Carver/Lish

Posted by admin in News & Events      No comments

Apr
21

As promised, two pieces for you guys to read about the relationship between Raymond Carver and Gordon Lish, both from The New Yorker. The first is a summary of the relationship, the second is a group of excerpts of letters between Carver and Lish.

I urge everybody to read these letters.

As always, this forum is open for discussion.

Exercise: A Room in My Home

Posted by admin in Your Work      1 comment

Apr
11

If you cannot find me in the kitchen, the laundry room or chain smoking on my backporch, walk out side and follow the path to my bliss.Outside the screened in porch past the deck and the pool.In the quaint little structurepainted tan with white trim.There is where I’ll be.

When we bought this fixer upper nine years ago, I hated it . I truly needed to be convinced on this one.The house itself was plain, with as much architectural personality as a shoebox. It is your standard 1957  cinder block structure Florida home. It was  made to withstand hurricane winds , not my judgement. I had agreed with my husband that restoring an old home would be a great idea, but I had visions  of a charming victorian diamond in the ruff.

The house, though small, has a large backyard with  three trees .All the way at the back of the property next to a looming Sheffelera was a wood structure the size of a one car garage.It had a barn like door and windows on the three visible sides. Inside, it’s bare wood walls held up a long workbench and ceiling  rafters framed cobwebs.

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Amanda’s Workshop

Posted by Justine Tal Goldberg in News & Events      5 comments

Apr
7

Any ideas for Amanda on how to convey her character’s inability to acknowledge her own fatal relationship flaws?

I suggest reimagining the movie device so that it more closely approximates the character’s struggle. For example, rather than forgetting the movie’s end, what if Jane perpetually misinterprets the core issue(s) that lead to the breakup in the film? She might offer wild interpretations that make perfect sense to her, but which the reader understands to be unsubstantiated or just plain wrong.

Agree? Disagree? Anybody have a fresh idea cookin’?

Amanda's Workshop

Posted by admin in News & Events      5 comments

Apr
7

Any ideas for Amanda on how to convey her character’s inability to acknowledge her own fatal relationship flaws?

I suggest reimagining the movie device so that it more closely approximates the character’s struggle. For example, rather than forgetting the movie’s end, what if Jane perpetually misinterprets the core issue(s) that lead to the breakup in the film? She might offer wild interpretations that make perfect sense to her, but which the reader understands to be unsubstantiated or just plain wrong.

Agree? Disagree? Anybody have a fresh idea cookin’?

found:Old exercise "Where you are"

Posted by admin in Your Work      1 comment

Apr
3

Just to keep in practice, I found an old notebook with some exercises I pulled from a creative writing book and had no memory of doing.The assignment was to decribe where you are ,without naming the place.

A thousand busy, bustling travelers;weary and hurrying.Looking for their gate, rummaging through a purse for lost tickets, calming crying children, sobbing their good-byes. A thousand voices simultaneously conversing with a fellow traveler, a future friend or family member.Cell phones smashed against ears,”Can you hear me NOW?”

 Judging eyes mull over clothing choices and cultural quirks. A loud speaker announces important information. Disappointed shoulders slump at a cancellation.Excited explorers leap up to board their next adventure.

Electronic blips and bleeps scan bodies for possible weapons. My cranberry juice is contraband.My pickeled jalepenos are absconded. There goes my plan to set them aflame and bomb my fellow passengers in a suicide mission.

Comfort and tranquility are found at the bar and I drink it all in….

found:Old exercise “Where you are”

Posted by admin in Your Work      1 comment

Apr
3

Just to keep in practice, I found an old notebook with some exercises I pulled from a creative writing book and had no memory of doing.The assignment was to decribe where you are ,without naming the place.

A thousand busy, bustling travelers;weary and hurrying.Looking for their gate, rummaging through a purse for lost tickets, calming crying children, sobbing their good-byes. A thousand voices simultaneously conversing with a fellow traveler, a future friend or family member.Cell phones smashed against ears,”Can you hear me NOW?”

 Judging eyes mull over clothing choices and cultural quirks. A loud speaker announces important information. Disappointed shoulders slump at a cancellation.Excited explorers leap up to board their next adventure.

Electronic blips and bleeps scan bodies for possible weapons. My cranberry juice is contraband.My pickeled jalepenos are absconded. There goes my plan to set them aflame and bomb my fellow passengers in a suicide mission.

Comfort and tranquility are found at the bar and I drink it all in….