Revise. Reuse. Recycle.
“Recycling is not just about finding a new use for something used, there is an art to it.” --Mariam, a weaver in Cairo's "garbage city"
Every morning on my way to work, I listen to the Monitor Daily podcast. A recent episode included a story about the “garbage people” in Cairo. They live in a “garbage city,” a neighborhood of Cairo literally piled with trash—but it’s not a dump.
It’s a recycling mecca. The people who live there see the trash surrounding them as a resource, and pride themselves on becoming the recycling capital of the Middle East.
A few hours later, my mom shared an article about Miss Universe Thailand’s dress made of pop can tabs. Miss Thailand said on Instagram, “Growing up with garbage collector parents, my life as a child was among piles of garbage and recyclables,” much like those living in the “garbage city” in Cairo. Miss Universe Thailand recognizes that “what’s considered worthless by many actually possesses its own beauty,” much the way Ibrahim Zahi of Cairo asserts, “Waste has a value. Plastic here is just like oil and gold.”
The principles of reduce, reuse, recycle are incredibly valid in the writing life. Nothing a writer writes is ever wasted.
Cut 1,000 words from a novel manuscript? Save them somewhere; maybe they’re the beginnings of a phenomenal short story down the road.
Despise the crummy poem churned out last night (when at the time, it seemed good)? One of those lines is probably a gem that just needs a little polishing.
Abandon a short story that just won’t progress beyond the messy middle? What did get written might be reusable in a future project.
Something that seems like garbage right now might be revised into something eloquent later on.
An Expected End originally started as a musing in my teenage mind—just the notion that one of the calendar dates I had already lived 15 times, would also be the date I would die, albeit in a different year. I had no plans for this notion. It was just a curiosity. Eventually, it morphed into a what-if question. What if we knew when we were going to die? During graduate school, that question grew into a poem that was, well, just not that good. But I held onto the idea, and nearly a decade later, recycled it into a novel-length manuscript that will be available in bookstores later this year—almost a quarter century after the idea first occurred to me.
As a writer, I understand why being a garbage person is a point of pride.
What I’m Reading
I’m (still) reading Earl Swift’s Chesapeake Requiem, and enjoying it immensely. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve stopped mid-read to tell my husband what I just learned. I’m eager to finish not because I want it to end, but because, partially in the spirit of reusing, I’m looking forward to lending my copy to friends and family who I know will also enjoy it, and being able to discuss it with them.
Writer Spotlights
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What I’m Working On
My Debut Novel: An Expected End
Writing a novel-length manuscript, seeking its publication, and revising the piece into a polished novel is quite an endeavor. But there’s even more to writing a novel than, well, writing a novel.
There’s also growing an audience, marketing, and building an author platform. Lately, I’ve been devoting a lot of thought, time, and energy to building my author platform and growing an audience.
One endeavor in support of these efforts is this very newsletter. Another is helping promote, networking with, and supporting other writers. In my last newsletter, I featured Lisa Cooper Ellison and her interactive, inspirational newsletter, Revising U. Lisa was kind enough to reciprocate, featuring me in a recent issue of her newsletter. Click here to read our interview about my writing life, An Expected End, and The Littles.
As for my manuscript itself, I finished the second read-through, and my publisher and I are now going through my revisions. When we’re done, which she estimates will be another month or so, it will go to the editors to be put through the wringer again. Articles like this one by Steven Petrow, which my dad recently sent my way, make me wish the process moved a lot faster than it does.
On an exciting note, I have my ISBNs for the hardcover, paperback, and e-book now. (Apparently, they’ve existed since I signed my contract, but somehow I missed the memo.) That definitely makes this feel more real, as does seeing drafts of potential covers.
Outdoor Writing
I’ve begun interviewing state park employees and visitors for my next deadline, an article about programs offered by Maryland and Virginia state parks. I’m really enjoying talking to awesome outdoorsy people like Jessica Bowser, host of the Virginia Outdoor Adventures Podcast and Virginia State Parks Master Hiker.
Back in October, I visited the abandoned Presidents Heads for the first time. My second visit is on the calendar for March, for an article featuring the larger-than-life presidential busts and American Celebration on Parade, which I’ll visit this summer.
Also in March, The Littles, my friend and photographer Jamie, and I plan to visit the sand caves, and hopefully Wilderness Road State Park, too. I’m really hoping Mother Nature provides pleasant, or at least not inclement, weather, so we can enjoy the many hikes we want to take, and so I can gather enough material for my article featuring the sand caves.
Teacher Life
It has been a week of firsts and lasts, hellos and goodbyes.
Last week, I said farewell to my fall semester students, a motivated, creative, precious group I will miss. Even a day or two after our last class, some of them were sending me their artwork and creative writing, remnants of the project we were finishing that they continued on their own, outside of class requirements.
It was also the last time I’ll get to work with one of my best friends, who’s been teaching French in the classroom across the hall from mine for the last year and a half. At the end of the month, she’s heading back home to France, where she’ll likely teach English.
Today will be my first day with my spring semester students. Fingers crossed they’re as enjoyable to work with as their first semester peers.
On a reduce/reuse/recycle note, our English department held our first post-pandemic white elephant regift exchange potluck last week. The tradition started years ago, and only Covid interrupted it.
Last week, it was finally revived.
Everyone brought a dish to share (and—oh my gosh!—there were some good ones) and a gift they had received during the holidays but didn’t need or want. After we finished eating, we all drew numbers and chose gifts. Everyone was pretty satisfied with their take this year; there was only one steal, and it was of a $15 Dunkin Donuts gift card.
The Littles
Any time there’s a rock or elevated surface on a hike, Soda and Nacho feel compelled to scale it. Below, Soda has scaled a rock at least as tall as I am on a recent hike. (You can also see Nacho’s tail at the bottom of the frame. He scaled the rock, too.)
Soda snuggled into her favorite down comforter
This is how Nacho helps fold and put laundry away.
Look What I Saw Outside
Almost every Sunday, I go to church and stop at Pony Pasture on my way home for a short run. Below is a photo of some perfectly circular potholes carved out in some of the rocks in the river at Pony Pasture (they’re much prettier than the potholes in the parking lot…).
Below is a close-up photo of a fallen tree I came across on a post-church Pony Pasture run. The colors and textures caught my attention.
Yesterday, we enjoyed a sunset hike at Pocahontas State Park. I noticed these itty bitty mushrooms on a fallen log. They look like little pinkie toes.
Links to My Latest
Writing
A (rather silly) poem I wrote about trying to write a poem (and failing) appeared on the spilled_ink_va Instagram account last week. You can learn more about Spilled Ink Va on their website.
Literary Calendar
February
February 25, 2023 | 10:00 AM-4:00PM | “Teaching Literature for Liberation” | This in-person workshop will share new frameworks and lesson plans for teaching Vietnamese-American literature, particularly in secondary schools. Breakfast and lunch provided. Register online HERE.
March
March 8-11, 2023 | AWP Conference & Book Fair |
The AWP Conference & Bookfair is the annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers of contemporary creative writing. It includes thousands of attendees, hundreds of events and bookfair exhibitors, and four days of essential literary conversation and celebration. The AWP Conference & Bookfair has always been a place of connection, reunion, and joy, and we are excited to see the writing community come together again in Seattle, Washington in 2023. Register HERE.
Want your literary event to appear on the Literary Calendar in the next issue of my newsletter? I love to share book signings, writing conferences, literary festivals, workshops, classes, and readings. Just fill out this Google Form for a chance to be featured!
The poem is witty and breezily ironic. Much fun to read!