there are maybe four I don't know. That's a great feeling--reminded me of the first (and only) semester of graduate school. By the end of the semester, we were all so tight I didn't want to leave and I still keep in touch with a few of them. I hope it's that way in the creative writing program. Three of my favorite people from Intro. to Creative Writing are taking it. About half of my Monday class is also in there (including the guy I wanted to shoot with what Anthony described as "mind bullets". "No", I corrected him, "real bullets".)
There's definitely a difference between us Creative Writing folks and those who are minoring in it. They take it a little less seriously, try a little too hard and aren't quite as reverent about literature and writing.
For example: we took a look at "A Double Negative" by Lydia Davis. This is (seriously) all there is to this work:
''At a certain point in her life, she realizes it is not so much that she wants to have a child as that she does not want not to have a child, or not to have had a child.''
OK, so confusing, yes. But take a minute to dissect it--and you'll discover the genius behind one sentence that has conflict, theme and debatable meaning.
So the loud-mouthed-journalism-major pointed out that if she brought something like that to class, the teacher would tear it to shreds. She also mentioned that she's written things exactly like that.
(Eyes rolled around the room)
Someone pointed out that a writer has to learn the rules before they can break them. Someone else (so nicely) pointed out that a writer has to earn a reputation for being exceptional before something like this would be widely accepted and not questioned and scrutinized for typos.
I'm glad I'm friendly with all the people in my class--because that's probably most of the socializing I'll be doing this semester. In Contemporary Fiction Craft, we have to read and journal--generally 15-20 handwritten pages of notes per novel--as we "read like a writer". Also a group presentation, mid-term and final.
In Narrative Technique, we are to turn in one creative writing piece a week. One a week! Three times this semester I'll have to read one of my pieces aloud and then be critiqued by my peers. There was an audible gasp from the back of the room (ahem, me) when that was announced. But after seeing the dynamics of the class (and all the familiar faces), I'm not near as scared as I thought I'd be. Also due, one reading response on one of the three-ish short stories we have to read a week.
It is a lot of work. But I'm really looking forward to it. Being forced to churn out something creative once a week is exactly why I returned to school. This semester is going to be a kick in the ass...
......but it's gonna hurt so good.
(Editors note: While my one reader out there may note that I am, in fact, pretentious, I would have to argue with the fact that pretentious writers don't use words like "Amaze-balls". I am thoroughly aware of my own inadequacies as a writer. Don't worry about pointing them out to me. No, really, please don't. Because then my sloth claws will have to come out and it will be on like Donkey Kong.)
Giggle - you're so funny!
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