Writer to Writer: The
Process and Practice of Writing
Beginning and aspiring writers -- whether novelists, poets
or writers of mystery, adventure or fantasy -- have an opportunity
to learn the craft of writing from
published authors. This series brings national known writers from Florida's
First Coast Writers' Festival into candid and intimate conversation as they
discuss getting started, the regimen of writing, the importance of rewriting,
working with editors and the rewards of being published. In a stimulating,
informal, and friendly interview format, published authors allow glimpses
into their private lives as they disclose personal experiences
and share anecdotes
concerning their first breaks, dealing with rejection, developing into polished
writers of poetry and prose.
Where do story ideas come from?
How do you plan a book? Is it important to have a mentor? How
do you work character sketches? -- are a few of the many useful
questions posed to these accomplished writers.
Rich
in literary references and allusions, this series will serve
as a valuable supplement
to classes in English, literature and writing as well as hold
the attention of even the most reluctant viewer as they learn
of the story behind the story. Friendly and forceful in style, "Writer
to Writer" is packed full of useful information for beginning
writers of any genre.
All programs are closed captioned for the hearing impaired. Programs are available
from PBS, RMI Media Products, or from
Florida Community College at Jacksonville by contacting cdyer@fccj.edu.
Writer
to Writer Episodes: (click title for description)
Writer to Writer I
Writing
Poetry and Fiction: Yvonne Sapia
Award-winning Hispanic poet and novelist Yvonne Sapia
permits glimpses into her personal life and discusses her own dilemma as an American
woman from a Puerto Rican culture in this provocative interview. Calling
herself a poet of loss and exile, she reads two of her poems in her unique
rhythmical, musical style. (back to episode list)
Writing
Mysteries: Kevin Robinson
In a truly inspirational interview, mystery writer
Kevin Robinson recounts the tragic accident that rendered
him a quadriplegic and that inadvertently
led to his pursuing a writing career. Robinson discusses the way
he has been able to turn the negative image of a wheelchair-bound detective
into a positive force through the development of his protagonist,
Stick Foster. Robinson discusses the tremendous odds against being published,
the necessity of finding a mentor, and the importance of listening to your
editor. (back to episode list)
The
Discipline of Writing: David Poyer Best-selling author of Navy tales and deep-sea diving
adventures, David Poyer discusses the importance of "planning your work and working
your plan." Acknowledging his inclination to take an engineering
approach to writing, he recognizes the importance of inspiration. He
discusses working from an outline and developing schemes for character
analysis. This program is a "must" for any writer. (back
to episode list)
Quotes:
"A working writer tends to mistrust inspiration...."
Getting
Started: Lenore Hart & Deborah Morris
Horror-writer Lenore Hart (BLACK RIVER) and writer of real-life
drama Deborah Morris (TRAPPED IN A CAVE) discuss the difficulties
encountered with getting started and getting published. In this entertaining
and informative interview, these first-time writers from different
genres offer refreshing glimpses into the day-to-day activities of
mothers as writers. They share insights into the real work of writing,
the importance of persistence and routine, and offer suggestions
on dealing with rejection.
Quotes:
"I wanted to write the book I always wanted to read, but could never find.
And I wanted it to be a great story." - Lenore Hart (back to episode list)
Writing
Science Fiction and Screenplays: Alan Dean Foster
Prolific writer of science fiction, screenplays,
fantasy and horror, Alan Dean Foster discusses the importance of writing what you like
as opposed to writing for a market. A graduate of the UCLA Film
School and creator of the original treatment for the first Star Trek movie,
Foster discusses his approach to writing visually and his use of travel as
a stimulus for ideas.
Quote:
"If you really like writing and you get into it, it's almost as if you can't
do anything else except write." (back to episode list)
Getting
Published: Panel Discussion
Published writers Lenore Hart, Alan Dean Foster and
Kevin Robinson participate in a lively discussion with
book editor and author Michael Seidman. They
give tips to the novice writer on getting published and promoting
your work. The importance of researching your material, the advantages
of attending writing workshops and conferences, the need for perseverance
are only a few of the many valuable topics discussed. Through personal
and sometimes painful experiences, this panel of successful writers offers
tips and suggestions for breaking into the published world.
Quotes:
"I don't believe everyone can write for publication...(but) if you're good,
if you're willing to take a chance, if you realize that fiction comes from an
oral tradition and you're a storyteller and you've got perseverance, you've got
a shot." - Michael Seidman (back to episode list)
Charting
the Course: James Hall
James W. Hall, writer of poetry, screenplays, and fiction
discusses early influences on his writing growing up in a small town in Kentucky
in the Fifties. He talks about his use of discovery, the importance
of prewriting, and his need for dealing with unresolved issues and conflict. The
episode is rich in literary allusions with many useful suggestions for
aspiring writers. (back to episode list)
From
Madison Avenue to Mysteries: David Kaufelt
Best-selling mystery writer David Kaufelt discusses
his Madison Avenue background writing copy for an advertising
agency before breaking free
and entering the world of mystery writing. In this engaging
interview, Kaufelt talks about the influence of his early reading,
his obsession with reading mysteries, the difficulty of writing mysteries
and the importance of having a good sounding board for initial ideas and
early drafts. (back to episode list)
Getting
the Edge on Editing: Sandra Haldeman Martz
In this interview, Sandra Haldeman Martz, founding editor
of Paper Mache Press, offers practical advice on dealing
with publishers and marketing
your material. Acknowledging that marketing begins at the manuscript
level, she offers suggestions on what to include in a proposal and stresses
the importance of selecting the right publisher. (back to
episode list)
The
Craft of Writing: Edward Falco
In this provocative interview, Edward Falco, writer
of short stories, poems, essays, plays and books, discusses
the influences of his strong Catholic
background, his coming of age in the Sixties, and Eastern thought
and religion on his writing. You will find this interview to be intellectually
stimulating and fascinating. (back to episode list)
Writing
Minority Fiction: Dori Sanders
South Carolina peach farmer, Dori Sanders recounts her observations of
the funeral processions which inspired the writing of her widely acclaimed
novel, CLOVER. Discussing the difficulties she encountered as an
adult woman writing in the first person of a ten-year-old, Sanders talks
about the value of observation and the importance of "small truths" and "simple
details." Included in the interview is a discussion of the difficulties
encountered when writing from racially mixed perspectives. (back
to episode list)
Writing
with Humor: Shelley Mickle
Author Shelley Mickle, writer of "domestic comedy," discusses
the importance of finding your comic voice and being able to take
a humorous viewpoint regardless of genre. Reading from her novel, REPLACING
DAD, she illustrates her use of first person through Drew, the
son in the family, and discusses the difficulties in creating children's
voices. Terming her novels "bittersweet," Mickle explains
the many uses of humor including handling anger and sorrow. (back
to episode list)
Black & Ethnic
Romance: Sandra Kitt
Ground breaking writer of romance novels, Sandra Kitt was the first African-American
to publish with Harlequin. In this informative and revealing interview,
Kitt discusses her move from category romance into mainstream fiction with
the publication of her popular and highly acclaimed book, THE COLOR
OF LOVE. In discussing the development of this contemporary, interracial
story, Kitt tells of her need to deal with diversity and other social issues
in our multicultural society. She explains her character-driven story lines
and tells how cross-cultural relationships appear again in her later novels, SIGNIFICANT
OTHERS and BETWEEN FRIENDS.
A former graphic artist, Kitt also discusses the importance of a book cover
from both the author and publisher's points of view, the need for an agent,
and the importance of reading.
Quotes:
"Writers come to be writers because they are readers...I tell writers in
courses that I teach that you should be reading everything and you should be
reading a lot and you should be reading often."
"I think every human being has at least one story in them...so we all have
the capability of telling our story, our side of things."(back
to episode list)
Front
Porch Stories: Clifton Taulbert
A gifted writer of honest and heartfelt stories, Clifton Taulbert discusses THE
EIGHT HABITS OF THE HEART, his book based on the values he learned
from his elders, the "porch people." Attaching each of the habits
to people from his childhood, Taulbert discusses the universality and timelessness
of these values. Metaphorical and lyrical in his speech, Taulbert describes
his first book ONCE UPON A TIME WHEN WE WERE COLORED as a thank
you note to the ordinary people in the Mississippi Delta who had taken
good care of him growing up. In THE LAST TRAIN NORTH, he tells of
his journey out of the rural south as a young boy when he described the
apartment buildings in St. Louis as "so big that the sun couldn't
even find a place to shine." Calling the front porch a stage, he talks
of the connectedness that can be experienced there and the unselfishness
that can be shared. In this truly inspirational interview, Taulbert encourages
aspiring writers everywhere to never overlook or undervalue the ordinary
because "these are the types of things that hold humanity together."
Quotes:
"When I started writing, I realized that more than just writing words, I
had this incredible opportunity to write people, to write their lives ... How
could I take Poppa Joe Young from Glen Allan, Mississippi, Mama Pearl, Mr. Field,
Mama Ponk, Mrs. Knight, these people who populated my world and make them universal?
And that's when I began to look at their actions, what it really made them, what
moved them... ."
"... that's part of the neat thing about writing: whether we read the works
of Robert Burns or whether we read the works of Maya Angelou, whether we read
the works that come from South Africa, wherever, there will always be terms that
speak specifically of the culture. But, you know, those terms and those cultural
nuances were not there as fences, if you will, but I see them as incredible invitations
to know more about the person... . " (back to episode list)
Finding
Your Poetic Voice: Robert Bly
Author, storyteller, poet Robert Bly discusses the evolution of his writing
through two recent publications, his book of poetry, MORNING POEMS,
and his work of nonfiction, THE SIBLING SOCIETY. In honor of his
friend, the late poet Bill Stafford, Bly explains that he writes a poem
each morning before getting out of bed and discusses the importance of
feeling safe before being able to write. Melancholy as home and grief
as a doorway to feelings are also explored. Reading aloud from "BAD
PEOPLE," Bly presents the idea of lying by omission and reveals
the fact that he did not include his father in a poem until late in his
own life. He takes us to a place where "bad handwriting leads to
new ideas" and discusses the possibility of poems as "happy
accidents."
The premise of THE SIBLING SOCIETY is
explained as a horizontal society of adolescents in which
hatred is expressed for anyone in the past. This horizontal
society is markedly different from the vertical society
of the past in which members reached upward to their
god and downward to the elders of this past. The idea
that American society has colonized its own people is
presented.
These and other ideas are presented in this thoughtful, thought-provoking,
and intellectually stimulating interview. One not to be missed. (back
to episode list)
In
Search of Truth: Tim O'Brien
Pulitzer Prize finalist and National Book Award winner, novelist Tim O'Brien
provides glimpses into the writing life as he discusses the importance
of tenacity, hard work and practice. What makes a good story? O'Brien debunks
the myth that there are tricks of the trade and talks instead of the arduous
search for the right work, the importance of tempo, and the need for comedy
and humor even when dealing with somber and tragic themes. A major writer
of this century, O'Brien describes the timelessness of a good story and
the need to transcend time and place. Although he often writes about Vietnam,
O'Brien states he is not a Vietnam writer; he writes instead about the
stresses that are placed on the heart.
In this thought-provoking interview, O'Brien discusses his interest in
morality and one of his favorite themes, the relativity of truth. He describes
his highly acclaimed book, INTO THE LAKE OF THE WOODS, as a real
mystery--one that isn't solved--and the lure of writing about what we don't
know.
Quotes:
"A story is a little bit like a dream. If you wake up from a dream, it's
hard to get back into it. You can't just fall asleep again, so you have to be
kind of regular, every day going to be the typewriter, staying with it to keep
the story alive inside you."
"I think ultimately novels are inward searches... there's a surface part
of the story, but to me, the most interesting part... is the search that goes
on inside the character as he tries to discover who he is." (back
to episode list)
Jam & Jelly
Grandmothers and Other Southern Fiction: Janice Daugharty
Described as "the hottest new writer in the venerable tradition of
Southern fiction," writer Janice Daugharty tells how she draws on
her experiences from life in rural Georgia when developing her story line. "You
should write what you know," she explains, "but writing 'where'
you know is equally as important." Describing Faulkner as her first
teacher, Daugharty talks of his influence on her writing and how she unashamedly
imitated him in her novel EARL IN THE YELLOW SHIRT. It was only
later that she found her own voice. A prolific writer, Daugharty had authored
19 novels before being discovered by Joyce Carol Oates. In answer to the
question, how do you learn to write? Daugharty replies that you have to
learn to write by writing. She also discusses the importance of that elusive
hunt for the right word. A short reading from her book WHISTLE illustrates
the strength of voice and importance of setting. (back to
episode list)
Writing
with the Working Class: Mike Magnuson Former factory worker and holder of numerous odd jobs,
author Mike Magnuson offers age-old wisdom and very practical
advice, "Write about what you know." He explains
his decision to write about the working class as an attempt
to deal in fiction with the principal part of most people's
lives -- work. "You read novels and everything happens
on the weekend off from work; it doesn't happen while they're
at work... but people are at work seventy hours a week! Why
is it, this is not rendered in fiction?" In his books, THE
RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB and THE FIRE GOSPELS, Magnuson
tackles this previously ignored area.
Referring to himself as a writer of "Wisconsin Gothic," Magnuson
discusses the importance of being willing to talk about place and the need
to study people in their environments. Rich with examples from his writings,
Magnuson reveals why he tackled the topic of religion and discusses the
importance of comedy as relief when dealing with dark elements. He offers
practical advice to aspiring writers and discusses the important role a
writing group can play along with the need for a good editor.
Quote:
"Reading is a middle class pastime, largely, and I don't think it necessarily
should have to be. I think reading should be for everybody." (back
to episode list)
Writing
as a Family Affair: David Poyer & Lenore Hart
Best-selling novelist David Poyer and his wife Lenore
Hart (Elisabeth Graves) poet, fiction writer share
glimpses into their family life. With young
daughter Naia on the set, they discuss the advantages and disadvantages
of being married to another writer while maintaining a family. (back
to episode list)
Writing
Biographies: Stephen Birmingham
Best-selling author of over twenty-five books, Stephen
Birmingham discusses the importance of research, working with plot lines, and character
development in this interesting and informative interview. He reveals
the influence of his early years writing advertising copy as he discusses
the value of short copy with strong nouns and verbs. He shares selected
anecdotes, discusses the importance of choosing subjects and titles and
allows glimpses into the lives of some of his characters. (back
to episode list)
Writing
Nonfiction: Sheila Tobias
Writer of over twelve books of nonfiction ranging
from politics to math and science, author Sheila Tobias discusses the differences between
writing for fiction and nonfiction. In this stimulating interview,
Tobias talks about the appeal of being able to demystify complex, technical
information for a general reading audience while motivating people to
change their positions on issues. Referring to her books as resources
and guides, she discusses the advantages of collaboration. She
also addresses the role of women in politics and higher education
and shares some of the information in her books on women and their
attitudes toward math. (back to episode list)
Writing
Poetry: Rick Campbell & Richard Chess
In this conversation between friends, former classmates,
now published poets and good friends, Rick Campbell and Richard Chess share anecdotes
as they discuss early influences on their work. They stress the
importance of writing about what you know while daring beginning writers
to go beyond what you know to give yourself the opportunity to be
someone else. They discuss poetry as storytelling and stress
the importance of voice. (back to episode list)
Writing
Southern Fiction: Connie May Fowler
"The best writers are people who are incredibly honest," says Connie
May Fowler, adding these writers must be "honest to the point that
it hurts them. It hurts their hearts to be that honest. That's what you
have to be." In this revealing interview, novelist Connie May
Fowler discusses her own Southern heritage, a childhood of poverty, and the early influence
of her grandmother's stories on her writing. Combining research and family
history, Ms. Fowler discusses character development and voice with examples
from her first two novels, SUGAR CAGE and RIVER OF HIDDEN DREAMS. She
also stresses the importance of trusting your own intuition. (back
to episode list)
