National Triumph Week

It's National Triumph Week, because I say it is; so Every Writer is hereby asked to think of and speak of their Triumphs.

At age 29 I was so out of touch with myself that I was doing graduate studies in Fiction Writing. I hadn't dared to apply for the poetry sequence. But I entered the grad-student poetry contest for the heck of it. Knock me over with a feather, I won. The Poets freaked out! Were they disgusted! Pamela Alexander's book flew out of the library and there were half a dozen Requests on it -- they wanted to read the (surely crazy or substandard) work of whoever had picked the fiction writer as the winner. Oh turning point, kick-start, shot of confidence! I am only sorry that the poets thought I had won at their expense.

About seven years later I met Pamela Alexander. I said to her, "You don't know me, but you changed my life!" p.s. READ THE COMMENTS BELOW!!

What Your Cr.Wrt . Prof. is Thinking

-Wish I'd written that.
-This is freaking amazing.
-I just won't tell the class that no experienced writer would ever even TRY to write four essays (or a portfolio of poems) in 16 weeks.
-Man, the difference between the first draft and the third, like night and day!
-You're showing your depths and I really like that.
-I bow to your greater experience.
-I'm really sorry that you had to suffer _________. But it may help to write about it.
-LOL
-I know of something you've just got to read!
-I know where this might be published!

Advice to a Co-Worker Leaving Her Job to Enter an MFA Program

• Get to know everyone.
• Attend every literary event that you can.
• Keep a journal.
• When you’re suffering, telephone (don’t E-mail) a fellow student.
• Your mistakes are okay.
• Understand that some of your fellow students applied to the MFA program and didn’t get in, so they are getting a regular M.A., and boy are they jealous of you.
• If you teach freshman composition, know that some of your students cannot be saved.
• Sleep on it before submitting it to workshop.
• Love affairs that start in the first weeks of grad school will end badly.
• Get a bicycle.
• Make yourself go to your writing professor’s office during office hours, just to chat.
• If you need money, get a part-time job no matter what your contract with the college says.
• Don't bug famous writers to help you, because they won't.
  
• It's not an illusion: Male and female writers are not treated the same.
  
• You'll get discouraged sometimes, but don’t let anybody stop you.