Some writers believe writing can't be taught. Others claim anyone can learn to be a writer, that it’s all about discipline and perseverance. Personally, I subscribe to Galileo’s theory, which seems to combine the two ways of thinking: “You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.” This theory …
Foray into teaching
I taught my first creative writing class this week! It was the first session of a free ten-week course at my local community center. So far I only have six students (and only four of them could come this time), but we're hoping to grow as we go. I'm happy to say that the group …
Audience matters
This week I read a great interview in The Rumpus in which Nanette Vonnegut said her father always kept his audience in mind while writing. He had a very specific audience: his sister. “He got her attention because he was funny,” Nanette said. “When you see them together, there’s just so much love there.” Nanette went on to …
The power of the pen
When I finished my MFA program in January, I ordered the gifts our class chose to give the faculty: pens imprinted with our class slogan and graduation date. They had built-in reading lights, and we strung them on matching silk cords with handwritten thank-you notes. What perfect gifts for writers, from writers! But they were …
Here I am
I've owned this domain for over a year now, so I figure it's about time I started blogging here. Since I'm a writer, you'd think blogging would come naturally to me — but that's not the case. I'd much rather hibernate with private writing projects that only see the light of day (if ever) after …
Jenn Hollmeyer 