CWS6 Journal 250807
CWS 6 met for the first time
on Saturday, 25 August 2007. Four of nine participating writers are returning
to workshop a new piece. Returning writers add experience to the seminar.
During each journey through the CWS process with a new piece, writers help
newer writers develop their work, friendships made during past CWSs are
renewed, and new friendships are made.
WeÕre two years into the
evolution of my original idea for CWS, so I suppose a review is called for. New
to CWS 6 is a handbook composed of handouts on writing process, writing tips,
critiquing, storymapping, and four pieces of short-short nonfiction
participants can use as models. Marine Corps Community Services is again
providing our meeting space and copies of the handbook. David, our MCCS
liaison, gave his valuable time to coordinate with me, to advertise the
workshop and to make handbook copies. In that respect, weÕve been able to abide
by our no overhead rule.
This is the first CWS using
our new website format. Last summer, CWS lost its website sponsor and has moved
from having a sponsored website to the website youÕre visiting today. The cost
isnÕt high, about $7 a month. IÕve paid for two years worth of web time in
advance. Paying for this website is more than crazy, since IÕve made only $354
from my writing since I made the decision in 2003 to pursue a masterÕs degree
in writing rather than library science. IÕve kept the website alive after we
lost our sponsor because I believe in the writers who participate in CWS and in
their work.
IÕve often wondered why the
seminar advertising attracts fewer active duty enlisted participants and more
women than men. This time, the women and men are almost equal in numbers. But
officers still outnumber enlisteds. Maybe those who would consider joining us
to write think of me as an unqualified instructor. Maybe they fear exposure on
a command level. The most probable answer is that they would simply rather
spend their free time with their families. I donÕt know the answer, but among
our writers for CWS 6 are two active duty enlisteds, one active duty officer,
one spouse of a retired officer, two civil service workers, two retired
officers and one retired enlisted. The marines, the merchant marine, and the
army are represented in CWS 6. IÕm looking forward to working with each writer.
My original intent for CWS
was to create a workshop where active duty personnel returning from the war zone
could write narrative about their experience as a way to help understand what
they had undergone and to help readers understand what military life entails. IÕve
always made clear that I am not a counselor. IÕm also not in touch with the
command element, so there is no one to report to. Only once has anyone who
visited this website contacted me. IÕve tried on several occasions to direct
attention to the work being produced in the workshop, to the new voices
emerging. IÕve considered proposing an anthology of our work for publication,
but there are problems with that. First, I donÕt have the addresses or contact
information for some of those whose work appears on this website. Second, at
every turn when IÕve reached out to veteranÕs organizations or publishers, it
seems that IÕm perceived as someone who is trying to take advantage of combat
veterans for personal gain. This situation has sometimes surprised me and
sometimes destroyed me. When I turned to the National Endowment of the Arts for
assistance and guidance, I was ignored. When I emailed dozens of veteransÕ
groups about the program, asked for a link to the site, and volunteered to work
via email with combat veterans who might want to write about their experiences,
I was either ignored or treated as a spammer. Sometimes people I contact treat
me as though I am mentally imbalancedÉthe list goes on, and so does my hope
that the work we do through writing is meaningful, not just to the writers or
to me, but to readers.
Hope Š a ray of light, a
pinpoint of light in a dark night Š arrives when least expected.
Hope recently arrived in the
form of two published writers of childrenÕs literature. When Lara and Tamika
contacted me about their desire to participate in CWS 6, both women, military
wives home with children, wanted to write childrenÕs literature. My focus in
CWS has always been on nonfiction narrative, on the power of truth telling to
empower the writer. Both women were disappointed when I suggested CWS might not
be right for them. Lara indicated she had recently rejoined the Society of
Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. I asked Lara if she had contact
information for anyone associated with the Society. She had a web address and
the southeast regional contact personÕs information. Despite the many times
IÕve been ignored when querying organizations for assistance with CWS, I
volunteered to contact the Society. In an email, I explained the CWS program
and asked if a published author might be willing to work with Lara and Tamika.
I was surprised to be contacted by Stephanie
Greene and Leslie
Staub, both accomplished authors and both willing to work with Lara and
Tamika. While I havenÕt heard back from Tamika, which is often the case after
someone who applies to CWS says they will participate, I know Lara is overjoyed
to be working with a real writer.
Thank you, Stephanie, for
making a difference for a military family.
So, here we are two years
later with a growing and changing writing seminar, moving forward, going with
the flow of expectation, realization, and disappointment. IÕd like to say that
four years after choosing writing over library science, my decision has proven
one hundred percent right, but I canÕt say that. Every day, I question that
decision. I wonder how I will pay the mortgage if something happens to my
husband. I wonder if IÕll ever write anything worthy of a reader. Some days, I
feel totally alone as a writer. But then CWS Saturday rolls around, and itÕs
time to go in and workshop with new writers or returning writers, all of them
people who share my love for writing and for this country, all of us willing to
make sacrifices to achieve our goals, all of us overwhelmed at times by our
decisions. All of looking for a break from routine, hoping to make a difference
in someone elseÕs life by sharing our experience, our strength, our hope.
Sharing hope doesnÕt cost a penny and it wonÕt earn you a living, but you just
might find a friend.