CWS 6 9/07
Seven of the twelve people
who signed up for CWS 6 actually showed up for our first workshop. Five made it
to our second meeting. Four met during our third meeting. Tomorrow, when we
meet for the last time, three writers are supposed to show up. All three have
participated in CWS at least once prior to CWS 6.
Jack has written about his
experience returning from the Korean War after fighting the good fight, only to
find his job back in New York had changed. Even then, in 1954, federal law
protected jobs of reservists called to active duty. But that doesnÕt mean the
job left behind will be the job the employer has saved for you. Jack is really becoming quite the
writer. His first piece, ŅThe Fez,Ó was recently published in a Korean War
VeteransÕ magazine, complete with photographs.
David has written about the
drudgery of investigative work. His piece is filled with details of barracks
life and includes the lowdown on Marine haircuts.
Charlotte has written a
lyrical piece about her childhood in Cape Verde, where she spent three years as
part of a Foreign Service family.
Jerry, who is unable to join
us tomorrow, is one of our first time writers. Jerry wrote about his experience
as an Army nurse during the Vietnam War. He narrowed his topic to time spent
with a little he met while volunteering at an orphanage.
Vivian, a second-timer,
workshopped a piece about her experience as the wife of a Marine deployed
during Desert Storm.
Lara, who has been working
via email with childrenÕs book author, Stephanie Greene, has had a very
rewarding experience. Stephanie is teaching Lara tools of the trade and has
even helped her to meet an editor or two. Thank you, Stephanie!
These are all good things
that have come from my initial plan for the war veteransÕ writing workshop or
CWS. When I began planning the first CWS, Lynn Freed had just published an
article in Harpers magazine Š
something about the creative writing gulag. The piece was upsetting for someone
like me, a new graduate of an MFA program. These programs were the subject of
FreedÕs article. Her article wasnÕt positive. As I understood it at the time,
the article basically stated that there were too many poor writers getting into
one of too many MFA programs. These poor writers were creating 500 word theses
for their programs. Freed an MFA program instructor and university professor
basically said she was worn out by all the traffic.
At the time I read the
article, I was angry with Freed for many reasons. I was one of those 500 page
thesis writers. I was one of those poor, amateur writers intent on having my
work published. And IÕve tried. I
also believed that anyone who wanted to write could write well if they learned
and used the workshop method. Without realizing it, setting up and carrying out
the CWS program proved this to be so. But only an MFA graduate could have set
up this program. And only someone with first-hand military experience could
have gotten the work out of the writers who participated in CWS.
So, itÕs not just a matter
of who comes through a writing program, but it matters who develops the
program. It matters what experience the instructor brings to the teaching as
well. And it matters how many writers an instructor has to work with at one
time. Too few, and the energy just isnÕt there. Too many, and the one-on-one
instruction fades.
David and I talked last week
about the future of CWS. IÕve been
disappointed that we havenÕt been able to reach many active duty military
members. David and I think this is because active duty people have so little
free time. They donÕt want to spend valuable Saturday morning time doing
something that might resemble work. IÕve also danced around coming right out
and stating to participants that CWS is designed to benefit those who have
experienced traumatic events that have resulted in some degree of posttraumatic
stress disorder.
My own future as a writer is
unknown as is the future of CWS.
Creator and creation, moving
through life together.
ItÕs only natural that one
will eventually leave the other behind.