This
discuss of the CV continues with the some specifics today. As I've
said, too often with a CV, it's something that a writer develops as
an after-the-fact situation. I mean, generally, someone will create
their CV only after they've done something. I was no different. My
initial CV, I put together after I finished grad school, created
Umbrella Factory Magazine,
and had done some work with Rocket House Pictures.
I doubt I could have created a better CV if I had decided to “play
it forward” and done things to specifically create the CV.
Of
course, I'm changing my course of action now. I am suggesting to do
things specifically for the CV.
I
think for the writer, there are very few things you can do to make
your CV more attractive outside of publication. Publication is the
only real reason to be a writer. And publication should be the bulk
of a writer's CV.
Some
secondary things: education, teaching, editing. These three things
are certainly part of a writer's CV. When I say education, it can be
something as formal as a grad program or a couple of classes at the
community rec center. Teaching can be just as varied, teaching a
workshop, facilitating a writer's group or a professional gig in a
school somewhere. And I think editing can be just as varied. Editing
can be anything from maintaining a blog like this, working as an
editor on a magazine, editing someone else's work, or any job within
the publication process.
That
being said, I think there are ways of building your CV very quickly.
With education, remember, adding what you've done is important.
Taking a writer's workshop in your neighborhood that lasts a few
weeks is certainly a quicker addition than a two (or more) year grad
school program. When you think about the comparison between grad
school and a short workshop, there are a few points to consider.
First, a workshop or two will cost significantly less in both time
and money than grad school. Perhaps you may not think a writer's
workshop will have as much clout, but remember, you will only get out
of something, anything, what you put into it.
Next,
the teaching portion of a CV. If you have formal education, or heaps
of experience that can translate to a teaching gig, it may be time to
pursue it. After all, when you teach, you expand your sphere of
influence. If you don't have any credentials to be a teacher,
consider facilitating a writer's group. I bet you know at least a
handful of writers, in all levels of serious and skill. When you
develop a writer's group, keep these things in mind: what are you
trying to achieve? Who do you want to be around? And what do you need
to do to accomplish those things? I think a writer's group what meets
on Tuesday nights at the neighborhood bar for a quick read and
workshop process of each other's writing and then onto gin is one
thing, and there is a place for this. A writer's group that meets on
Tuesday night to discuss one writer's piece with good constructive
criticism and possible markets to submit the work to, is another sort
of thing. Being focused on what your group wants to achieve will lead
to whom you'll invite to join and that will lead to the how of it.
Last,
editing. This is a great thing to consider. As soon as you get out
from your writer's rock, and start to publishing, you'll meet people,
and it will lead to many other things. For instance, when I started
Umbrella Factory Magazine, it
led to this blog, Sophia Ballou
and ultimately to Ring of Fire Publishing.
I feel like it only takes one step forward, the first step. Start a
blog, start a magazine, or find a magazine to work on as an editor,
or an editor at large. You can build something very professional, or
very simple. For instance, I contribute to my wife's blog weekly, and
it's not very formal, but we each write on it weekly. In a way, since
this blog is between my wife and me, it has become a small writer's
group, because we do critique the other.
Next
week: we'll get into some nuts and bolts of publications. In the
meantime, make a small inventory of all the short stories, poems or
whatnots, and take a look at New Pages, Duotrope, Issuu and
Submittable.
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