Embedded Files
A Working Definition...
To be a literary citizen means:
That we write for the art of the process not the glory of the product. When we write for the art of the process we are honing a craft. This is ikigai for some of us. If we write for the glory that may or may never come with the final product, we miss the ride, Man. Journey not the destination, I say. Sometimes if we walk the road mindfully and well, we'll get to some pretty cool places. But sometimes, for most of us that "place" will never exist. So, to be a literary citizen means we get to enjoy our craft-full lives if we walk the walk and find our people on the trail.
That we hold space for other writers. This means that we read with curiosity rather than judgement. Once we have skills to offer, we maybe pay it forward to newbies. Maybe that means teaching. (For me, that's the case.) Maybe that means setting up an open mic night and emceeing. Maybe that means writing grants to get money for the arts. Maybe it means facilitating a writing group. Maybe it means buying books from your fav. indie bookstore and quietly studying the author's words. Maybe it means, if or when we find a little slice of fame (i.e. a captive audience) that we use our platform to better something shitty in the world. To offer a little insight. Maybe it means, at first, that we figure out how to save enough space for ourselves to do the thing that makes life not only worth living, but a joy?
Put the story before the author. I was asked a while ago why I switched genres to fiction (started as a nonfiction person). It's years to distill that answer and I'm still not satisfied with it. When I told the truth exactly as it was, folks got so hung up on the fact I survived it that it didn't matter what the writing looked like, really. They just leapt to assumptions about me as a human and my history excused my "bad" writing (well not bad, but not terribly artful). What I'm saying is that literary citizens don't do that. As readers, they draw context from the author but they focus on the page, the choices made on that page, because the truth is in there. That's what we do as writers isn't it? We're truth tellers.
To be a literary citizen means:
That we write for the art of the process not the glory of the product. When we write for the art of the process we are honing a craft. This is ikigai for some of us. If we write for the glory that may or may never come with the final product, we miss the ride, Man. Journey not the destination, I say. Sometimes if we walk the road mindfully and well, we'll get to some pretty cool places. But sometimes, for most of us that "place" will never exist. So, to be a literary citizen means we get to enjoy our craft-full lives if we walk the walk and find our people on the trail.
That we hold space for other writers. This means that we read with curiosity rather than judgement. Once we have skills to offer, we maybe pay it forward to newbies. Maybe that means teaching. (For me, that's the case.) Maybe that means setting up an open mic night and emceeing. Maybe that means writing grants to get money for the arts. Maybe it means facilitating a writing group. Maybe it means buying books from your fav. indie bookstore and quietly studying the author's words. Maybe it means, if or when we find a little slice of fame (i.e. a captive audience) that we use our platform to better something shitty in the world. To offer a little insight. Maybe it means, at first, that we figure out how to save enough space for ourselves to do the thing that makes life not only worth living, but a joy?
Put the story before the author. I was asked a while ago why I switched genres to fiction (started as a nonfiction person). It's years to distill that answer and I'm still not satisfied with it. When I told the truth exactly as it was, folks got so hung up on the fact I survived it that it didn't matter what the writing looked like, really. They just leapt to assumptions about me as a human and my history excused my "bad" writing (well not bad, but not terribly artful). What I'm saying is that literary citizens don't do that. As readers, they draw context from the author but they focus on the page, the choices made on that page, because the truth is in there. That's what we do as writers isn't it? We're truth tellers.
Learn How to Ikigai from Tim Tamishiro. I did.
Teacher or Writer? Teacher/Writer? Writer/Teacher?
Teacher or Writer? Teacher/Writer? Writer/Teacher?
By the time I entered my 8th year teaching, my journals had been substituted for gradebooks and I was drawing more and more from a steadily emptying well. That summer, I asked a mentor/poet/friend if I was a writer or if I was someone who held space for other writers.
Both. You are both.
Dear Teacher Who Thinks There's a Choice to be Made:
You are both artist and teacher. You must hold space for yourself and to make. To make is to take. You deserve to take. You must take. You must rejuvenate. Restore. To teach is to give. If you choose to teach, you must also hold space to not forget your ikigai. Maybe that means to write. Maybe not. Watch that Ikigai video up top.
Dear Writer Who Knows They're a Writer:
Aspire to have a life where you never have to write a single word you don't want to. Heard that gemstone from Scott Russel Sanders. Took it to heart. Maybe this means teaching. Maybe this means not. Find a vocation that affords you the space, resources (energetic and physical), to spend your life not just working in perpetuity and spending any off-time trying to recover.
Dear Person Who thinks Maybe They're a Writer But Not Sure it's Cool To be Called That:
Do you write when you don't have to and enjoy it? Do you like reading other people's writing and catch yourself sometimes asking, "hmmm how'd they do that?" Probz a writer.
Dear Former/Current Student:
I wish I would have kept it in mind to tell you that your job/role whatever it is, probably isn't the whole of you. It's cool if you love it and it fuels you but it may take from you more than it gives. Don't work so much you forget to how to live. Hold space for yourself sometimes. It makes us better. Kinder. Wiser. Less reactionary.
Both. You are both.
Dear Teacher Who Thinks There's a Choice to be Made:
You are both artist and teacher. You must hold space for yourself and to make. To make is to take. You deserve to take. You must take. You must rejuvenate. Restore. To teach is to give. If you choose to teach, you must also hold space to not forget your ikigai. Maybe that means to write. Maybe not. Watch that Ikigai video up top.
Dear Writer Who Knows They're a Writer:
Aspire to have a life where you never have to write a single word you don't want to. Heard that gemstone from Scott Russel Sanders. Took it to heart. Maybe this means teaching. Maybe this means not. Find a vocation that affords you the space, resources (energetic and physical), to spend your life not just working in perpetuity and spending any off-time trying to recover.
Dear Person Who thinks Maybe They're a Writer But Not Sure it's Cool To be Called That:
Do you write when you don't have to and enjoy it? Do you like reading other people's writing and catch yourself sometimes asking, "hmmm how'd they do that?" Probz a writer.
Dear Former/Current Student:
I wish I would have kept it in mind to tell you that your job/role whatever it is, probably isn't the whole of you. It's cool if you love it and it fuels you but it may take from you more than it gives. Don't work so much you forget to how to live. Hold space for yourself sometimes. It makes us better. Kinder. Wiser. Less reactionary.
Podcasts
Podcasts
On Writing
On Writing is a podcast born from the shift to remote learning during the Covid pandemic and a particular feeling of helplessness regarding the state of our world regarding a deep absence of critical thinking.
This podcast is an effort to teach about becoming a mindful reader, writer, and researcher. At some point, I realized that what I do everyday inside the classroom, might actually be relevant to those outside of it. It's an experiment but also a teaching tool.
The hope of this podcast is to become a place where listeners can grow and change as communicators and collaborators. Each episode covers a key topic about developing skills as engineer of language and as a participant in a complex global discourse.
SD's Talks on Writing
Talks on Writing is a subset of the On Writing Podcast focused on the craft of fiction.
Collaborations
Collaborations
Northwoods Writers
Northwoods Writers
Role as Conference Administrator and Online Architect
I began working with the Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference as an intern in 2013. In 2014 she was brought on as Conference Administrator. Initially my role began with on the ground logistics and coordination with Bemidji State University, MNWC staff, and interns. In the beginning, I set up sound systems, emceed participant readings, and assisted with staff, participant, auditor, and faculty needs. When the pandemic hit my role evolved into building and facilitating online architectures and frameworks for our virtual conference and programming. I build websites and design learning management systems for our readings, craft talks, and workshops.
COVID 19 leads to online pivot. I take on new role as "Online Architect" and design online infrastructure for the Public Reading Series, Virtual Conference Hub, & Workshop Classrooms.
MNWC Projects and Collaborations
MNWC Projects and Collaborations
Emcee for Virtual MNWC Alumni Participant Reading Series
Autumn Equinox Reading, Sept. 2020 details forthcoming
Autumn Equinox Reading, Sept. 2020 details forthcoming
Online Architect etc. for Columbus State/MNWC Collaborative Virtual Reading Series
2020-2021
2020-2021
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