Monthly Archives: October 2021

Puerto Rican Gadfly

October 15, 2021 VIDEOS , , , 0

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The definition of gadfly is the following: 1 : any of various flies (such as a horsefly, botfly, or warble fly) that bite or annoy livestock. 2 : a person who stimulates or annoys other people especially by persistent criticism, a political gadfly. Of course, I lean toward the second meaning of this word. More specifically, I refer to myself as a Puerto Rican gadfly. You might wonder why I choose such a word that defines me as an annoying person. I like to think myself a gadfly in the sense that Socrates did. Socrates called himself one because he was persistent in questioning things and enabling others to think critically.

Sometimes this opposition to traditional ideas annoys people. Many people find change of any type uncomfortable. So, they do not want anyone disturbing their stay in the comfort zone they constructed for themselves. I attack uncritical positions and antiquated ideas with the same relish. Being Puerto Rican obviously shapes my perspective, thus the “Puerto Rican Gadfly.” That perspective is on view in this video conversation with Calvin Schwartz on his podcast Conversations with Calvin: We, the Species. Click the video below and listen in. As always, please let me know what you’re thinking.

For more on Calvin Schwartz, check this video done by his alma mater, Rutgers University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-gC2FyKzqo&t=4s

How To Read Like A Writer

October 14, 2021 LISTEN , , , 0

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Rachael Herron’s How Do You Write, is a craft-centered podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to her about craft. Among the several topics we discussed, I talked about how to read like a writer. It’s an approach to reading that affords you the best way to find writing tips. I came across this approach when I read Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer. I often used Prose’s book in my creative writing classes. and would recommend it to every writer. In the meantime, listen in on our conversation below and get a sense of what “reading like a writer” means.

About the podcast, How Do You Write: Explore the processes of working writers with bestselling author Rachael Herron. How do you write a book? Start here. You’ll gain tips to get in the chair, tricks to stay there, and inspiration to get your own words flowing. If you want to check out her website, here is the link: http://www.howdoyouwrite.net.

About the host: R.H. (Rachael) Herron is the bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thriller (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing. She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, Oakland, and she teaches writing extension workshops at both UC Berkeley and Stanford. She is a proud member of the NaNoWriMo Writer’s Board. She’s a New Zealand citizen as well as an American.

Advice to Committed BIPOC Writers.

October 12, 2021 CHECK THIS OUT 0

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In this article, written for DIY MFA, I offer advice to committed BIPOC writers on writing and publishing. Whether you enter an MFA program or not, it is advice that any committed writer should consider. Anyone who reads it, whether BIPOC writer or not, will better understand the current state of publishing in the US. It is advice that I would have loved to have when I started my MFA and my writing career. I also explore issues of representation in publishing, the complexity of which, most people do not grasp. I hope you enjoy this piece and learn from it. As always, I appreciate any feedback you offer in the comments section below. I would like to hear more from you! I always look forward to engaging readers in dialogue. Thanks to Gabriela Pereira of DIY MFA for inviting me to submit a guest post.

DIY MFA is an ingenious website which dedicates itself to offering learning resources for writers. If you cannot study in an MFA program and want to learn more about writing, this website is for you. For more information, here’s the link: https://diymfa.com/about.

A Dispatch from the Hallway: Advice for Committed BIPOC Writers

Adichie: Stereotypes and ‘The Single Story’

October 5, 2021 NOTES ON WRITING , , 0

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“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Adichie’s take on stereotypes and ‘the single story’ is useful for BIPOC writers. Stereotypes are untrue. But she argues that the singularity of these stories based on a stereotype’s falsehood is the more significant problem. BIPOC writers should understand that these false stories inhabit the uncritical minds of people through the narratives they consume. These single stories take hold in the wider imaginary of any culture and society. They then become biased ‘truths’ in the minds of individuals.

The antidote to this noxious process is to have writers create counter-narratives that challenge these mainstream false, single stories. We all know that there are more perspectives to any one story. Historically, when the conquerors write the history, their perspective reigns. This perspective justifies, validates and disseminates itself as ‘THE truth.” By doing so, it silences and devalues the stories of others. So, it is imperative that we BIPOC writers construct narratives, whether through historiography or fiction, that provide the ‘other’s’ perspective. This quote, taken from her TED Talk, has strengthened my belief in how I approach writing and my commitment to challenge the existing ‘single stories.‘