Wisdom from Anna Deveare Smith: on acting and writing

In an interview about her groundbreaking play Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, playwright and actress Anna Deveare Smith says, "You're not the character, and you're not yourself. You're in the 'not not' -- which is a positive. I think this is the most we can hope for. I don't think we can really 'be' anybody else. The actor is a vehicle of consciousness, projected through a fictional character, and the fiction displays great truth."

I think this sentiment applies to writing as well as to acting -- actually, I think it apples to any creative art. When I write a piece of fiction, I am simultaneously myself and the characters I create. I give pieces of myself to my characters, but as the story progresses something magical happens: they become their own individual selves, with their own identities and desires.

Often when I set out to write a story, I have a specific ending in mind, but sometimes the main character will decide to take the action in a different direction, or a minor character will pop up and demand attention. It's as if I am merely the vehicle for expressing these various voices.

Here's a writing prompt that you might try: When I'm stuck or the writing becomes stagnant, I place two characters in a situation and let them talk to each other on the page. Often the story takes form in ways I never would have guessed before I began writing.

I also love something that Anna Deveare Smith says about the actor: he or she has "a deep desire to connect and people come to the theater because they too want to connect. The actor does not produce the connection alone, the audience has to push forward also; the two have to meet in the middle." This is true for all types of art.

One of my favorite things about the medium of writing is that once a piece is published and unleashed upon the world, it is open for interpretation from all different perspectives. The meaning of a piece of writing can shift and morph as the times change and society's needs for sustenance and meaning through literature changes.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!

Story Published!

Exciting news! My short story "Ten Reasons" has been published in the latest issue of Women in REDzine, a multicultural literature and art magazine out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is the beginning of the story to (hopefully!) whet your appetite:

Ten Reasons

by Dallas Woodburn

1. The lacy red panties she discovers wedged between the back left and middle seats of the Jeep Grand Cherokee while reaching down to yank out the seatbelt that always disappears into the crack between the seats. Abe usually drives the Jeep, but this is LeAnn's week to drive Miles and his friends to soccer practice, so he took the Prius instead.

Her breath catches at the feel of the cheap silk lewdness between her fingers. What a silly, stupid cliché. She manages to ball up the panties inside her clenched fist and slip them into her purse without Miles or his friends seeing them.


2. When she buys a new dress on sale at Macy's, with a low-cut neckline and a flattering belt that cinches at the waist, and she puts it on and saunters up to her husband, stretched out across the couch reading the newspaper, and asks, “How do I look?” with a coy smile on her lips, Abe glances up for only a moment before muttering, “Fine,” and turning back to the newspaper.


3. “What's wrong?” she asks on a Tuesday night during dinner, noticing how he picks at his food like a child.

He sighs. “Nothing.”

“Don't lie to me.”

“Your mashed potatoes,” Abe says. “They're too lumpy.”

“I made them the same way I've always made them.”

“Maybe you should add more milk,” he says. “Next time.”

* * *

You can read the rest here: http://www.fictionaut.com/stories/dallas-woodburn/ten-reasons

This story stemmed from a writing exercise I was given in my undergraduate workshop with Aimee Bender to write a narrative using a list format. It's a fun prompt to try -- I challenge you to do so!

Dancing With The Pen is on a roll!

 

The debut book from Write On! Books publishing company, Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing, has been getting a whirlwind of positive response!

• "A massive variety of writings, each one bursting with youthful exuberance and wonderful imagination. If you're looking for a fun and creative read, this book comes highly recommended!"

• "It's great to see kids who are utilizing their creative side and helping to make the world a more magical place. The stories they have created transcend age, you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this collection!"

• "Publishing so many diverse and interesting stories is sure to spark a lifelong love affair with writing within these kids. It is also a treat for us as readers, to gain an insight into what this upcoming generation is thinking and feeling."

Here's an excerpt from a stellar review that recently appeared in LA Parent magazine. (Read the full review here.)

There’s just something so honest and pure about stories and poems from a child or teen’s point of view. But don’t be mistaken, these are not amateurish writings; rather they are high quality written pieces from some very talented young writers. While reading the book, you’ll experience a gamut of emotions from laughter to tears and from surprise to awe. Some of the stories and poems are so wisely penned, I had to double check the ages of the writers in their short bios.

-- Debbie Glade, LA Parent Magazine

Dancing With The Pen has also been featured on the following media outlets:

• Ink Slinger's Whimsey

• The Golden Pathway

• Author Exchange Blog

• The Writer's Hotspot

• The Desert News & Telegraph (March 2011)

Dancing With The Pen even rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category! (Order the book on Amazon here.)

Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!

And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter.

We're now featured on Goodreads, too!

Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org.

How to Convince Your Parents That Your "Worthless" Major is Worth Something

Guest Post by Tim Handorf

When I was an undergraduate, I knew from the very beginning I wanted to study English. Most of my friends were tepid in their own choices, and changed majors several times before settling with subjects like Economics or Psychology. Others wanted to study something else but were influenced by their parents to study a major that would provide more immediate material gains.

When I told my parents my intentions to study English, my father deadpanned, "That's all?" I asked him what he meant by that, and he responded, "Why not minor in English and study something else more useful, like Business?" I was taken aback. I didn't know how, exactly, to respond to his question.

Of course, in a way, he was absolutely right. Studying literature or creative writing for its own sake doesn't result in obvious job prospects. Eventually, however, I formed a coherent enough argument favoring my choice of study, that even my parents -- a very traditional bunch -- eventually supported me wholeheartedly.

One thing to remember when you decide to throw your lot in with literature or writing is that chances are, you won't become a world-famous novelist. At the same time, however, no one goes or should go into a university literature or writing program with the idea that pursuing fame and fortune is our natural next step.

We do it because we do care about the written word. We understand that taking in the world and its details and expressing it clearly, thoughtfully, even creatively, using our own signature mark, is meaningful, even if we don't eventually do it to earn our daily bread. That is not to say that we cannot always dream. And the carefully study of letters is a necessary first step in finding our own voice. We cannot, after all, pen something extraordinary without knowing what has come before.

To counter the old folks' assumptions that paying a lot of money for a college degree only to end up as a starving artist is quite easy. What I did was throw at them some of the latest research. Parents love research. For example, take Daniel H. Pink's book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. Pink, a former speechwriter for Al Gore, who now writes for several leading publications analyzing future trends in business and technology, argues that we are now moving beyond the Information Age to the Conceptual Age. By this he means that those who have developed the capacities for empathy, creativity, and are able to take information and discern some meaning from it will be most successful. And are these tasks not exactly what a degree in English or Creative Writing prepares us for?

So if your parents, friends, or even you yourself are struggling to figure out the purpose behind a course of study in literature, rest assured that you will have a host of opportunities, even if you don't end up writing fiction or poetry for a living. If you can synthesize information, if you can communicate it clearly and inventively, then the future is yours.

By-line: This guest post is contributed by Tim Handorf, who writes on the topics of online colleges and universities. He welcomes your comments at his email: tim.handorf.20@googlemail.com.

Guest on "A Book and a Chat" Radio Show

On December 28th, I was fortunate enough to be a guest on the radio show "A Book and a Chat" with Storyheart, a.k.a. Barry Eva, who himself is the author of the wonderful book Across the Pond. It was such a pleasure to chat with Barry about the writing process, finding inspiration, and giving back. You can listen to my show here.

January is Young Adult Literature Month on "A Book and a Chat" -- Barry has lined up all sorts of wonderful YA authors to come on the show! You can find a complete schedule at http://abookandachat.blogspot.com. As Barry might say, grab a cup of tea and enjoy!