Alright. So “syntax” usually means the ordering or words in a sentence, or on a larger scale, the structure of a language. But, I figure, in addition to the lovely alliteration of the title, the 2010 West Virgina Writers’ Workshop, directed by WVU’s Mark Brazaitis, really was about the structure of language—since that’s what writing is. We poets, we fiction writers, we essayists—that’s what we do. We work hard to find the right words, the right combinations, the right rhythm and pace, to tell our stories and convey our feelings and images. We are lonely, driven alphabet-shufflers.

Alright. So we’re not so lonely. In fact, this year’s WVWW gave us all a chance to meet, learn from, and share stories and poems with other writers. Writers from all over—from as far away as New Mexico and Florida, and as close as right here in Morgantown. Every day we had a chance to socialize with one another and participate in workshops and craft classes. We got to hear readings from an array of professional authors and discuss our work. For a few blessed days, we were totally immersed in the written (and read aloud) word.

2010 marked the fifteenth successful year of the West Virginia Writers’ Workshop. It was founded by Jim Harms, a poet and professor of English at WVU. The running of the Workshop has fallen into the capable hands of Mark Brazaitis, who is the current director of WVU’s Creative Writing Program. Renee Nicholson, a WVU MFA in Creative Writing graduate, has been the assistant to the Workshop since 2007.

By Renee Nicholson, Assistant to the Director

When people ask, “what can I gain from the West Virginia Writer’s Workshop?” I like to share some successes from past participants. For instance, John Thelin’s book, Breath Into Bone, features eight poems that were workshopped at the 2002 West Virginia Writers Workshop (WVWW) with David St. John. Another is the story that Tom Bennitt submitted at the 2005 workshop that was later published by River Walk Journal, and also won a Pittsburgh-area story contest. Ed Zahnizer, following this same trend, workshopped his poem “From Descartes to the Beatles’” with a group led by Denise Duhamel that was subsequently published in OCHO. Recent WVU MFA graduate Kori Fraizer applied to the program after attending a WVWW where she worked with Mark Brazaitis. Cathryn Essinger, whose son Dave attended a past conference, says, “I really like the West Virginia Writers’ Workshop and encourage my students to attend, because it is close to home (we live in Ohio), affordable, and they receive good advice in a very friendly setting.”

Having been a participant in the WVWW most years since 1996 and having served as the Assistant to the Director since 2007, I think I can safely say that the rewards of the workshop are much more than the biographical notes that might come from publication. Although these are wonderful accomplishments, the true value of the workshops comes from the spirit of community that is a hallmark of the four-day event.

The workshop will run July 15-18, 2010, and applications are due by Friday, June 18th. Potential participants can register online at http://www.as.wvu.edu/wvww/reg.htm. In addition, the Workshop’s website has complete author bios, a schedule of events, information on lodging, etc. Very reasonably-priced accommodations for the workshop are available on campus at Stalnaker Hall, which is walking distance to Colson Hall, the Mountainlair, and Downtown Morgantown.

By Rebecca Schwab

Student Profile: Sarah Einstein

By Rebecca Schwab

The Creative Writing Program is proud of its students. Right now, we’re especially excited about the work of Sarah Einstein, a Non-fiction MFA student who has just finished her second year of the three-year program. She continually produces exceptional essays, and is a credit to our department and its faculty.

Einstein, a native of southern West Virginia, graduated from WVU with a Board of Regents Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s Studies and English Literature before starting the MFA program here. After she receives her Master of Fine Arts degree next year, she plans on attending a PhD program for Creative Non-fiction at another university.

Her first published work, “Fearsome Beauty,” appeared in the Spring 2007 issue of Fringe, an online literary journal which specializes in political and experimental work. This was followed by “The Way Things Go,” which was published in the Spring/Summer 2008 issue of Whitefish Review, a literary journal based in Montana “with a slant toward mountain culture” (Whitefish homepage). “Fearsome Beauty” was first workshopped in an undergraduate class here at WVU with Kevin Oderman, whom Einstein continues to work with. In fact, Einstein said she’s never taken a workshop with Oderman and not had an essay from that workshop published. “Kevin makes you break out of what’s expected,” Einstein explained, “he’s one of the main reasons I chose this program.”

By Rebecca Schwab

This year’s Russ MacDonald writing contest for graduate students at WVU had three categories: Fiction, judged by William (Matt) Haas; non-fiction, judged by Professor Ellessa High; and poetry, judged by author Michael Blumenthal. For the Fiction prize, the winner was Kori Frazier, who graduated this May. Her winning story is titled “The Girl from Chippewa Lake,” which was written for her thesis under Professor Emily Mitchell, committee chair. Here is an excerpt from her story:

Penny started to tell him where to turn, but before she could get the words out, he already had. She seemed surprised by this, like the place was a private thing to her, that no one else had ever touched, and he had somehow cracked it open. They passed through a housing development where there were once patches of pine trees, and Lyle was momentarily lost. She told him to pull over in a ditch next to a metal fence, across from an empty sign that used to mark the park entrance, the logo of the Indian in the headdress stripped off, leaving the steel frame behind.

“They arrest people for trespassing here,” she said matter of factly, like she was giving a tour. Lyle cringed, imagined the phone call Maddy could receive that evening. Your husband got arrested breaking into a shuttered amusement park. But then he pictured the park the day they’d played, the blur of red painted steel and sandy roads, and couldn’t help himself. He followed her.

By Kori Frazier

This year, the Council of Writers (better known as COW), the official MFA student organization, continued its mission of providing MFA students with opportunities to share their work, create social opportunities, and further own common pursuit of creative writing outside of workshops and classrooms.

One of the organization’s primary goals is to orient incoming students to the rigorous and rewarding environment of the MFA program. These efforts began last summer, when Publications Coordinator Aaron Rote led the creation of our annual welcome packets, a compilation of information about Morgantown and WVU that features personality profiles and words of wisdom from current MFAs. In September, Elissa Hoffmann and her husband, Werner, graciously opened their home to our program for the annual MFA Meet and Greet, a potluck dinner that allowed incoming MFAs to meet current students and faculty.

By Emily Watson

What education have you received?
I have a BA in English from Oakland University and an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from WVU.

What kinds of writing are you doing right now?
I’m always working on writing I think I can’t do. So, I’m trying to write a long poem, and I’m challenging myself to recognize patterns in my writing and change them—for example, I have a habit of ending poems in the same way, sometimes even with the same sentence structure. I’m trying to push past my typical instinct.

What is your greatest accomplishment as a writer?
Well, certainly winning the Iowa Poetry Prize was a great accomplishment. What was really significant to me about winning this prize was that Mary Ruefle was the judge who chose my manuscript, and she is one of my favorite poets. Publishing a poem or a collection of poems is wonderful but what I really consider great accomplishments are the little breakthroughs I make for myself as a writer, which no one will ever really see but me. Those matter more than publication or recognition.

By Heather Frese, COW President

It was one of those Morgantown-in-April afternoons, breezy and blue-skied, as I walked down the alley beside the Hotel Morgan (historic!) with Dinty Moore, celebrated essayist and author of humorous literary books The Accidental Buddhist, Toothpick Men, The Emperor’s Virtual Clothes, and Between Panic and Desire, along with the non-fiction textbook The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction. Dinty was here as the Council of Writers’ (COW) featured spring reader, and his presence was greatly anticipated.

And yes, that is his real name.

By Justin Crawford

Faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students interested in creative writing know about Emily Mitchell. She teaches with an inquisitive ear to the current trends of contemporary fiction, and is a powerful voice when it comes to how writing works. To put it simply, she is always one step ahead of the game. But to call what she does “a game” might oversimplify the whole convoluted process of what it means to be a writer. A great writer is dedicated to craft, character, and narrative, and attentive to the happenings in the world around him or her.

Mitchell’s novel The Last Summer of the World is a historical novel that is set in World War I. It is crafted in a lush language that pulls the reader into the depths of the world Mitchell creates. The characters are struggling with the setting around them and fight with the external and internal troubles of war and life. The story line weaves between past and present action, pulling the reader along in the beautifully rendered narrative that speaks volumes about the early 20th century and modern times. Her short stories are also captivating, with a smooth sheen of humor and a style that can be deeply morose and incredibly touching. Emily Mitchell is not just a great writer—she is a great teacher and friend to faculty and students alike. She took the time to meet with students outside of class, and her friendly persona made her students feel at home during office hours and in the classroom.