Leave Your Babies at Home

Next Saturday, July 26th at 7 pm. Be there to see Adam Matcho collaborate with some guy who likes Spanish folk ballads and the harmonica. I am told it will be so awesome that babies should not be permitted in the door (whatever that means).

I'm not going to waste your time and mine with some lengthy rant about how you should come and read, I am just going to say that I hope you come and that it should be worth your time, as Adam is great and everyone knows that the harmonica rocks.

Go Write Now

Just a reminder that this upcoming Saturday, June 14th, we are pleased to bring you an extra special event to kick off the summer. While the regular, open-to-all Get Lit reading begins at 7 pm (note the earlier start time!), immediately following is Verses—A collaboration of poetry and music.

This will feature three poets (Get Lit regulars) performing their work with help from local musicians. The line up is as follows:

Stephanie Brea & Elliot Swauger
Edwin Kunkle & Tim Krupar
Shane Dushack & the rest of his band, Bo Wilson

Since I am participating in this collaborative process, I just want to let everyone know that Elliot & I are coming up with what I feel is some great stuff so far, and that the results are definitely going to be interesting. It really breathes new life into some of my older poems. It also provides the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles in a new way.

I hope that attending the event will inspire both writers and artists of other creative forms. The spirit of the event is parallel to another important local entity, the fledgling non profit I am also involved with, Greenlight Engage. As this organization will benefit all types of artists in the Greensburg area, I am hoping that anyone involved with Get Lit would also be interested in supporting Greenlight Engage.

Hope to see you all this Saturday!

Revealing a Little Too Much & Losing My Mysterious Persona

While I am sure that all of you are “real” writers, dedicated to honing your craft, scribbling in notebooks while your car idles at a red light, journaling in the bathtub and spending your evenings in front of your computer, I will confess that I do not write as frequently as I should. I know that a common practice is to write a little each day—no matter what. And that as a writer, writing should be of utmost importance, coming before other obligations, interests and hobbies. But, since I am confessing, I will reveal to you all that I do not always put writing first. In fact, sometimes I put it close to the end of the list. Does this make me not a “real” writer? I don’t know. All that I do know is that sometimes I procrastinate. I ruminate about ideas, kick them around, and then sometimes kick them to the curb before they are even actualized on the page. This means that while I am frequently gifted great lines from the muses as I take a shower in the morning, as I take a walk or as I make dinner, I often fail to stop what I am doing in order to give myself over to my craft. This means that I do not churn out numerous new works very frequently and that if it wasn’t for the monthly deadline of Get Lit, I am positive that I would find weeks going by without even a scrap or bit of new material.

If you are secretly similar to me, I give to you some links to writing activities that will hopefully throw you head first into creating some new poems or stories…just in time for this Saturday’s reading.

365 five-minute writing exercises

Language is a Virus

13 Writing Prompts by Dan Wiencek (as found on McSweeney's website)

Be There or Be Square

Just a friendly reminder that this Saturday, May 17th is Get Lit. The reading begins at 8 pm, but to quote Adam, “if you are chronically late, we begin at 7:45.” Last month’s turnout was phenomenal so I am hoping that this month’s lineup is packed with great readers and an appreciative audience.

"You Can Always Edit Something Bad, You Can't Edit Something Blank"

I don't want you to get the wrong idea, I am not some huge Jodi Picoult fan, but the following quote is from an interview with the author on The Guardian's website. I found this excerpt on the blog, Ask Allison, and thought that it was an important reminder to us all as writers, especially on days (or weeks) when the work isn't coming and the chorus of excuses such as, "I am so busy at my job," or "My boyfriend/child/dog really needs me to do fill-in-the-blank," or "With a day like today, how can I feel inspired?" start jumping around in your brain like some Mexican jumping beans.

Picoult says, “Writing is total grunt work. A lot of people think it's all about sitting and waiting for the muse. I don't buy that. It's a job. There are days when I really want to write, days when I don't. Every day I sit down and write. You can always edit something bad. You can't edit something blank. That has always been my mantra.”

So, keep that in mind. And, take note that Ms. Picoult was also applying for jobs at Home Depot stores early in her career, because she was convinced she wasn't going to make it. Now, she has published numerous titles all of which are a popular staple at many bookstores.

Greensburg is Only as Lame as You Are

I suppose that my last two posts were a little on the snarky side. I mean, I pretty much come out and insult people, and for that I would like to apologize. And I would like to offer up some explanation for my frustration. I grew up in Greensburg, and I fondly remember when Greensburg was a thriving town filled with all kinds of stuff for younger people to do. There were so many great local bands, and many show spaces that they could play at. Coffeehouses thrived, and people would spend a majority of their free time interacting with others, communicating, collaborating and essentially creating a diverse, entertaining community. They did this on their own. They did not expect things to magically happen. They worked hard to ensure that there was plenty to do in the Greensburg area, and there was no complaining about how “there’s nothing to do in Greensburg.” Ok, maybe a little, but not nearly to the extent that I hear/feel the contempt that people seem to have now for this town.

So, when I moved back to the area, I was astounded to hear that no one had been carrying on the literary events that I had been organizing a few years prior. No one. And there are 4 colleges close by. It is from that lack of something that Get Lit was born. I did not complain; I just did it. But, events only work if people are participating and experiencing. I cannot read to myself in an empty room (well, I can, but I typically do that at home). For this monthly literary series to continue, I need readers and an audience, which for some reason seems to be difficult to come by in this town where everyone’s complaining. But, their complaints are unfounded. There are things to do in Greensburg, you just have to take the time to find them and then have the initiative to get off the couch or the barstool and go do them. Don’t misunderstand, I am not knocking a night out at the bar (and I am sure that there are some nice stories floating around about my exploits at Toad’s, Harry’s and other locales), but please believe me when I tell you that a few people are really trying to give you something to do in addition to drinking.

To quote my friend Chris, “Greensburg is only as lame as you are.”

Which is why I want to thank Mara and the rest of the Seton Hill Eye Contact staff for taking the initiative to reach out and ask if they could read from their latest issue at DV8 some month. I hope that they enjoy their experience and that they have a warm, responsive audience that appreciates that initiative. I also hope that they continue to use Get Lit as a means of sharing their work with others and as an opportunity to enjoy the work that other writers are producing.

Remember: Get Lit, featuring readers from Seton Hill University’s lit mag, Eye Contact, this Saturday 7 pm @ DV8 Espresso Bar & Gallery in Greensburg.

While I Know You Want to Bestow Me with Birthday Gifts

You should think about doing the following instead:

Chris Goodman, author of 3 self-published chapbooks (and a regular Get Lit-er) will be reading his work at DV8 on Saturday, April 26th, along with two other writers. An extravaganza of artistic mediums, the evening will also feature local bands (you get the idea, band, reader, band, reader, etc.). While there is no telling what Mr. Goodman will come up with, his past work features topics such as the bums of Philadelphia, women he has loved and observations on life, work and our always-interesting city, Greensburg.