Mid-Week Field Notes

Three quick things this week:

1. Inspired by Newspaper Blackout, a collection of “found” poems by Austin Kleon, I’m going to try my hand at them. I have a theme in mind. I’m trying to see if I can get access to my hometown newspaper from 1920 to use as my base. Is the universe conspiring to help me? In her most recent Sticks & Stones newsletter, poet Erica Goss just reviewed a collection of found poetry (Karen George’s A Map and One Year). I ordered the book.
2. I’m re-reading Julia Cameron (revered author of The Artist’s Way), specifically Vein of Gold. I’m starting up my Morning Pages again. (See Austin Kleon’s take on them.) I desperately need those weekly Artist Dates (an hour-long “date” to replenish the creative well), but in this COVID world, I’m not sure how to implement them. Any ideas?
3. I am excited to be teaching an MFA class in the spring at William Paterson University on Book & Magazine Editing. Our textbooks: Scott Norton’s Developmental Editing (University of Chicago Press, 2009) and Amy Einsohn’s and Marilyn Schwartz’s The Copyeditor’s Handbook, Fourth Edition (University of California Press, 2019). I’m inviting book and magazine editors into the Zoom class to share their experiences with us.

Be safe and take care.