Marianne Murphy Zarzana
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The News in Southwest Minnesota and "Sticky Stories"

11/27/2011

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These are busy days for all us teachers as the end of the semester approaches, so I'm keeping this post short. 

I've added one of my published poems, "The News from Southwest Minnesota" to the Poem Gallery page on my website. It appeared in Farming Words: The Harvest of Literature at a Prairie College edited by Bill Holm and David Pichaske and published by the SMSU Foundation. The poem sprouted from a disturbing news article about a fatal accident I'd read about in the Marshall Independent. 

If you're searching for a good prompt for a poem, story or essay, the newspaper--print or online-- is a great place to start. What story bothers you, grabs your attention, keeps you awake and wondering at night? A writer friend of mine likes to use "sticky words" as prompts, so why not use "sticky news stories"? Start writing about it, and see where it takes you. When I started writing about the Buddhist monk's accident, I had no idea where the poem was going and was surprised when the words came to me. Surprise yourself, surprise your reader.
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The Art of Imitation

12/29/2010

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Do you need a jump start for your writing? Something to do for your daily writing practice? Try imitating the greats. 

In Heather Sellers' book The Practice of Creative Writing: A Guide for Students, she writes, "Imitation is a time-honored way to understand more deeply and to get more proficient at any art of skill, whether it's writing, cooking, painting, dancing, composing, acting, or designing clothes, furniture, or houses. Beginning chefs at first copy the recipe closely, getting their techniques down. Then, they start to add more and more of their own special touches, finally inventing not just recipes, but techniques and concepts of their own (which are then imitated, taught in culinary school, etc.). . . . Imitation is a great way to hone your creative thinking skills, to increase your confidence, and to help you find your way to your own best material. It's like dancing on someone else's feet. It might feel awkward, but it's a quick fabulous path to body-memory, internalizing the basic moves that separate amateur from pro. . . . Imitation doesn't decrease creativity. It strengthens and feeds creativity." 

In grad school we chose poets we admired and wrote imitation poems. By imitating poet Sylvia Plath, I went to a deeper, darker place in my writing than I'd ever been before. By imitating poet Billy Collins, I found a more intimate voice, a greater sense of immediacy and subtle humor.

Who are your favorite poets and writers? Pick some of their poems and stories, then try to imitate them and see what comes up. As Sellers' writes, "Imitation is a way to practice writing." If you decide to submit your piece to a literary magazine, you can put "After (name of poet, title of poem)" under the title if you think it is closely tied to the original poem. Sellers notes, "Poets and writers often talk to each other in this complimentary fashion; it's not unusual at all. Imitation is, after all, the highest form of flattery."
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A Very Prairie Christmas

12/4/2010

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Tonight my husband Jim and I went to "A Very Prairie Christmas," one of our favorite musical events of the year, a program presented by the Southwest Minnesota State University Music Program and the Southwest Minnesota Orchestra. Dr. John Ginocchio conducts the SMSU/Community Concert Band and SMSU Jazz Ensemble, Mary Kay DeMaris conducts Bella Voce, the women's choral group, Dr. Ryan Fox conducts the Men's Glee Club & SMSU Concert Choir, and Dr. Daniel Rieppel conducts the Southwest Minnesota Orchestra. Bravo to all of the conductors, singers and musicians for transporting the audience to a much warmer place on this frigid Minnesota night and for putting us in a holiday mood.

I've been trying to think of a good prompt for this month's meeting of my Wild Women Writing group, and it came to me at the concert. We all have favorite holiday songs, whether sacred or secular, that hold powerful memories and resonances for us. Maybe it was a song we sang solo at a Christmas concert or played on the piano at a recital. Maybe we played it flawlessly or botched it miserably. Maybe it was in a favorite movie, or maybe it was inspired by a movie. One of my favorite Christmas albums when we were raising our daughter was Christmas in the Stars, with all songs related to the movie Star Wars. My favorite was "What Do You Give a Wookie for Christmas if He Already Has a Comb?" 

So if you need a writing prompt, here it is. Write a poem, story or non-fiction memoir or essay related to a holiday song that has some emotional zing or tug for you. And here's a deadline--December 25--because I need deadlines myself. You have plenty of time for drafts and revisions. Consider giving your piece of writing to someone as a present. It may be their favorite gift.
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    I love to play with words. To capture moments on the page. To explore the physical and spiritual geography of what I call "fly-over country." I write from imagination, observation and my own experience of wandering in fly-over country--the literal, physical spaces of my life on the Minnesota prairie and the inner territory of the soul. 

    I teach writing at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. I enjoy cooking and traveling with my husband Jim, reading, practicing yoga, playing tennis, biking, hiking and gardening.

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