Leetter

Recently, I took a writing workshop with Dr. Lee Martin, author of River of Heaven, the memoir From Our House, and the Pulitzer prize nominated The Bright Forever. The workshop was a great exercise that reminded me how every decision an author makes in their writing is important, from the overall structure of a piece to the slightest detail. I wrote him a letter to show my appreciation and talk a little about my memoir project after the class. I thought I'd share that letter in case anyone is interested in where I'm going with the book. Thus far, I've written around 15-20 thousand words this summer (I would say 2-3 chapters, but I'm not sure about how it will break apart just yet).

Anyhow, here's the letter....

Hi Lee,

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond to your further revision suggestions. I've gotten myself moved to Missouri and now have about 2 weeks of free time. I know about zero people here, so I'm getting a lot of lingering tasks finished.

So did you think the short scene at my mother's worked? I believe I told you that I wanted to keep her character relatively flat until later. I really liked the idea of focusing on her dog in the scene rather than her. It sets up a very intentional distance with her part in my life that I struggle with later.

I've been thinking a lot more about shorter, punchier chapters as I work on this memoir. I think I have a lot of stories to tell, and I am a very emotional, existential writer. So when something does strike me, my best writing emerges from my mood and the emotion associated with the memory. It just flows better. Sometimes I am inspired by just describing a place like the first chapter I showed you, or by socio-analytical prose. Sometimes I just like writing little goofy pieces -- and as I think my humor is an important part of my identity, I have no problem including those. While free-writing one day, I sketched out a mathematical equation for my life. It was cheeky and fun. I would like to feel comfortable including all those components of my writing and myself. That big messy compilation of characteristics and stories about the people who brought those traits about is "why I came to the page" in your words.

On a couple more practical notes, I don't think I'm so good at embroidery and transition between scenes. I try to use these expository and descriptive moments to fill the gaps, but it usually doesn't work. It feels forced....the reader just wants to get to the next active scene rather than appreciating the middle stuff. That kind of long form weakens my writing style. Smaller, descriptive/analytical/humorous/etc. chapters would force the reader to give full attention to those other aspects of my life that I am interested in writing about....those things that give my character depth without explicit action. Because I'm not good at weaving that into the narrative, I think my writing will be stronger if I parse it out into distinct pieces. My postmodern theoretical background makes me cautious about forcing linear connections in a narrative anyway (even if things follow one another in the timeline).

Again in the practical world, I am about to be a graduate student again. I need to dedicate a lot of time to professional development if I want to find a job in the field (though I am not at all sure if academia is even where I want to be). This will restrict the time I have to work on my personal writing. I'll make the time, but I think I will be more productive if I rely on shorter essays and figure out ways to piece it together later. I'm coming to terms with this becoming a project of several years. I don't have the luxury, nor the talent, to kick out a book in year. I just need to keep it in mind as I make my way through the rest of my life.

I also wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your class. For a long time, I've wondered how different my life would be if I focused on literature and creative writing rather than sociology. I don't necessarily regret my decision, but I still feel like I have a talent for writing and a clear voice. Your class has helped me to better understand the craft. I'm not a product of literary training (though I appreciate it a great deal and want to assimilate as many techniques as possible). My other trainings lead me to different conclusions. I think about rhetorical devices at work in my writing...audience, purpose, politics, consequences to discourse as much as character, structure, plot, etc. If I ever do consider publication, I don't really care if I'm seen as a literary author. Hell, if my primary audience is young adult/teen readers struggling with identity and similar conflicts that I've faced, I think I can live with that. It certainly matches my agenda in research and politics.

You're incredibly supportive, and I can't help but wonder how often, while admiring the desire to write and considering it a lifelong pursuit, you're skeptical of the ability of most students to forge a productive career. I know you think we should respect the choices that authors makes and respect them in the review process, but sometimes, don't you think some writing is just plain crap? Sorry...that irked me all semester for some reason. In some ways, it makes me unsure about the quality of my own writing when all work is evaluated with the same regard (not that you have any other option as a teacher).

Well, I think the workshop made me a better writer (or at least a more aware writer), and I thank you for taking time out of your busy life to teach in Kentucky for 3 weeks. I hope it was worth it for you (even if only financially).

Sorry for the diatribe! Have a great semester at OSU. Unfortunately, I'm an SEC football fan, so enjoying losing the national title game. :P

-Mike