Polish up your best writing and apply for a residency today

It’s that time of year again – the time when I start dreaming of fall in a cabin somewhere, with nothing to do but write. Yes, I know it’s only spring, and soon it’ll be beach time, but deadlines for fall and winter residencies are looming, and I’m itching to apply.

For the first time in several years I won’t be applying for residencies, though. Too much else is going on. Life has interfered. I’m still trying to get settled in Charleston, and I’ll probably be going up to Charlottesville sometime in June or early July to get my things out of storage (after 2 years, lord knows what I’ll find). Then I’m headed to Boston for a few weeks in early September. I’ve decided that the rest of the year I need to stay put and try writing in my own space. There’s always winter 2013.

But damn, those deadlines make me antsy. To make myself feel a little better, I’m going to use my energy encouraging other writers to apply. So, I’m going to list some deadlines coming up and a brief overview of the programs, along with links to the sites. (Check out my earlier post for some suggestions on how to decide which residencies to apply to.)

MacDowell Colony – April 15 for residencies October – January. Peterborough, New Hampshire. The Holy Grail of residencies, it’s very competitive, but I’ve known writers without books to their credit who’ve been accepted. There are no residency fees and all meals are provided. Visual artists, writers, and composers all stay at MacDowell. There are 32 studios on 450 acres. I haven’t gotten up the nerve to apply here yet, but plan to next year.

Hambidge – April 15 for September – December residency period. Northern Georgia. Two to eight weeks, 9 writers and visual artists at a time. It is a bit remote, but amazing. Some of my experiences are chronicled in previous posts. Artists contribute $200 a week, but there are some limited scholarships. Dinners are provided Tuesday – Saturday.

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts – May 15 for residencies October – January. Two weeks to two months, 25 writers and visual artists at a time. Artists are asked to contribute what they can afford to the daily cost. Housing is in dorms, and bathrooms are shared. Great for getting to know other writers and artists. All meals are provided.

The Studios of Key West – May 15 for October 2012 – August 2013. Key West, baby. When I went there was only one resident at a time, but now they have several other studios. The residency is free, but no food is provided. Apply for this – it’s fabulous.

Ragdale – May 15 for residencies Sept – December. Located outside Chicago. $35 a day fee, but there is limited financial aid available. 8 – 12 artists and writers at a time, 2 – 6 week residencies. Dinners are provided 6 nights a week. This one is at the top of my list to apply for – I’ve heard it’s wonderful.

There are so many more, but these are the deadlines coming up. Now get to work on that app – don’t you want to be sitting in a cabin in the woods (or a cottage in the mango trees) in November reading and writing?

How to Win Friends and Influence Readers

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many writers through readings, residencies, conferences, and my affiliation with WriterHouse. And what I’ve learned from those meetings is this: writers can win new readers by their behavior, or they can completely turn readers off.

When I met Susan Gregg Gilmore, I was an aspiring writer with very few publications to my credit. I’d had an essay published in a little known newspaper in the Midwest, and a story in a literary journal that, while a wonderful journal, is not widely distributed on the east coast. Because I’d just won a short story competition in our local weekly, the HooK, I’d finally come out as a writer to my friends, but I still had a hard time claiming to be a writer. “Real writers” intimidated me. When I heard Susan was going to be in Charlottesville, though, I knew I had to go, and ask her questions, writerly questions. I loved her book Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, was in awe of the way she handled the narrator’s voice. I wanted to talk to her about the challenge of staying in character in a first person narrative, among other things. As luck would have it, I got there early that day, and so did she. So I plopped myself down, asking her question after question, and she patiently answered, even giving me her email address so we could stay in touch.

She and I have since become good friends, but her willingness to help a new writer still amazes me. She is always the epitome of grace at appearances. I’ve seen her win over audience after audience. She has a loyal base of readers, and I can’t help but believe that some of those readers first read her books after meeting her. Once they read Susan’s books they’re hooked by her wonderful writing, but at least a few of those initial sales were because she’s just so damned charming and nice. (Check out Dairy Queen and her second novel, The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove.)

There are writers I’ve first read because when I met them they were funny and genuine, some I might never have read if I hadn’t seen them in person and liked them. And then there are the few writers out there who, because of their demeanor, I will never read again. I won’t mention names, or go into too much detail about the bad behavior, but I will say that listening to a writer’s catty comments about another writer does not make me want to support him or her. I saw one well-known writer whose smug arrogance turned me off forever to his work. Heard another complain about the town car someone sent to pick her up. (Telling this to a bunch of writers who would give anything to be on a book tour, even if it meant taking a bus, is just rude.)

I know book tours are tough, and I know it’s not easy always being on, but I also know this: a writer is better off not going on tour if he or she is going to alienate readers. And I know not everyone can be a charming as Susan, or as funny as Colson Whitehead, but if nothing else, writers need to be appreciative and respectful of their readers. It’s the right thing to do, and it just might win new readers.

Crushing on Kevin Wilson

Word nerds will totally get this. I have a big old crush on Kevin Wilson. A literary crush. If you read one of my posts from a few months ago, you know that I mentioned Kevin’s book The Family Fang as a book I wish I’d written. Well, I just finished his short story collection from a few years ago, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, and I can tell you I don’t just wish I’d written the book. I wish I could write just like him. I have a serious case of love for his work. His stories are quirky, and funny, and dark and surreal, and touching and strange. Everything I like in stories (and people, for that matter).

When I was in the early stages of my bookish life, I would get literary crushes on characters. Little Women’s Laurie was one of the first, as was Gilbert (from the Anne books). But then, I started writing, and instead of the characters, I started falling in love with the writers. I wanted to meet them, to talk to them, to write them silly school girl letters about how much I adored them. How their words made the earth move for me.

The wonderful thing about literary crushes is that they can be anyone, male or female, straight or gay. Literary crushes are gender blind and color blind. They are equal opportunity loves. I have crushed on Lee Smith for years, and Steve Almond, and Toni Morrison, and Dorothy Allison. I’ve been lucky enough to hear all of them read, and to speak to them afterwards. Each time I blushed and stammered and desperately wanted to ask them to hang out with me.

Back to Kevin. I met his wife Leigh Anne Couch last November at Hambidge Center, where her cottage was across the road and through the woods from mine. Leigh Anne is an amazing poet, and a really funny and nice person. At dinner the night I discovered who her husband was – I didn’t know for several days – I gushed on and on about The Family Fang. It must have been rather annoying to her, since she was there, after all, to focus on her own work. But she was great about it, and I managed not to beg her for an introduction. Though that was before I read Tunneling, back when I was just “in like” with him. Not in full-blown crush mode.

Anyway, Leigh Anne, I’m sorry, but I gotta say this: Kevin Wilson, I heart you. Wanna hang out?