A monthly letter from Gotham’s dean of faculty, Kelly Caldwell (usually writing advice)
Ever notice how beaches have “runs” of marine life washing ashore? One week it’s conch shells, the next it’s jellyfish. Lately, I’ve experienced a run of my own — friends, colleagues, students, all struggling to pinpoint their inciting incident.
Continue reading “Four Reasons You Might Be Mis-Identifying Your Inciting Incident”
Ok, writers, let’s start with a writing exercise.
Think of a moment when something did not go as planned. Be specific—this won’t work if you think too broadly, like, “My 20s,” or “all of 2016.” Think of a surprise party you tried to plan, or the honeymoon interrupted by a hurricane. Summon the details for a moment. Now, write about it. Just a couple of paragraphs. Do it now. I’ll wait. Continue reading “Moments of Dislocation”
Recently, my Memoir Writing II class workshopped a story written mostly in past tense, until the final scene, when the writer shifted her verb tense from past to present. We agreed unanimously—we loved the switch. It made an already arresting moment even more breathtaking. Continue reading “Changing Tense”