San Francisco Writers Conference Podcast

By: SFWC: Authors on Books Writing Reading Publishing and more
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  • Summary

  • The San Francisco Writers Conference Podcast features author Matthew Felix in conversation with fellow writers about craft, commerce, and community. [o] Music credit: Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod; Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3788-funkorama; License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
    2021
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Art Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences
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Episodes
  • Sylvia Plath, Mental Health, & Writing Fiction with Lee Kravetz

    Sylvia Plath, Mental Health, & Writing Fiction with Lee Kravetz
    Jan 28 2022
    * Lee Kravetz is author of the acclaimed nonfiction, Strange Contagion and SuperSurvivors. He has written for print and television, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, Psychology Today, The Daily Beast, The San Francisco Chronicle, and PBS. Lee’s new book is a work of fiction, his novel The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. * The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. is told through three unique interwoven narratives that build on one another, reimagining a chapter in the life of the poet and novelist Sylvia Plath, telling the story behind the creation of her classic, The Bell Jar. * Lee gave an introduction to Plath, explaining that she was best known as a poet, until The Bell Jar, her semi-autobiographical novel about struggles with mental illness, became a huge posthumous success. * Podcast host Matthew Félix asked Lee about his decision to transition from nonfiction to fiction, including pushback he got initially from his agent—and why he persisted in spite of it. * Matthew and Lee discussed the challenges he faced as a man writing from the perspective of three first-person women narrators, as well as the challenges of effectively weaving together three stories taking place at different times. * One of the novel's main story lines entails a rivalry between a fictional poet and Sylvia Plath. Lee spoke about his decision to build much of the story around that rivalry, as well as the process of creating both characters and the rivalry itself. * Lee, who has a background in psychotherapy, explained the role of mental illness both in Plath's work and his novel. Matthew also asked Lee about the role Sylvia and other poets in the Confessional Poetry moment played in opening society to discussions about mental health. * Lee addressed the commonly held belief that there is a correlation between being "crazy" and creativity. * Lee elaborated on the notion, expressed by one of the characters in the novel, that insight into the past—while often considered essential to resolving mental health issues—can also trap a person there. * Matthew and Lee explored two other recurring themes of the book: the importance of objects and our relationships with them, and the notion that people's lives often come full circle. * Regarding craft, Lee shared his thoughts on and approach to writing suspense, pacing, and more. * The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. is out March 8.
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    57 mins
  • Storytelling with "Story Power" Author Kate Farrell

    Storytelling with "Story Power" Author Kate Farrell
    Jan 14 2022
    * A graduate of the School of Library and Information Studies, UC Berkeley, Kate Farrell has been a language arts classroom teacher, an author, a librarian, a university lecturer, and a storyteller since 1966. She founded the Word Weaving Storytelling Project, and she has published numerous educational materials on the art of storytelling. Kate edited the anthology, Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter’s Memories of Mother, and co-edited two others: Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the ’60s & 70s and Cry of the Nightbird: Writers Against Domestic Violence. She is past president of the San Francisco Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association and a presenter for the San Francisco Writers Conference. * Podcast host Matthew Félix asked Kate about the importance of stories. He also asked about the history of oral storytelling, as well as the resurgence it has enjoyed since the 1970s. * Kate explained the difference between telling a story orally and writing it down, highlighting the role that a live audience has as cocreator in the experience. She also discussed how storytelling foments change, both for the audience and the storyteller themselves. * Storytelling is not just for the stage, but also has practical, day-to-day applications, as illustrated by three types of stories: defining, signature, and personal branding, which Matthew and Kate discussed. * Kate explained the benefits of having a repertoire of stories at the ready for different circumstances. * Kate shared ways of gathering stories, as well as how to choose which ones might best be suited to storytelling. * Matthew asked Kate about the features essential to every story, and they reviewed the seven steps to preparing a story to be told—Kate emphasizing that stories should not be memorized. * Kate shared key things to keep in mind while performing, including important aspects of vocalization and the importance of making eye contact with the audience. * Matthew asked Kate about what she referred to as the cutting edge of storytelling: weaving or braiding archetypes with personal narratives. Listen here or on: iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | TuneIn | Amazon | Player FM | Deezer Watch on YouTube   Links https://katefarrell.net/
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Travel, Travel Writing, & 108 Beloved Objects with Jeff Greenwald

    Travel, Travel Writing, & 108 Beloved Objects with Jeff Greenwald
    Nov 25 2021

    * Jeff Greenwald is a photojournalist, author, and stage performer whose experiences in Asia have framed his style of travel writing. His six books include the best-selling Shopping for Buddhas (recently republished in a 25th anniversary edition), The Size of the World (for which he created the first international travel blog), and Snake Lake, a travel memoir set in Kathmandu, Nepal during the 1990 democracy revolution. Jeff’s stories and essays have appeared in print and online publications worldwide, including Smithsonian, Afar, Outside, The New York Times, National Geographic-Adventure and Wired. His critically acclaimed solo stage show, Strange Travel Suggestions, has played to sold-out houses since 2003.

    * Podcast host Matthew Felix and Jeff talked about travel, including why we do it, how it has changed, and how it might be impacted long-term by the pandemic.

    * Jeff is co-founder of Ethical Traveler, an international community dedicated to defending human rights and protecting the environment. He talked about the organization, the difference between travel and tourism, and the ethics of getting on a plane today, given the environmental implications. He also shared why he is hopeful about post-pandemic travel.

    * Matthew asked Jeff about his start in travel writing, as well as the place of the travel writer today, given the preponderance of travel blogs and Instagram. Jeff also shared his thoughts on the challenges of making money as a travel writer.

    * Jeff recently published "108 Beloved Objects," a book and visual art project centered around the theme of "Letting Go of Stuff, Keeping Our Stories." Jeff explained the project's concept, including the challenges of and what is to be learned from giving up objects that are dear to us.

    * Readers of the book can write Jeff to request one of the 108 objects. Jeff shared his thoughts on some of the requests he has received to date.

    * Jeff shared why he published "108 Beloved Objects" independently, and what he learned from the process.

     

    Listen here or on: iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | TuneIn | Amazon | Player FM | Deezer

    Watch on YouTube

     

    Links

    www.108objects.com

    www.facebook.com/jeffji
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    56 mins

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