Shake Things Out and Dance ~ On Endings
There’s a magnolia tree in our back yard that just doesn’t seem to want to bloom this year. I’ve talked with my neighbors about it; the reactions are different. “I think it’s dead,” one of them says. “Give it time,” another says. “Are those buds?” another asks. “It’s dead,” the first one says. Each day […]
Echoes and Echoes ~ Vanessa Gebbie on Endings
As we near the conclusion of this series “Why The Short Story? ~ A Conversation Among Writers,” Vanessa Gebbie—during a complicated time in her personal life—generously and graciously considers the question of endings. Vanessa: I will start my contribution on short story endings with an apology for holding up the end of this wonderful discussion—although there is a […]
“In Conclusion…” ~ Gerard Woodward on Endings
“Why the Short Story? ~ A Conversation Among Writers” is near its end, and as we face the final curtain (apologies, Frank) Gerard Woodward answers his own questions about endings: Gerard: Perhaps it would be appropriate for an entry about endings to begin with one. In conclusion I would say this—there should be no hard and […]
Punch Line = Kiss of Death ~ Gina Frangello on Endings
Gina Frangello takes time away from her many deadlines (including finishing edits on her new novel) to answer Gerard Woodward’s questions about endings–best ones, preferred ones, how to find one, etc. As a companion to her answers here, why not look at her novel My Sister’s Continent, or her short story collection Slut Lullabies? Gina: When I […]
“When It’s Miller Time” ~ Dennis McFadden on Short Story Endings
As we come to the last questions of the series “Why The Short Story? A Conversation Among Writers,” we dig into the ideas and possibilities set forth by endings. Seems appropriate, doesn’t it? Dennis McFadden begins the end here with his answers to Gerard Woodward’s questions set forth a few days ago. Gerard: What’s the best way […]
Something Dignified and Heroic ~ Gerard Woodward on Earning as a Writer
For the past few months, the novelist and short story writer Gerard Woodward has been writer-in-residence at Columbia College Chicago. It has been a great joy to have him spend time with us, and we will miss him. But Bath, England is home for Gerard, and so he must return. Through the magic of the internet, […]
Gina Frangello’s Plan B ~ On Writing and Earning
Continuing with “Why the Short Story?” A Conversation Among Writers, author of Slut Lullabies and My Sister’s Continent, Gina Frangello answers her own questions about making money as a writer. Gina: Recently, I posed the question to this group about how our writing lives are impacted by financial concerns. We are a diverse group of writers, […]
The Milk is Free ~ On Writing and Earning
Recently Gina Frangello—one of the conversationalists in our series “Why the Short Story?”—asked the rest of us about how our writing life affects our financial life. Do we make a living as writers? Did we ever consider pursuing a more traditional livelihood? As I watch a number of my students prepare for graduation and the […]
Sheep Herding and Shrimp ~ Dennis McFadden on Earning as a Writer
As part of our on-going Conversation Among Writers “Why The Short Story?”, Dennis McFadden takes on Gina Frangello’s questions about the financial implications of a writing life. Dennis: Man, talk about déjà vu. How many times has something like this happened to you? Standing around at the old writers’ conference cocktail party, having wormed your way into […]
Prizes and a Patron ~ Vanessa Gebbie on Earning as a Writer
Vanessa Gebbie is the first of our story writers in conversation to answer the questions Gina Frangello posed in her last post to our series “Why The Short Story?” A Conversation Among Writers. Just to remind you, here are Gina’s questions: “What role, if any, does money play in your decision to write and what to write? How has […]