[Cwgrad-announcements] MFA Reading Series

[Gabriela Jauregui]

Hello fellow writers!
I hope everyone's feeling more adapted and placed now that the quarter
is under way...  I've started to really get the ball rolling on the
reading series.  There's 37 of us and so 6 of us can read at 6
different venues.  It would take up all of one hour and 30 mins
(doable for a bookstore) per reading and we would have a combination
of poets, fictioneers, playwrights and screenwriters and
nonfictioneers each time.    I will then start to hunt down venues and
dates so that you can mark them off on your calendars and we can make
adjustments, when needed.
Here's the basic structure, it is proportional to the numbers of
people we have in each emphasis: 2 poets will read, 2 fictioneers and
2 screen/playwrights or non-fiction writers.
fictioneers will have 14 minutes
poets will have 10 mins
and screenwriters and playwrights and non-fiction writers will have 12 mins
Also a fellow writer in the program will to introduce you.  Please think of
who you will want to invite so they can begin to think of what they'd
like to say about your work... Also maybe give them a selection of
what you'll be reading so that they can maybe mention a couple of
pertinent things if you both feel like it.
A note on time limit: I've been to readings where people (some of us
included) have gone over-time (or waaaaay over-time) and this results
in a longer evening than expected and people who came then either have
to walk out early or leave with the feeling that it was a long and
excrutiating experience instead of an amazing and thrilling evening.
PLease remember that there are also other people reading and respect
their time as well... If you go over, you're eating into someone'
else's minutes.  Finally, it ends up detracting from your own work
because instead of leaving people wanting more, you leave them wishing
you would shut the hell up.
We're not Salman Rushdie...yet!  So please, please, please remember
that as we get this reading series under way you will have to respect
the time limit allotted to you--again this is also a part (perhaps the
lamer part) of being a writer.  Practice in front of the mirror and
time yourself--whatever it takes.
There's one thing that I need cleared up ASAP: what are the following
people's emphases (so I know under which umbrella to place them)?
-David Hora?
-Melanie Jeffrey?
-Carolyn Morris?
-Jessica Sundell?
Please let me know as soon as possible so that we can start making the
combinations of which people will read when etc.
Questions? Suggestions?
Those of you who mentioned you'd be willing to help me with
whatever--please, please please canvass your local bookstore(s), tell
them who your are, what you're doing and ask if they could host an MFA
reading one evening in the not so faraway future?  Tell them it would
only last for one hour and a half and would increas foot-traffic, tell
them whatever you feel is appropriate. I don't live in the area so I
don't necessarily know every bookstore around the IE.  Also, could
someone please go over to the Chicano bookstore on University?  I'm
already working on Imagine that! and on Skylight in LA...Maybe even
something in Long Beach...   I can't wait to hear back from you!
best,
Gaby