⧉ A tale of two workshops
Welcome to the fourth issue of OVERLAP ⧉
A tale of two workshops
Last summer, I spent several days at Yale for a nonfiction storytelling workshop called Thread. This weekend, I spent 12 hours at the School for Poetic Computation for a writing class called Put Into Words. I wasn’t intending to compare them, but can’t help thinking about how two dramatically different experiences have contributed to how I think about my work.
Thread is billed as a workshop for people working in different types of media formats, from journalism and illustration to podcasts and video. The mentors have won Peabody Awards and Pulitzer Prizes. And not surprisingly, most people who attend aspire to similar achievements — prestige bylines and high-profile production credits. In morning seminars and afternoon workshops, a structured schedule focused on the questions of what makes a good story and how to create a narrative of your own.
The SFPC class was specifically about writing and was designed for artists and technologists who may not consider themselves writers at all. Joanne McNeil was our sole instructor; she’s a writer that every interesting tech writer will tell you to follow, and she’s generous in a way that made the rest of us want to be more generous. Three sessions of participatory discussions covered a range of topics — from the pragmatic to the philosophical — and asked us to consider why we want to write and who we want to be as writers.
When I went to Thread, I thought I’d have deep conversations and connect with a like-minded community. That didn’t happen, but I did come away with the inspiration and frameworks I actually needed at the time. This weekend at SFPC, my expectations were less specific. I thought I’d gain some ideas for improving my personal writing; I ended up with even deeper insights and a chance to continue learning from thoughtful, creative people.
One person’s magical workshop moment might be a waste of time for someone else … and sometimes it’s unclear what you’ll take away from a learning experience until you’re already into it. I’m not sure what the larger lesson should be, but let’s go with this: Try different things. Open your mind as far as it will go. Keep learning.
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The third issue of this newsletter explored the tension between bold solo triumphs and sustained collaborative success. All the archives are online, if you’ve missed any previous transmissions.
I’d love to hear what you think — reply to this email or send a note through my website. You can also forward this to a friend or two and invite them to subscribe.
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Auntie Jess recommends:
Horizon needlepoint by OHTO. I’ve always been more of a rollerball person, but I started using this ballpoint pen a few months ago and I’m really into it. I recently ran out of ink and bought refills; I can’t remember the last time I was this invested in a pen.
Paterson. We watched this quiet movie on the first night of this weekend’s class. If you write poetry and never share it with anyone, are you a poet? (I know my answer.)
A second latte. Sometimes the day requires extra caffeine.
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Thanks for reading. I’d love to hear from you — hit reply to share your favorite poetic film, writing implement, weekend indulgence, or anything else that’s on your mind.
Until next time,
Jessica
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