As our writing community grows, so too do our opportunities! Elizabeth de Cleyre, in partnership with Odd Humyns—a new store and workspace from Odd Brand Strategy founders Serena Wagner and Elle McGhee—has just released information on a new workshop opportunity right here in the Chippewa Valley. Read on to learn more, and how you can be a part of it.
1.) Tell us a bit about your new 5-week writing workshop. What are some of the subjects you're most excited to share with writers?
This new workshop for School of Odd is a crash course in writing and publishing, and over the course of five weeks we'll read and discuss short pieces, workshop one another's drafts, and generate new writing. It's structured so the six participants cover all the bases of reading, writing, and critical reflection, and do so in an ongoing, consistent form. The goal is to get people to generate habits over these five weeks that they'll be able to continue after the class is done.
I'm most excited to cover literary movements and voices that resist categorization or are hard to pin down--such as hybrid works, autofiction, and corporeal writing. There's so much potential and possibility in writing right now, whether you're generating new work or seeking innovative methods for revision. Ultimately, this workshop is a possibility space, and I'm eager to what each writer brings to the table.
2.) In your program's description, you note 21st century writers' struggle to maintain "attention" in a content-flooded market. Without giving too much away, what should writers do to bring attention to their work? Is it a matter of content, form, platform, or publication outlet?
Annie Dillard wrote, "the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you."
So let me answer this freely and abundantly: If you, as a writer, want people to pay attention to your work, then you must pay attention to your work. For me, that means building a consistent writing practice, and investing in my education by studying writers whose work I admire.
It may sound reductive, but when we consistently read and write we become better readers and writers, and when we become better, more consistent readers and writers, the leap from writing to publishing becomes that much easier. I'm not afraid of giving too much away because it doesn't feel like much of a secret to me, especially here in Eau Claire, where there are countless examples of writers who pay attention to their own work. (I've also noticed in Eau Claire that writers who focus on their own work are often also excellent supporters of the work of others.)
We can sweat over Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter algorithms to promote our work all day, but if we're not paying attention to our own writing, we're hard-pressed to make progress on it. Yes, the internet brings with it a flood of new content, and while some writers see that as a detriment (read: more competition), I see it as a huge opportunity. The final lesson in this course is about how to take your writing out into the world of publishing, so we'll discuss how to cut through the noise and get your voice heard.
3.) Your workshop will be held at Serena Wagner and Elle McGee's newly-opened Odd Humyns space--a shop and studio space in downtown Eau Claire. Can you share about this exciting collaboration? Are there opportunities for future offerings in this space?
I'm insanely honored to count Serena and Elle as collaborators and friends, and one of the main reasons I asked Odd Humyns to host is because of their commitment to building an inclusive space. Writing is sacred and personal to me, and in order for the writing workshop to be a possibility space, all participants need to feel safe, honored, and know their perspective is valid.
As for future offerings, School of Odd and Odd Humyns are planning on a bunch of different workshops, courses, and events throughout the year, and they are open to pitches from folks about offerings. Their aim is to act as a well-rounded hub for all creative mediums, including writing in its many forms. (Definitely keep your eyes on their Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/oddhumyns/)
I'm personally excited to see where this workshop takes us, and I'll use participant feedback to craft new courses that align with School of Odd. Since I recognize that not everyone is available to meet in person, I'm also exploring an online-only version of the course. On a somewhat related note, Serena, Elle and I are at work on a zine/journal tackling the topic of the 'creative economy.'
4.) Finally, tell us a bit about you! Favorite book? Favorite writer? Favorite piece of writing advice?
I'm a NH-native, a former Portland, OR transplant, and somewhat hard to keep up with. I started a book club at Red's Mercantile when I moved here in 2016, which then prompted me to co-found Dotters Books. As an editor and publishing consultant, I've guided over 70 authors to publication and worked behind the scenes of literary magazines. When not writing (or reading), you can find me behind a sewing machine, making made-to-measure clothing for clients. (I have a knack for analog endeavors.)
Nicole Krauss wins the title of "favorite writer" for me, as her novels are some of the few works I re-read in full, especially Great House and Forest Dark.
As for writing advice, something Charles Baxter said in his 2017 lecture at the Chippewa Valley Book Festival has stayed with me: "sublime confidence."