Cindy on September 1st, 2008
“So long as you write what you wish to write, that is all that matters, and whether it matters for ages or only for hours, nobody can say.” — Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
Fall doesn’t officially begin until September 22. But as far as I’m concerned, summer ends as soon as the kids head back to school. I love this time of year. Feeling a burst of new energy, I’m ready to start a new season of coaching and teaching writing classes in my community. This week, I’m looking forward to a discussion group at the Royal Oak Public Library called The Writer’s Life, September 4, 11, and 18 at 7pm in the ROPL Auditorium. I’ve gathered a panel of professional journalists and editors to answer questions about the life of a working writer. You’ll also get a list of the very best books available on the craft of writing and living the writer’s life. For more information and to register for the program, visit the Royal Oak Public Library web site. – CL
Cindy on February 22nd, 2008
“One thing that never ceases to surprise me is the way stories and ideas seem to attract discoveries like magnets.” — A.S. Byatt
Special thanks to everyone who attended my Writer’s Life discussion series earlier this month at the Royal Oak Public Library. Response was so terrific that the ROPL agreed to schedule another Writer’s Life series this fall, on September 4, 11, and 18, at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. Advance registration is required, so phone librarian Rosemary Mirsky (248-246-3715) or e-mail rosemary@ropl.org to reserve your spot. Space is limited.Throughout the year, a variety of other writing programs, from science fiction to memoir, will be offered through the ROPL’s new Writer-in-Residence program. Please check the ROPL Web site for new updates — and watch for the Spring 2008 Library Leaflet, which lists upcoming Writer-in-Res events and programs.
Another writer recently shared a very helpful online message kiosk listing a variety of other local programs of interest to writers in southeast Michigan, primarily in the Oakland County area. – CL
Cindy on February 3rd, 2008
For years I’ve collected inspirational quotes on writing and the creative life. Browsing through one of my daybooks recently, I ran across a beautiful paragraph I’d recopied from bohemian poet and writer Peter Altenberg:
âI never expected to hold the great mirror of truth up before the world. I dreamed only of being a little pocket mirror, the sort that a woman can carry in her purse; one that reflects small blemishes, and some great beauties, when held close enough to the heart.â
It struck me that Altenberg’s words describe the real work of the personal essayist. Those of us who write short essays hope to capture and highlight small epiphanies. It doesn’t matter whether we’re describing our mother’s recipe for chocolate-chip cookies or our weird relatives in Toledo. It’s our job to reveal glimmers of universal truth in our âordinaryâ experiences.
To me, there’s nothing more satisfying than a well-crafted essay that charms, provokes, or somehow engages the reader while it illuminates a key issue. And I always admire clear, honest writing that reflects the author’s humanity. I believe the personal essay should be accessible, which simply means it ought to be written in such a way that it can be read and enjoyed by many readers â not just a handful of people who are working toward doctorates in English literature.
This sort of essay usually rests somewhere between the dubious categories of âcommercialâ and âliterary.â Commercial essays are often trendy or overly sentimental, while too many literary essays come off as lofty or pompous or long-winded. And yes, a personal essay is supposed to be personal — but like the ideal guest at a cocktail party, a great essay is never totally self-absorbed. No matter how brief, a great essay is engaging, making the reader feel as if s/he’s part of the conversation. It doesn’t show off or whine or overstay its welcome.
Like haiku, a beautiful short essay can evoke a mood and make an elegant point in relatively few words. That is its challenge and its duty â to leave us longing for another glimpse in the pocket mirror. — Cindy La Ferle
