Cindy LaFerle

Royal Oak writer-in-residence plans different program

A face familiar to Michigan Women's Forum readers, author Cindy LaFerle, has begun a new facet of her career, one that will put her in touch with other writers through her local library.

How did the idea for the Royal Oak writer-in-residence program materialize?
I've been inspired by the writer-in-residence program at the Troy Public Library. Iris Underwood, a Michigan author who serves as the writer-in-residence there, offers a variety of programs, from personal journaling to juicy discussions on women in literature.  Recently, a few of the students in my own writing workshops began asking why our public library in Royal Oak doesn't offer a similar program.
    So I contacted Metta Lansdale, director of the Royal Oak Public Library, and asked what it would take to start our own writer-in-residence program. I didn't necessarily mean that the writer-in-residence had to be me -- but I wanted to get involved somehow. As it turns out, Metta Lansdale had been exploring ways to expand adult programming at the library. She embraced the idea right away, and invited me to be the ROPL's first writer-in-residence. Rosemary Mirsky, an ROPL librarian, was assigned to work with me on developing the new programs and classes. Rosemary and I are working together to get this off the ground.
    It's important to mention that the ROPL Writer-in-Residence program is going to be a little different from other writer-in-residence programs. Rather than teach all the classes or lead all the discussions myself, I'm bringing in other regional authors, editors, and journalists to do workshops in their areas of specialty.  I'll be teaching some of my own memoir and personal essay workshops as well, but I see this program as a showcase for many different talents in our region.

Why are you so passionate about this program?
There are several reasons. For one, writing is typically a solitary craft. As a professional writer, I've been working at home (while raising a child) for more than 20 years. In recent years, I discovered that getting out from behind my desk to teach writing workshops has been one of the best career moves I've made. I love to talk about books and writing almost as much as I love the writing process. So putting together a writer-in-residence program seems a natural extension for me.  I'm also a new empty nester and in my early 50s -- and its time to share my passion with my community instead of hiding behind a computer monitor. We're lucky to have a rich, diverse literary community here in Detroit, and I'd love to call upon their gifts and talents.

What has been the reaction thus far? Anything you didn't expect?
I'm especially pleased at how enthusiastic the ROPL staff has been -- how they supported this whole idea from the get-go. They applied for -- and received -- a small grant from the Michigan Center for the Book, which is affiliated with the Library of Michigan. Rosemary Mirsky also worked with me to create a survey that patrons can fill out to indicate the type of literary programs they'd want to attend. The survey is posted on the ROPL web site. Earlier this month, we held a community forum so that we could introduce the new writer-in-residence program and get suggestions from everyone who attended. We want to ensure we spend the grant money on programs that will truly appeal to our audience, of course.
    I was surprised at how many working writers came to this forum. Their comments inspired me to launch a new support group for new and experienced writers who want to discuss the ups and downs of the writing life -- dealing with writer's block, coping with rejection, and balancing a writing schedule with family life, for example. There are a lot of writing critique groups out there, but few groups offering emotional support and connection for serious writers.  We'll be starting this group in February of 2008.

Talk a little about the kinds of programs people will see offered at the library through the writer-in-residence program.
As you'll note from the survey posted on the ROPL web site, we're open to offering programs on anything and everything from magazine journalism to science fiction and more. If people in our community want to learn more about classic poetry or romance novels or blogging, we'll try to find the experts who can teach or talk about those topics.  So far, completed surveys indicate that people want classes on writing and getting their work published. There's some interest in biographies and the memoir, and in using a personal journal as a healing tool.  We're still encouraging people to fill out the surveys -- and we'll keep paying attention to what they are asking for. The way I see it, the writer-in-residence programming will evolve over time -- based on community interest and participation.
 
You have plans to offer your memoir writing workshops. What do participants experience and gain in those sessions?
I've been teaching memoir and personal essay writing for several years now -- and I'm always amazed at the quality of writing that flows out of new writers who were, at first, terrified of the blank page. My role is to give people permission to share their stories. I try to dismantle the assumption that you can't write a memoir unless you've experienced (or done) something horrendous or totally "out there."
   People who take my "Writing from the Heart" workshops -- older women, especially -- walk away feeling their lives are validated. Example: there's a woman in her late 80s who has taken my workshop several times to help recover from a stroke and some memory loss. She's an incredible writer, and it's wonderful to watch her light up when she reads her work aloud in class. She was a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse -- and she's working on a book about it.  It's been a highlight for me, having her in my class.

Memoirs have become a very popular genre, James Frey notwithstanding. Any ideas about why that might be?
Writing your own story is a way of "owning" and validating the chapters of your life. It's a healing experience for many people, as I mentioned earlier. This is especially important to consider today, given that we live in a celebrity culture that tends to make so-called ordinary people feel insignificant. But when most of us sit down to write a personal essay or a memoir, or even a private entry in a journal, our lives take on a deeper meaning.  People in my classes, for example, often tell me that they are pleasantly surprised at what comes out when they sit down to write.

Is this a position with a beginning and an end, or do you envision this continuing after you are no longer involved?
A good question! I have agreed to I will stick around long enough -- at least two years -- to get the writer-in-residence program off the ground and running. It's mostly a volunteer effort for me; I am not getting a salary for it.  In the future, I think it's only fair that other writers in our community have a chance to fill this role too. I see it as an honor.  The community will benefit, in the long run, from the input of many different writers-in-residence.
   The program's mission is community outreach. What would you like to have accomplished in those terms over the coming year?
   Getting good attendance for the programs is a priority. I want to work hard to get the word out and, in turn, help make the ROPL an exciting forum for people who love the written word.
   Generally speaking, many people still view libraries as "ivory towers" to be visited only when you have to labor on a research project. But public libraries today offer so much more in the way of cultural activities. Lastly, I hope readers and writers know that I am accessible and happy to listen to their creative needs. I am not an expert in every genre, but I see myself as a liaison -- and hope the community will put me to work for them.

When can people expect to see WIR programming offered?
We've just scheduled a 3-week "Introduction to Magazine Writing" (led by a well-known local magazine editor) for January 2008, and "The Writer's Life" forum (also 3 weeks) for February 2008.  These will be formally announced next month on the ROPL Web site. I will be posting more information on my own Web site -- www.laferle.com -- as well, in addition to other workshops I offer in the community. I blog about a variety of topics, but include a lot of tips especially for writers. I welcome Michigan Women's Forum readers to attend our workshops or offer their ideas and suggestions.