So... about that MFA, why am I here?

Why an MFA program... why now?  It's true, I'm not the typical candidate. But then I've never been the typical anything. I started writing for children's television in animation and at that time, there were less than 5 women animation writers. It was the boys' club stronghold in TV. This is probably because most (not all) but most animation writers were card-carrying geeks. They were conversant in comic books from day one... they were cartoon-o-philes... they were gag-specialists. And listen, I mean no disrespect. They were GOOD. I was just someone who wanted to write. I don't know why they let me in -- less than 5 women -- but they did. I never really learned comics inside and out, nor did I become a cartoon expert. But I did learn to write.

When I wrote my first YA novel I realized this was what I should have been writing all along. Then when I tried to sell that novel, I realized there's a difference between TV and fiction. I spent a couple of years working on my craft. I went to workshops, retreats. I read books, joined critique groups. I got my manuscript to the best point possible, given what I had to work with. And still I knew it wasn't good enough. It didn't stack up against the other books out there being pushed by the pubs. It didn't transcend the genre. I wanted to do better I just didn't know how.

Then my friend Beverley BevenFlorez started her semester at VCFA. When she got her first packet response back from her faculty advisor (who happened to be Jane Kurtz) she wrote me a long email telling me why I had to do this, too. I had been searching for something advanced to up the ante on my skills. I could tell this was it. I took a leap of faith, applied and was accepted.

Now I'm just a little over a month away from being at the half-way mark. It went by so fast. And it is working so well. More about what I've learned in coming blogs. Suffice to say, I found my muse in the form of an MFA.

MFA Survival -- A.B.R.

There is a saying among sales people -- A.B.C. or always be closing. Survival in an MFA program equates to A.B.R or always be reading.

Currently, my survival is three books going at once. An audiobook, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater which I listen to while working out. The good news is that guarantees 5 or 6 workouts because I don't spend that much time in the car.

Then I always have a book that I'm reading on my Kindle -- these days I'm checking them out from the library which is so easy and useful. Currently it's The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dressen -- which is excellent. It's a push, but I try to read 25% of my Kindle book per DAY. It's the only way I can stay on track.

Finally, I'm also reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, in absolutely true, actual book form. The actual book form books I try to savor, as much as possible given the schedule -- 10 books in approx. 3 weeks.

Last year I strived to read 50 books in a year. This year no strive... I will read 100 books this year. I'm already at 70. How much I have learned. Reading with a focus on how other authors get it right is just about the best thing a writer can do to improve her craft. Join me... and mention fave reads here.

Litotes: the Not Un-handy Literary Trope

Litotes is a figure of speech in which the description

of something is achieved by negating its opposite.

Ever wonder what the opposite of hyperbole is? Me neither! I was always too easily distracted by, well, the hyperbole. But, as long as we're here, let's, go ahead and put a finer point on it. Litotes, the opposite of hyperbole, occurs by negating the opposite of its meaning. If hyperbole is overstating something by a ton (heh!) then litotes shine by tarnishing the opposite. (I know, the 'S' is confusing, but it belongs there, and not in a plural way)

Example: the comment "not bad" (meaning good) is litotes-ic (I'm pretty sure I just made up the word litotes-ic.)

I know what you're thinking -- I'll never use a lito-whatsit word-thing, figure of speech. But chances are you already have. Example: have you ever said (or written) something along the lines of: he's not the sharpest tool in the shed? She's a couple of tacos short of a combination plate. That movie seriously didn't suck.  

Uh huh. Yep. All litotes.  If you think of more, post 'em to the comments. It could be fun.

Pass the Portmanteau, please.

Portmanteau: a blend of two or more words into one word

which combines both the sounds and the meaning of both words.

I know Wikipedia is scorned as an academic source, but in this case, it's completely appropriate to cite them for the figure of speech known as portmanteau. This is because wikipedia IS a portmanteau. (Wiki + encyclopedia.)  Get it?!

For something with such an obscure name (I never heard of portmanteau before, have you?) this little literary, multi-faceted blege (blade + edge) on the writer's Swiss Army Knife of tropes, is quite a handy tool. If you think about it, there are a lot of portmanteaus out there doing some heavy language lifting. I'll give you a few here to get started, but first I want to pay famage (fan + homage) to its creator.  

Lewis Carroll is credited with dubbing portmanteau and using it to great delair (delight + flair) in the Jabberwocky's poem. But journalists, Kennel Clubs and gossip columnists are having a field day with it, too.

Witness: The Labradoodle...

The SPORK...

Not as adorable as a labradoodle or useful as a spork...

Speidi is also a portmanteau.

Even BLOG is a portmanteau (web + log, shortened to blog.) Why don't you try it... leave me your best portmanteau in the comments and I'll feature you in a blog. Extra points for a photo that illustrates it.

Aporia

Figure of speech: aporia is an expression of doubt for rhetorical effect.

I'm supposed to be writing so instead I'm blogging. I haven't blogged all year. But today, when I really need to be writing I'm blogging. I could say I don't know why I'm not writing, but that wouldn't be true. This is either work avoidance or thinking while looking productive. I want to use a trope, or figure of speech, in my next section. An aporia might be what I'm looking for. Here's my example.

It’ll be hard walking into the lab, knowing that Miss Petrie won’t be there, but at some point I have to do it. I still imagine her her flitting from lab table to lab table, her face framed by a chaos of curls, and yet I can’t quite picture the last image I will ever have of her.
That can’t be normal.

What do you think?

I will try to add more tropes and figures of speech (with examples) here throughout this semester.

My interest in tropes and figures of speech come from a recent lecture, where faculty advisor Martine Leavitt called tropes the "Swiss Army Knife" for writers. Who couldn't use one of those? I know I could.

Keep reading. Maybe we'll all learn something here.

VCFA Summer Blog Initiative

A View on Vermont (VCFA)

I'm home from my magical first residency at Vermont College of Fine Arts. And while it's great to be sleeping in my own bed and showering in my own shower, I still haven't come down from the high. I promise you will hear these same words from anyone who has been there and here's why: VCFA is the most supportive environment a writer will ever encounter. The faculty are all working writers actively engaged in pursuit of the craft. They readily admit that they face the very same writing challenges we do. They have actual prescriptive concepts for how to approach learning and growing within your craft.

It's going to be a tough two years, but it will be worth it.

I also posted as a guest blogger on Through the Tollbooth with A Look at a First Rez and VCFA Catch and Release. Check them out.