group discussion

Hi Jenny,

My name is Charles. I have had the fortune of hearing you read twice, once from She's Not There, and once from ILTY at the Southern Comfort Conference in Atlanta. My question for you is do you write your work with the anticipation that it will be read aloud, or for you to perform it yourself? I think it really works well that way, and I was wondering if you kept that in mind when writing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Sincerely,

Charles

p.s.- I gave you a copy of my documentary this past year at Southern Comfort- did you get a chance to check it out? :)

first off, Charles, your youtube diary is amazing, and I thank you so much for posting it. I have put it up at the MHB.com site, and I am hoping that's all right (since the youtube is already public). You raise so many of the issues that have been in my heart in a very personal way.

I can tell you that you are a positive and cool role model for lots of people, and not just trans men, either.

Do I write for performance? No. I have to say I write for the words-- I don't even read it out loud until I'm editing it (at which point I DO read it out loud, and listen.) But lots of good writing doesn't make for good "performance." And that's fine. Some things are meant to be quiet, or silent.

When I "read" for a crowd thought, I view that as a performance and carefully assemble the piece in order to "sell it" to the audience. I choose what I read, plus rehearse it, based on its content as an aural, performance piece. I have two "performances" of ILTY-- one is the "pupu platter" which is a scene here, a scene there. (I can tell you which scenes, if you're curious.) The other is the "Attic" chapter, which is very dramatic.

I also, when I read, want to make sure I am raising a good range of issues-- not just stuff that is funny or shocking.

So that's two answers for you-- I don't write for performance, but I do perform for performance, if that makes any sense. I guess it's that I've been to about eight zillion readings by this time in my life (my career as a creative writing prof ensures that) and most of them suck-- because the writing doesn't translate well to reading, or because the author doesn't know how to read. (And sometimes because the thing being read isn't all that good, either.) Sometimes I have even heard bad material performed "well", and it really makes me wonder if reading your work and writing your work are two different skills.

Good question.

PS-- please don't be sore at me, although this makes me feel embarassed and ashamed-- when I come back from Southern Comfort, or other conferences like that, I frequently have a dozen or more videos, novels, pieces etc. that people have given me. I can't look at it all. Sometimes I look at some of it, but mostly I feel guilty that I can't reach out and react and help everybody. So I have to tell you I don't remember your doc specifically, for which I truly apologise-- since you are clearly a smart and interesting person. I hope to meet you again at some future conference or reading!

J

Hi Jenny,

Thank you for answering my question! I look forward to hearing you read again at another conference sometime. I have to say since hearing you read from ILTY at SCC, when I read it I hear you performing it aloud.

I'm glad you liked the video diary. I find it therapeutic to do little video logs- it's also a great document to have. It's totally fine you put it up on the MHB site. I just registered there myself.

Here's a link to my documentary if you have the time, no worries if you don't. It's only 16 minutes long.

http://video.google.com/videop...

Again, thanks for answering my question. Give my best to your wife and the boys.

Sincerely,

Charles

fabulous. Also, I'd like to post you up at helen boyd's trans group blog. Do you have my private email address? You can find it at www.jenniferboylan.net. I'd be glad to stay in touch.

J