What you like to be called:  Marci

Your email: mbatchelor@mills.edu

Your birthday: April 9

Your genre(s): Poetry

My grad thesis: 

Interested in the nature of existence, and attending to a queer consciousness, my poetic fascination is intent on exploring the way in which individuals and objects interact in public space in ways that are random, puzzling, and imperfectly coordinated. My awkwardly loving senior thesis seeks to enchant readers with wordplay that connects, drifts, and shifts together like a puzzle or a game may or might. I'm going for tension and suspense! The main theme my work is gearing itself towards is: "Solids and Silhouettes," because I'm interested in shapes, colors, and the arrangement of what exists as actual and how the supposed "fact," a preconception, contrasts with what seems exist, such as the mystery in the corner of the eye, the unknown that gives rise to uncertainty. 

Why you are a writer: 

I strongly believe that to communicate the human experience is to be invested in the human experience, that, writing puts into a larger conversation with the world as we connect with our readers. 

First thing you ever wrote: 
What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.:

I keep a notebook with me at all times--that way if the impulse hits, a lined paper-pal is readily available for what may become a colorful word flow powered by thought and energy.  While I do like to write in a quiet space where I can enter a deep state of concentrate, more and more, it has increasingly become a pleasurable experience for me to write in a café where, in a public space, there are lots of other productive people buzzing about, captivated, too, by this project or that activity.

 Anything else you want to tell us? 

The guitar has become a huge friend to me, and now if only I can think of ways that I might be able to manipulate some of my poetry into becoming some good old songs for crooning, then we are set to go full, out, and live!

week #1

oops doing this late but figure its better than not at all. i just got the internet at my apartment yesterday after not having it for the past six months or so.. ah i just feel pretty weird about the whole blog thing personally. it has a feeling of vulnerability for me. throughout the years of many abandoned journals/diaries/whatever i've kept i always wrote with the awareness/fear that someone would read it, altering my ability to really "let go" - which i kind of get a reverse sensation of that here because i know this is going to be displayed for people to read, also it is the internet so it could expand beyond this class presumably and that is always kind of weird. i'd rather just post images to explain myself. mmmm mm m m . tomorrow is class, also glad it is at 10 rather than 9am. i am drinking some beet juice right now. enjoyed class last week pretty well, the free write was a nice way to start things off and the snacks were much appreciated. wish it had rained more last night/today. okay, see y'all tomorrow.
-h

realized i can post pictures as my heart desired, considering posting pictures in loo of my themes/inspiration as i update ... . . this is my mom as a child.

Starry Suspense

So this is how it all begins.

I'm sitting here with a towel wrapped around my head and the heater on. I'm pleasantly exhausted from a long day of nonstop running all over campus and running through my brain. Last week on Tuesday night I was reveling in the calm before the storm, waiting for it all to hit. Now my mind is racing. But I like it. I like the thoughts I'm being given to think, and the ones who's roots are more mysterious, opening subtly in the mind like a star becoming illuminated.

I felt this way after class last week. A sort of heart-racy feeling that I couldn't do anything with. It's in my chest and behind my eyes and the best description I have for it is suspense; anticipation. I'm waiting for the it all to come spilling out of me. And out of all of you, too. I already feel the push all of you are going to give me, the things you will read to me that I will wish I had written, that will make my heart jump. I'm waiting for those life-changing sentences, for all of this to become real. Or supernatural. Or both. If that makes sense.

This weekend I am interviewing my grandmothers half sister who was there with her through most of the 60's and 70's. I haven't seen her since I was probably 10 years old and now here I am, 15 years later trying to piece a lost life back together. I'm nervous and elated and worried that when it comes down to it, the stories and their meaning to me will be more compelling than the story I chose to tell from it. But that's all to come later. For now, I'll sit in the anticipation of creation to come, looking through a clouded window onto its opulence.

Week/Class 1 - Kendra

Hey everyone!

I really enjoyed our first class, and I'm looking forward to how we work together to create great projects. It was so much fun listening to everyone's work, which was, admittedly, something I was worried about because after being in workshops and working with other people's writing and reading some "eh" stuff, I didn't want to be THAT PERSON who's in class listening to everyone and being like "Oh god here goes this person again..." Luckily/so far, it's looking good :)

One thing I want to elaborate on from my questionnaire that I also wanted to discuss in class is feedback. As I said before, it's the most important aspect of this class to me, and yet...I don't know what I want from everyone in terms of feedback. I'm very proud of my writing; I spend a lot of time writing and rewriting stories, and telling everyone who'll listen that my writing's garbage until I fix it. And I can't stand when people are quiet/still instead of reacting because then I know they're not paying attention, so what's the point in even sharing, right? That being said, I think what I want is reactions, and I want criticism that makes a difference to the story. I don't like sharing my writing sometimes, and I don't have to (none of us do), but me choosing to do so is a huge step in how much I trust whoever reads my work. I'm sensitive, yes, but I also am able to be confident enough to respect opinions and accept what I feel is necessary to make my writing better.

I hope we can all share this same ideal in some way, because it is nerve-racking to share something so personal and something you worked hard on, but it feels good to just react and receive reactions. It also feels good to recognize that you have faults that aren't going to weigh your work down. Not one of us is a bad writer, so anything that gets a "Eh I don't know about that" or "Uh what's happening that's weird" shouldn't touch our ability to continue writing. Ever.

Excuse my rambling if this was too long; I feel strongly about this after having some bad experiences. I hope they'll be erased as this class rolls on :)

...I'm also really happy we're changing times to 10 AM because 9 AM meetings to discuss writing - when creativity is at a low - just didn't sound right.

Katy's Blog Post #1

It was so great to meet you all last Friday and to be surrounded by so much talent. I loved hearing the little doodles we wrote at the beginning of class, and it felt really good to be writing again without any real purpose, to just put my pencil on the paper and see what came out. The majority of the writing that I've done at Mills has been focused on product, which is important, but it can start to feel really stifling. It's nice to get free of that, even if only for a few minutes--and, as it turns out, I was quite pleased with the product anyway.

I was also glad that we spoke, however briefly, about abstraction in writing, and about how if we encounter the abstract in each other's work our job is not to shut it down but to examine if the abstraction is working for the piece. And, as writers, it is our responsibility to teach our audience how to read our work. It makes a lot of sense to me to look at story landscapes as they are being presented to you, rather than prescribing what sort of story you wish it was... and to make sure that you stay true to whatever landscape you choose to create. It's something that I want to keep in mind, especially since right now I am a little over the place with my thesis, and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

Rebecca's Weekly blog #1!

Hi all! Before I write anything else, I just want to say how bummed I am that I was too sick to attend the first meeting with everyone :/ I was really looking forward to meeting everyone and hearing your ideas as well as getting some feedback on the two ideas I've been struggling with for my thesis. So that's basically what this blog will be about for me - kind of an artist statement for each idea, and I'll post a link to my Google Drive with my previous stories in it as my sample writing pieces (provided I can figure out how to properly do that). Anywho, here goes!

IDEA #1: My initial idea was to combine these three stories (Rebecca's Fiction Samples) into one longer piece. They would still be separate pieces as each tells a different part of the same story, if that makes sense, it would just be one longer project. This has been my plan since I began writing the first story my sophomore year and to abandon it now seems crazy, especially when I've put so much time into developing the story and the characters in my head as I've written each story. BUUUUUUT then inspiration for a new idea struck me and I am simply torn :(
IDEA #2: I explained a little bit about this idea in my questionnaire, but I feel like I can expand on it more with this blog. Inspiration sort of struck over this winter break to embark on a project that would recount my experiences and efforts to learn more about the Japanese half of my identity, mixed in with a little bit of my sister's experiences - what has motivated us to learn more and get more in touch with that part of ourselves, what has kept us from doing so. And if I am able to get input from the older generations in my family who experienced life in the interment camps during WWII and those who have lived between that period and today, I guess it would be a bit of a family narrative, but still focusing on me and the impact that learning about their experiences has had on me. It seems like such an interesting idea that I could potentially turn into something great. I'm just reaaaaallllly worried about having to start from scratch with this project and whether the idea of it is more appealing and interesting than it would turn out to be, and if I end up hitting a dead end or something then what would I do, I just don't know!

Apologies for the long length and if it wasn't all that coherent, I'm just so torn about which project would yield better results because I think I would love doing either of them! I wish I could have talked about this all in class but hopefully I get some good advice or responses from you all here on the blog! And if anyone gets a chance to read any or all of the three stories I posted a link to, please don't hesitate to email me with feedback about them! Guess that's it for now, I look forward to your comments and blogs!

Questionnaire

Your Name: Olivia Mertz

What you like to be called: Olivia

Your email: omertz@mills.edu
Your birthday: 1/18/1992
Your genre(s): poetry

Your thesis idea:

I am hoping to write a poetry manuscript about my relationship with my father and sister. The work will  have a focus on mental illness as well as my father's fantasies around race/ethnicity/gender in relation to his pursuit of a Chinese wife. I am particularly interested in exploring the fetishization of Asian women--the following article poses some of the questions and ideas that I am interested in researching to accompany my project.

 http://jezebel.com/5901327/why-asian-women-date-white-men

Why you are a writer: I am enthralled by language--putting together words to create new meanings. I am fascinated by the sounds of words and how they can fit together to evoke emotion. I am also interested in the limitations of language--how language can not quite capture our experience, how there are so many moments and emotions that there just aren't words to describe. Every poem is challenge in this way and I can't get enough!

First thing you ever wrote:
I began keeping a journal when I was in the first grade, so some of the first things I wrote for myself are  generally documentation about my family's abundant cat situation and my bratty little sister.

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.

My writing practice(s) aren't as regular as I would like them to be... I have consistently journaled though for many years--aiming to write at least once a week--sometimes more. When I am in a workshop class I try to write almost everyday... but I have yet to establish a truly consistent practice. Throughout my day I will write down little things that inspire or strike me, and I tend to expand on these ideas later.

mia's questionnaire responses

Your Name: mia susan amir (Yup the lack of capitals is intentional)

What you like to be called:  mia
Your email: mia.susan.amir@gmail.com

Your birthday: August 31st

Your genre(s):  I started as a poet and remain influenced by that sensibility but for the past 7 years the majority of my work has been in prose, and is almost always creative nonfiction. I am also a performer and vocalist and those mediums of expression impact all of my work, even when not explicitly visible.

My grad thesis: A memoir temporarily titled A Memory of Sand and Silence.

Why you are a writer:  A mentor named Chris Abani a few years ago posed a similar question to the participants of a workshop he was facilitating which I had the enormous privilege to attend. He asked "Why do you write?" My answer then was, "To exorcise pain." "Whose pain?" he asked. "Ancestral," I replied. "Your parents?" he pressed. "Also." Since that time the answer has become more specific and vague, nuanced, and broken, but at the bottom I think I am still writing towards the same fundamental impulse: which is also towards the question, how do we repair a broken world?

Also I believe as Thomas King says, that, "the truth about story is that’s all we are,” and I am interested to think about this with you all beside the question of what the role of the storyteller (which is to say writer) is in this very special historical moment in which we live.

First thing you ever wrote: I don't have a clear memory of the first thing I ever wrote, but what stands out is a story that my mother used to tell about a grade one project I completed for mother's day. According to her, I wrote with "the best handwriting in the class," "My mother likes lipstick and sweaters!" Neither were true. I guess from an early age I was wrestling with what constitutes truth in the context of nonfiction. ;)

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.: I am currently writing everyday, even when there is no word count, but when I do count the words, there are usually approximately a minimum of 2000 a week. I contribute to a private blog sometimes daily, and at minimum weekly, which I participate in with one creative collaborator. We offer each other regular feedback, on what is working, and what isn't working, in each other's work.

Anything else you wan to tell us? I'm super excited to work beside, learn with, and support each of you in this journey we're about to undertake. Let's live into the work, which is to say, live it!

Rebecca's Questionnaire :)

Your Name Rebecca Raines

What you like to be called   Rebecca, Becky, Becca - I really have no preference because all three get used all the time, so whichever name you like best works for me!

Your email:____rraines@mills.edu_______________ Your birthday____12/23/1991______________

Your genre(s)____Fiction, I suppose? A little bit of poetry over the years as well

Your thesis idea: Right now, I'm torn between two different ideas. The plan I've had since I began taking fiction classes here at Mills was to expand upon and combine the three related short stories I've been working on for each of my fiction workshops. BUT NOW after a visit with my older sister, I've started to rethink my original idea and I am considering writing a personal narrative (perhaps future novella?) about my (and a bit of her) struggle to get more in touch with our Japanese-American identity and family history. It's hard to concisely sum up the idea, but I can explain more when we all meet in class.

Why you are a writer: Writing has always been a passion of mine. For a long time it was my go-to method of coping with my most personal struggles and it always seemed to help get me out of my own head. More recently, though, it has become a relaxing past time as opposed to expressing my frustrations with life. As much as I love to read and get lost in the world of my books, I would love to provide that same feeling for someone in the future by writing something amazing.

First thing you ever wrote: Besides my diaries and journals throughout my childhood and teen years, the first thing I ever seriously wrote was a short fable for a contest in 6th grade. The goal was to create a short story with a moral to it and I based it off of my own experiences with a certain group of (ex)friends. If I remember correctly, the story made it to one of the final rounds, but I don't think I won the contest..

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.
I write much more sporadically now than I used to. I would take the time to write in my journal every night or at least twice a week when I was middle school and high school, but since I've started college that has definitely slowed down. These days I mostly tend to wait for inspiration to strike before trying to just sit down and write; usually that tends to be a song or verse after a bad break-up. I usually like to be alone when I write because I feel like I often get so into it that I'll forget the other person or people are there with me. Depending on what I'm writing, I'll get a bit emotional sometimes too and I prefer to be alone when that happens.

Anything else you want to tell us?
Mostly just that I'm really excited to embark on this thesis writing journey with everyone this semester and I really hope to get (and give) some great constructive feedback - the good and the bad - to help improve my writing (and yours of course!) See you all Friday!

Questionnaire-Margaret M.

 

Your Name: Margaret Ann Miller

What you like to be called:  Margaret

Your email: mhollendbeck@gmail.com                            

Your birthday: October 13, 1989

Your genre(s):  Predominantly longer fiction; sometimes a little poetry here and there

My grad thesis:  it's a manuscript entitled The Geography of Half Our Lives and its about bodies, origins and time.  It has a genderqueer narrator.  It has lumberjacks.  It takes place in Colorado--sometimes Denver...sometimes the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

Why you are a writer:  Because I want to constantly pull apart language at its seams and end up feeling compelled and without choice to attempt to re-thread language back together in hopes of building newer and broader landscapes that do not possess such narrowly defined understandings of being a woman/man/person as well as creating liminality for any and all trans- identities, those ones that situate in-between or link between many.  There isn't enough liminality in novels, I feel like.  I want to let a little air in as I re-stitch.

First thing you ever wrote:  I'm not sure I remember the very first thing I ever wrote, but I had a million journals as a kid and I wrote a lot about my hyporallergenic poodle named Missy.  She was pretty awesome.

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.: My writing practices used to be a bit more sporadic, but since graduate school, I've bogged down a little more.  I try to write a little every day.  I set blocks of time each day for writing even if its working on essays and the like.  I used to be a nighttime writing person, but being all of 24 has made it really hard for me to stay up past 10pm most nights so now I write in the morning and I kind of like that more.  So I usually write from about 8..8:30 until at least 10:30 on just a normal day and on writing days it's 8-12.  I also usually have one day a week where I write all day and I write alongside my best writing friend.  I like to move around a lot when I'm writing because being in new places I think helps me personally so I like going to my friend's house to work.  I like quiet places with lots of sunshine and windows when I'm writing.  I am not so much write by hand first type of writer.  I keep a journal and I will take down notes and lines, etc if I need to for later, but in terms of sitting down to write, I usually am on my laptop.  I can see the lines better and visualize the form of the scenes better on the computer. I don't always revise as I write, but sometimes I do when I feel the language or rhythm is really off in a sentence so it's nice seeing it easily on a computer screen. Plus, I have crap handwriting.

Anything else you wan to tell us?  I'm really excited to work with this class.  I had a lot of fun last semester and learned a lot in Micheline's thesis class and cannot wait to meet some more amazing writers. 

Questionnaire

Your Name 

Tessa

What you like to be called  

Tessa

Your email:___ 

tlove@mills.edu                        

 

Your birthday 

9/8

Your genre(s)       

poetry, creative nonfiction, journalism

Your thesis idea: 

An biography about the mysterious life and death of my grandmother, Caroline, whose life I will come to know through interviews with family members and what friends I can find, as well as the small amount of journals and letters she left behind.

Why you are a writer: 

After I wrote my first poem, I couldn't stop. The idea of creating something out of nowhere made my 7-year-old heart pound. I guess in a way it still does.

First thing you ever wrote:  

A poem about Autumn, prompted by the phrase "Autumn is..."

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.

Sporadic. Unorganized. Sometimes five minutes, sometimes 5 hours. Sometimes everyday, sometimes not for weeks. And usually in my room, warding off interruptions from my 6 housemates. But, sometimes I take myself on writing dates and go to a park or a cafe.

Anything else you wan to tell us?

Questionnaire - Kendra

Your Name: Kendra Caesar

What you like to be called: Kendra

Your email: kcaesar@mills.edu                           Your birthday: September 19th

Your genre(s): Mystery, Romance, Horror, Drama, with elements of comedy

Your thesis idea: While the story idea isn't concrete, I know that I want to write three to five short stories that'll be part of one collection with a connecting theme. I keep getting ideas for the story itself, so I've yet to decide (but after this questionnaire it'll be decided).

Why you are a writer: I like to write. But seriously, I love the excitement of creating my own world and creating characters that I like and I want to see in fiction and in movies and television. I've been making things up about my own life since I was 8, so it only makes sense that I continue to make up other worlds and other people (I stopped lying about myself, so we don't have to worry about that).

First thing you ever wrote: A little booklet, a country report on Japan in 1st grade. Fiction-wise, I wrote a brief story about a fake vacation in 2nd grade.

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.: I write anytime something inspires me, or when I'm not doing anything else. I carry around notebooks of different stories because I like writing different things at once to keep me practicing and recognizing what works and doesn't work. I like to write for however long it takes to get my ideas out - if that's an hour, two hours, five minutes, twenty-five minutes; it doesn't matter. I just write! I also write by myself wherever I can; I prefer not to write around people because then I start thinking about what they're writing and if it's better than mine, or how fast/how much they're writing.

Anything else you wan to tell us?: I'm really excited and looking forward to working with everyone :) I want to also express that feedback is the most important element for me in this class, and feedback on necessary/relevant qualities is crucial for my and everyone's success.

Katy's Response to the Questionaire

Your Name: Katherine Williams
What you like to be called: Katy (but I'm not picky)

Your email: kawilliams@mills.edu

Your birthday: November 29th

Your genre(s): Short fiction, poetry

Your thesis idea: Drug use and daughterhood explored through five entwined sections of a novel-esque type thing (poetic fiction).

Why you are a writer: Because time moves in the wrong order.

First thing you ever wrote: A story about a woman and a crane that received high marks from an aggressive and snooty teacher, but the attention made me shy and I wrote no more for him.

What are your writing practices? How often? How long? Where? With? etc.
No strict recipe. I write when the mood hits me, and then when I have something good going I sit myself down in my room for "writing days," and hold myself to made-up and loose deadlines. For best results, I guzzle copious amounts of ginger ale and discuss my current work with my grandmother.

Anything else you want to tell us?
I'm looking forward to working and creating with you all!

Heidi's response

Senior Thesis Spring 2014, YAY

Your Name - Heidi Cooper
What you like to be called - Heidi
Your email: hcooper@mills.edu       
Your birthday: July 3rd 1989


Your genre(s): memoir, flash fiction, poetry
Your thesis idea: series of poems/flash fiction as memoir exploring relationship to parents
Why you are a writer: havent grown tired of it
First thing you ever wrote: poem about my grandfather

What your writing practices are? How often? How long? Where? With? Etc.
sporadic, unscheduled. usually ideas/memories/things i hear spark an idea and i will write it down. then later on sit down with coffee and headphones and expand upon whatever originally inspired me. like to start off handwriting then shift to typing after first or second draft.

Anything else you wan to tell us?:
nope