Seems like nothing exciting happens for a while and then EVERYTHING happens at once. Here are a bunch of creative writing events happening within days of each other, and some are actually on the same days.
1) The year's first Coffee House Reading, starring the ninth-grade students, is Thursday, Nov. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Ensemble Theater. Anyone is invited to read and Desire Givens, 11th grade, makes her debut as emcee. You go, Desire! Refreshments are served after the reading.
2) Creative Writing teacher Brad Craddock stars in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" at Multi-use Community Culture Center, 142 Atlantic Ave.. Performances are at 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 3-5, 10-12 and 17-19; and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6. Tickets are $5 for people under 25 years old and $15 for general admission. For information or to buy tickets online, got to http://www.mucc.org/
3) Rochester Children's Book Festival brings more than 40 authors and illustrators of children's books to Monroe Community College on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 to 4 p.m. While some of the featured books are a bit young, some of the workshops are for middle-school students. Bruce Coville, for instance, presents "Why Write? Good Reasons and Ugly Truths" at 2 p.m. Jane Yolen presents a workshop at 2:30 called “How long did I want to write a graphic novel? Close to forever.” This event is free.
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Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
How to become a published author
Even after 30 years in newspaper reporting, I can tell you it's still a thrill whenever I see my work in print. So how do you get started? Here's a baby step, especially for middle school students: write a book review for the Democrat and Chronicle's Our Towns section, which is published on Fridays.
Each week Our Towns features a review written by a local student in eighth grade or younger. The reviews are pretty short. It doesn't matter if someone else has already reviewed the book (there are always new readers who need the information,) or if the book is something kids have to read for school. This week's review, for instance, is The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963, which is a standard on local school reading lists.
If you want to try it, contact Denise Young, the editor of the section. She can be reached at DEMYOUNG@democratandchronicle.com, or by calling (585) 258-2565. Besides your inspiring words, you'll need a "mug shot" of yourself, preferably in digital form. It can be a school picture you don't hate too much. If you're thinking "Oh, they don't need my review, they probably have tons of other kids waiting to be picked," you couldn't be farther from the truth. They're dying to get new submissions. Really.
Each week Our Towns features a review written by a local student in eighth grade or younger. The reviews are pretty short. It doesn't matter if someone else has already reviewed the book (there are always new readers who need the information,) or if the book is something kids have to read for school. This week's review, for instance, is The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963, which is a standard on local school reading lists.
If you want to try it, contact Denise Young, the editor of the section. She can be reached at DEMYOUNG@democratandchronicle.com, or by calling (585) 258-2565. Besides your inspiring words, you'll need a "mug shot" of yourself, preferably in digital form. It can be a school picture you don't hate too much. If you're thinking "Oh, they don't need my review, they probably have tons of other kids waiting to be picked," you couldn't be farther from the truth. They're dying to get new submissions. Really.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
News from Atlanta
Former SOTA Creative Writing Teacher Tom Painting moved to Atlanta a little more than a year ago when he retired after 18 years at SOTA. Here's a note he sent me recently:
Good news at this end. I've landed a teaching position at the Paidiea School here in Atlanta. I'm teaching English and creative writing in the junior high. I subbed at the school last year and concluded that it was the ideal place to work. Two weeks into the school year and I couldn't be happier....The school it a little over a mile from our house. A walk, which is unusual in Atlanta. People here drive crazy distances.
I'll be presenting a haiku workshop in Hot Springs, Ark., in November.
My own kids are off to a good start to the school year and Laura continues to adjust to her position at Emory Health.
As well as things are going here, I miss you all very much. SOTA is a very special place. ...
Best,
Tom
Good news at this end. I've landed a teaching position at the Paidiea School here in Atlanta. I'm teaching English and creative writing in the junior high. I subbed at the school last year and concluded that it was the ideal place to work. Two weeks into the school year and I couldn't be happier....The school it a little over a mile from our house. A walk, which is unusual in Atlanta. People here drive crazy distances.
I'll be presenting a haiku workshop in Hot Springs, Ark., in November.
My own kids are off to a good start to the school year and Laura continues to adjust to her position at Emory Health.
As well as things are going here, I miss you all very much. SOTA is a very special place. ...
Best,
Tom
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
If All of SOTA Read the Same Book ....
...we'd all be on the same page. OK, sorry. Couldn't resist that awful pun.
Anyway, in case you haven't heard, this year's selection for the book all of Rochester will read is "The Madonnas of Leningrad," by Debra Dean. It's the story of an elderly woman with Alzheimer's floating in and out of her present and her youth as a docent at the Hermitage Museum during a time of great deprivation. I'll be seeking Title I funding to bring the author to SOTA and arrange some other programs in conjunction with the event. Stay tuned and puh-leeeze speak up if you have suggestions, ideas, connections, anything! The city-wide event is in March 2012.
Anyway, in case you haven't heard, this year's selection for the book all of Rochester will read is "The Madonnas of Leningrad," by Debra Dean. It's the story of an elderly woman with Alzheimer's floating in and out of her present and her youth as a docent at the Hermitage Museum during a time of great deprivation. I'll be seeking Title I funding to bring the author to SOTA and arrange some other programs in conjunction with the event. Stay tuned and puh-leeeze speak up if you have suggestions, ideas, connections, anything! The city-wide event is in March 2012.
Walking and writing in the woods
Writers & Books has started a new program called "Beyond Reading," which involves a number of events focusing on a single book. The first selection is Bill Bryson's often hilarious "A Walk in the Woods." The book details his ill-formed plans to walk with the entire Appalachian Trail in one year.
The kick-off event is a walking book discussion Oct. 1 in Ellison Park for children (age 8 and up) and their parents. Sounds like the perfect event for middle school writers. Registration is due by Tuesday, Sept. 27. Cost is just $4, and includes a journal to use on the hike.
Other seated and walking discussions are scheduled throughout the month. For more information, visit http://www.wab.org/. To register or ask questions about the event, email karen@WAB.org.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Welcome, creative writers for 2011-2012!
Hi, everyone! It was great to see fresh faces at last night's SOTA orientation. The school, sadly, has been hit by some major cutbacks, but I'm glad to see that creative writing, at least, seems largely unaffected. (Maybe that's what comes of a staff that's already been cut to the bone in previous years.)
I hope to feature soon some profiles of the three creative writing teachers: Marcy Gamzon, Brad Craddock and Ashley Perez. All three also teach English courses. Ms. Perez handles rollovers classes for middle schoolers. Ms. Gamzon and Mr. Craddock teach the high school writing courses and they also teach some AP courses in English.
Also, please feel free to share with me any of your ideas for a creative writing retreat. This might be a guest writer offering a workshop off campus, followed by a potluck meal with games afterward. (We've done that a couple of times with great success.) It's not only a chance to know other writers, but a chance to building a little writing community with students, parents and teachers. I offer myself for organizing and fundraising purposes, but I'd really like to get more parents involved in the planning. You can respond with comments here (if you have a google account, I think) or send me an email at blueloon@rochester.rr.com. Thanks!
I hope to feature soon some profiles of the three creative writing teachers: Marcy Gamzon, Brad Craddock and Ashley Perez. All three also teach English courses. Ms. Perez handles rollovers classes for middle schoolers. Ms. Gamzon and Mr. Craddock teach the high school writing courses and they also teach some AP courses in English.
Also, please feel free to share with me any of your ideas for a creative writing retreat. This might be a guest writer offering a workshop off campus, followed by a potluck meal with games afterward. (We've done that a couple of times with great success.) It's not only a chance to know other writers, but a chance to building a little writing community with students, parents and teachers. I offer myself for organizing and fundraising purposes, but I'd really like to get more parents involved in the planning. You can respond with comments here (if you have a google account, I think) or send me an email at blueloon@rochester.rr.com. Thanks!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Creating writing majors make Rochester history
I just visited a new exhibit in the Rochester Historical Society Center inside of the Rundel Memorial Library downtown and was please to see SOTA creative writing majors playing a small role in this historic display. The exhibit is all about Rochester businesses, with nearly one for every decade that the historical society has been around (150 years, but the 17 featured businesses go back even farther.) As I was looking at the display about the youngest business -- Writers & Books, at 30 years of age -- I realized I was staring at some familiar faces. There were creative writing majors Clara O'Connor and Amelia Carter looking back at me, along with fellow soon-to-be-a-SOTA-sophmore Sophie Dempster-Greenbaum and other teens from the mother-daughter book club they attend. The photo was taken during The Good Thief author Hannah Tinti's appearance at Writers and Books last March. If you're interested in seeing your classmates in this little bit of history, the show is up through Sept. 29. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for those under 18.
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