Alaskan writer Jim Rearden died on February 18, 2017 at the age of 91. Read Homer News coverage here. Somewhere in the night it occurred to me that our mentors always ultimately leave us. This is more than anything a statement of simple mathematics. When you’re a baby writer and just starting to find your […]
Kris Farmen | Thoughts on Jim Rearden Read More »
Having heroes, including writing heroes, is incredibly empowering. Coming to appreciate the guidance of people who inspire you to show up in the world and on the page, particularly in ways that do not come naturally to you, can help crystalize your own voice in new and refreshing ways. It is a powerful thing when
Alumni Dispatch: Shauna Potocky | How Heroes Influence Our Voice Read More »
Writing is done mostly alone, but mentors can help, and one reason that MFA programs have exploded this decade, I think, is that most of don’t know how to locate a mentor without finding a paid one, in academia. Professional editors who are already invested in a project are the best people to offer the
Andromeda: Writing advice from F. Scott Fitzgerald to his daughter– and to all of us Read More »
At the recent AWP Conference in Washington DC, I attended a session called “Writers on Mentors and Literary Friendships.” Part of my interest came from requests that our 49 Alaska Writing Center offer formal mentoring opportunities for writers statewide. The other part came from my admiration for session organizer Jayne Anne Phillips, who has been
