MFA ORG Hosts a Sit-down with Author Alyssa Songsiridej
Read Time:2 Minute, 38 Second
Earlier this month the MFA Organization had a sit down with author Alyssa Songsiridej as part of their Local & Visiting Writers Series.
An accomplished and growing author, Alyssa Songsiridej is a 2022 5 under 35 National Book Foundation honoree. She read to the small gathering of MFA Creative Writing students and alumni a small excerpt from her book, Little Rabbit, a novel shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Edmund White Award. Songsiridej focused her talk around the differences between the role of a writer and role of an editor. She formerly worked as an editor for a literary magazine, so her insight into both realms allowed for a well illuminated discussion. Songsiridej gave real insight into the roles of editors and writers as well as hard tips to help writers distinguish between editor skills and drafting skills, allowing for their best work to come through. Songsiridej described the essence of her book as “art, power and sex”.
Songsiridej read for the small group two chapters of her book, chapter one and chapter three. The first chapter detailed the nameless main character meeting for the first time the nameless love interest, a wealthy male choreographer.
The third chapter, revealed the main character having a sort of confessional moment with her roommate and best friend, Annie. Confessing she slept with the male choreographer. Songsiridej chose these two excerpts to frame her talk. The first chapter remained, almost entirely untouched during the revision and edition process. The third chapter was a complete and utter revision.
Being in the position of both writer and editor is something that is not unfamiliar to Songsiridej. She gave tips to the MFA students on how to revise when you are in writer mode. She urged the students to, “embrace being an inefficient writer”. She urged them to put down a piece of work and come back to it, seemingly when they are a different person.
She suggested them to, “be willing to change your ideas” and that being stuck in one idea is detrimental to the writer and the story. At the core of her message; embrace change and come back to your writing when you are a new person. Songsiridej also offered some unique and personal tips for the writer. She offered that she writes all her first drafts by hand, it isn’t until multiple revisions later that she brings out the laptop for a written draft. Songsiridej acknowledges that this is untraditional, but urges the young writers that it works and works well.
Along with letting go of old ideas destitute to old drafts, Songsiridej encourages the writers to keep the editor or “critical voice out of the room” when drafting. She makes clear that drafting is a space to let ideas fly without the filter of a critical lens.
The MFA Organization will continue to host authors for their Local and Visiting Writers Series. Where short readings, advice from established writers and conversation with other creatives will ensue. For more, the Organization’s event calendar can be found at: MFA Org Presents: Local and Visiting Writers Series.
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