Sunday News: Sixth Edition

Brings the dawning . . .

Hello Dear Friends and Gentle Readers!

I did it! I read at the Southern Writers Symposium and I think that it went really well despite the fact that I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my own skin all week long. I thought last week was long. It had nothing on this week. With everything going on with husband and Army, I was a nervous wreck by the time Friday rolled around but I managed to pull myself together long enough to do my reading and I even answered a question about it.

Questions are a thing that I had not considered when preparing for this event. I don't know I thought this, but I assumed that I would read my little excerpt and be done. Nay, nay. There was a question and answer period afterward which has led me to realize that I need to think of some answers to questions that could potentially be asked of me about my work an my process. Thankfully, the question that was asked of me was a real softball: "What was your relationship to Eleanor?" Answer: "She just lived next door to us." Easy. But heaven help me if anyone had asked me a really probing question. I would have been all "Uh-uh-uh." Because I don't think well on the spot.

The breakout sessions I attended were interesting. The first one was about using social media to write poetry. Specifically, integrating guerrilla art found online with poetry on social media. I don't know how much I will use this concept in my own writing, but maybe I will give it a try. I feel myself resisting because I don't identify as a poet. I could be a poet though. I might just need to try harder.

The second session I went to was about  blogging and how it can be a "gateway to opportunity" for writers such as myself. I came away from the session feeling like I am more or less doing this blogging thing right at the moment, I just need to be more engaged online. I find that to be a real struggle. I want to be engaged, but that sort of thing is such a time commitment and there just aren't enough hours in the day. Thankfully I now know that I am on the right track. I still don't understand Twitter though. I'm beginning to think that's a lost cause.

The blogging session also providing me with a platform to say some smart things about literacy that speak to my ideas about the validity of pop music as literary texts and that was really exciting. When asked to talk about the statement,

"The internet is this generation's defining technology for literacy."

I said that the internet is redefining what it means to be literate because people no longer read in the traditional sense of the word. Most people do no sit down with a book and engage with it. They skim blogs and news items online, they watch t.v. shows, and music videos, essentially they passively consume words. They are not illiterate but they participating in passive consumption without critical engagement - and the professor was really impressed with my assertion!

!Geek Moment!

 After the blogging session we had lunch and enjoyed a reading by Nathan Poole from his book Father Brother Keeper which you should really take a look at if you have a chance. The story he read was called "Silas" and it was just gorgeous. I don't read a lot of fiction anymore, so the only thing I can say it reminded me of was Nick Cave's novel And the Ass Saw the Angel. I told Mr. Poole as much. I can't wait to read the rest of his work. He may have turned me back on to fiction for a time.

All in all, I had a pretty good time at the Symposium, even if I was walking around looking like I wanted to suck up into myself. I am going to blame this on not being around adults all that often anymore and not knowing how to act. If you get the chance, I think you should take the opportunity to attend a writers conference or symposium. Submit your work for the contests and readings. You'll meet a lot of people and make some connections. Even if you're shy like me, I bet you'll come away from the experience inspired. I certainly am. I'm going to try to start a short story today.