Emilio Iasiello's Blog

"Stopping Blood"

If you missed the DC performance of my short play, "Stopping Blood," here's the video. http://bit.ly/SnTwM2

The director and performers were amazing!

Directed by: David Johnson

Performed by: Emery Erin, David Adler, and Aydin Hamami

Writing’s Post Partum Depression

Over the past couple of days I’ve been in a fit of desperation and melancholy. After publication of my book of short stories, I’d initially had a “runner’s high” of accomplishment that has since dwindled down to a post-partum depression. Now, it’s not entirely a clinical thing I’m sure. I’m very happy and proud to have been able to publish a book of my original work and happy to see it out in the world to be consumed by those who love the written word and in this case, literary fiction. On the other hand, the sentiment feels melancholic in that the initial jolt of euphoria has passed and I’m left to either try and sustain the momentum as much as possible (and by doing so, not embark on new or current literary efforts), or return back to started but hardly finished writing, such as my – cough, cough – first novel, which resembles memoir entries rather than a cohesive bit of self exploration. These contrasting forces make me wonder if other writers feel the same way when they’ve accomplished a long held goal only to find themselves still “wanting.” While this may be an entirely selfish feeling, it nonetheless is one rooted in a desire to do what I’ve always loved to do – to write. And by that very notion, the inability to do so whether brought on by my own inhibitions (can’t I read a book or watch a movie from time to time?) or those wrought by outside influences (e.g., the full time job, the family, taxes, the business of living, etc.) weighs heavy on my shoulders, and even heavier on my conscience. Did other authors I have long admired suffer similar moments of ennui? After all, some made their entire incomes from their ability to transform a piece of blank white paper into something magical, or at the very least, entertaining. Fitzgerald used to write short stories to earn a living. He couldn’t afford the luxury of “lag” time, or a day off. Bukowski wrote volumes at a time and often in one or two sittings. Kerouac knocked out the first draft of his great American novel in three weeks thanks to a long roll of paper and Benzedrine. So it leaves me to think, what’s my deal? Why am I having problems with this? The answer was proffered to me on Friday by a long time friend and an admitted hater of books summed up my predicament: you’re thinking too much, he said. Have a drink. And lo and behold, after a good weekend of celebrating the life of a friend who had passed, here I am with a topic for a blog. Is this the pages of that novel still sitting in one of my folders? Not even close. But what I’m doing is sitting down and actually laying down my thoughts on paper. And you know what? That’s a good start. The empty page is not so intimidating any more, and the staccato rhythm of my fingers on the keyboard is a welcome reassurance that things may not be so bleak all the time.

Literary VS Genre Fiction – Should a Competition Exist?

There is on-again off-again discussion on the validity of literature. Specifically, there is a spirited rivalry between authors of the literary genre and those of genre fiction (e.g., crime, mystery, horror, romance, western, science fiction, fantasy) over which is the more respected form. In my personal opinion, all writing has substantial value, and to say one is more “respected” than the other is a ridiculous statement to make. There is enough audience for all genres, and where there is an audience, there is value. Sure, some authors sell more than others. Who wouldn’t want a readership of a Stephen King, a Dan Brown, or a Dean Koontz? And speaking for myself and hopefully a few other lovers of literary fiction, who isn’t immediately drawn to the gritty realism of a Richard Russo, a William Kennedy, or a Raymond Carver? There is no shame in liking different styles; the only shame is when specific genre advocates try to dismiss or belittle other styles on the grounds of not being interesting, unable to connect to the material, or their own inability to travel in a new a and different direction. Is there snobbery in the literary field? Absolutely. Some – not all – literary fiction practitioners do have this reputation, which is a shame given the wealth of great writing in other genres. However, practitioners of traditional genre fiction can be equally narrowed minded. Some of the criticisms I’ve heard regarding literary fiction:

· “The stories I’ve read don’t have an arc.” (An interesting comment given literary fiction is generally character driven and focusing on the “self.”)

· “Their lives of the characters don’t interest me.”

· “If I wanted to read real life, I’d read nonfiction.”


These are all fair and valid observations. But all that says is that literary work is not palatable to the genre consumer’s taste. It does not make the writing inferior.

So as a writer of literary fiction, and in an act of good faith, here are some of my favorite books in genres other than literary that I think are exceptional and deserve recognition:

1. Crime: Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep), Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon), Jim Thompson (The Killer Inside Me).


2. Science Fiction: Philip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep), William Gibson (Neuromancer), Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451).



3. Fantasy: William Goldman (The Princess Bride), Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland), C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia).



4. Mystery: Agatha Christie (And Then There Were None), Umberto Eco (The Name of the Rose), Thomas Harris (Red Dragon).



5. Horror: Stephen King (It), Ira Levin (Rosemary s Baby), Dean Koontz (Twilight Eyes)



6. Western: Cormac McCarthy (Cities on the Plain), Larry McMurtry (The Last Picture Show), Wallace Stegner (Angel of Repose)



Now, I will admit I don’t willfully read Romance novels as a break from my normal reading. However, many years ago I read my aunt’s romance novel and was genuinely surprised how good the writing was in between the “steamy scenes." So I give a shout out to my aunt:
7. Romance: Stephanie Stevens (Defiant Angel)


So my advice? Read everything. That’s what they tell writers to do anyway. It seems funny that we have to be reminded of doing that from time to time.

To MFA or to Not MFA…That is the Question

I’ve often been asked if I found my time in a MFA program beneficial and necessary. It’s a difficult question to answer as each individual has their own personal experiences and can only judge if the time and money was worth the investment or not. For the record, a writer does not need to attend such a program to achieve literary success. There are several contemporary writers who didn’t attend such schools and are well respected, well received purveyors of their craft. Even the literary canon we constantly read, revere, and refer to never went to such institutions. Simply, Shakespeare did not go to poetry school.

However, there are many positive factors that such programs provide. Unless a writer can create, foster, and develop a similar ongoing environment with a fellow community of writers (easier said than done – most of these groups don’t last six months), there is much value to be obtained in pursuing a MFA. Here are five truths that I personally found during my time in such a program:

1. Developing Peer Camaraderie is Paramount. My entrance class consisted of ten poets and fiction writers from different cultural, educational, and economic backgrounds. We were so fundamentally different that we immediately bonded. Even after three hour night classes we’d invariably go back to a classmate’s graduate dorm quarters and continue work-shopping our pieces, engage in literary debates, and talk about the process of writing. Fostering such a community helped build our immune systems to the inevitable criticism that all writers receive; while teachers can be generous with critique and stingy with praise, receiving similar feedback from your peers not only bolstered the validity of what teachers were saying, but helped you lose your sensitivity toward critiques of your work. And more importantly, it was done in a supportive environment with people you trusted and admired.

2. People Know More than You - Listen. No matter how much you think you know, no matter how much you think you’ve read, there are those that know more and have read more. And whether you want to or not, this experience is valuable to hear. This can come from experienced published professors or gifted students. You have to be willing to listen to everything with an open mind. This becomes very important when these people are reading and critiquing your work – you are gaining the benefit of their experience, and likely that of your future audience. Everyone is different and brings something different when they sit down to read a book or poem. You need to know this type of reaction; not be swayed by it per se, but know it and use it to your advantage.

3. Famous Professors May Not Be the Best Teachers. I was absolutely floored by the “named” professors that taught at my program. I had admired and collected their books for a while and couldn’t wait to take a class with them. One particular example comes to mind. At the start of my second year (I went part time so it took me longer to complete the program than fulltime students), I was able to take a poetry seminar with the biggest poetry name in the program. But when class came around, I was tremendously disappointed. While a fantastic poet, she was not a very good teacher of the craft. She told great stories, imparted guidance on writing, and was generally supportive of every poem that she work-shopped, there was very little information a student could use to better themselves. Conversely, the hardest, crankiest professor with a limited publication history proved to be the best professor I had in the program – he rigorously stressed fundamentals and technique, giving us tests and quizzes and in-class assignments, generally wanting students to understand the basics of craftwork before diving into writing poems. I disliked this man personally as he was unduly harsh with some of the students, but continue to give him props for actually teaching his class how to write.

4. MFAs Will Give You a Thick Skin. Continuing from the previous paragraph, the harsh professor was a plain dealer in the strictest sense – he would tell you that your work was horrible, he’d tear up pages in class, he’d ridicule everything from your choice of words, to repetitiveness, to poor rhyming, to overuse of simile, to ineffective use of metaphor….you get the point. He was a relentless critic. Was he ruthless? Definitely. Could he have done with a better bedside humor? Absolutely. Did he make young adults cry? I saw it more than once. But here’s the thing. At the end of the verbal and editorial onslaught, he made my work better. Each suggestion I took, every time I followed his guidance, I found that his input helped me elevate my writing. Sure, he embarrassed me on more than one occasion in class (see point 1 why a supportive peer network is important. They help dull the sting of truth.). In the end I realized that his devotion wasn’t to the student, but to the craft. He loved it that much. And by giving himself to its perfection, he helped the writer see the need to aspire for the same goal. And in knowing that, I could give him a pass for being a jackass, which is why I say, I hated him as a person, but respected him tremendously as a teacher.

The Thick Skin is essential, not only to writing, but to life in general. If you get torn down in a class of your peers by a maniac and are able to take it without crying or flinching, you realize that you can weather any storm. This will become valuable when talking with other editors and reviewers who don’t think of you as the genius you perceive yourself to be. A Thick Skin is a writer’s greatest defense.

5. Where to Go Now? The Business of Writing. You can finish your MFA with a thesis that’s ready to be sent to a publisher. Or your short stories and poems are ready to leave the safety of the program in search of a home in a journal or periodical. But how do you do it? Where do you send it? What’s the best way to determine where your writing will fit and where it won’t? How hard is it to get an agent? Are contests worth the time and expensive entry fees? (Believe me, at $20-50 a pop, contest “reading” and “entry” fees can be an expensive proposition if you don’t have a full time job.) It’s true. This leg work can be done on your own. The Internet hosts a wealth of information on these very topics. But here’s the difference. You spent three years at a respected program – you are part of that family. It’s in the program’s best interest for you to succeed. It makes you look good; it makes them look good – a mutually beneficially relationship. Plus, some of the professors may have specific suggestions or recommendations or may write recommendations on your behalf and make introductions that separate your work from thousands of other aspirant publishing writers. Use them. Use all that a program offers because in essence, you paid for it. Now it’s time to receive some help. And from my experience, they are generous with trying to help the very students they helped foster to grow.

Best Advice on Writing I’ve Received

I have had many influential people that have helped guide me on my path to becoming a full time writer; a journey that has not been quite reached to date. Nevertheless, they have given me some good advice over the years. Here’s a “greatest hits” list from these individuals; some prominent authors, some not so prominent; but all their words, valuable and necessary. In no particular order, here are ten memorable lines from these men/women:


· Start your story as close to the end as possible. No one cares about how a watch is made, only the time it keeps.


· Write and read every day. Doesn’t matter what it is, or how good it is, but write. If you don’t write, you aren’t a writer, plain and simple.


· There are no final drafts, just ones that are good enough. Most writers are not even content with their published work, always seeing something more that could be done.


· If you can’t give up everything else to write – a party, a date, a chance to go out with friends – than you probably shouldn’t be writing in the first place.


· Always carry a pen and paper to jot down notes, thoughts, and observations. If you don’t have paper, use the back of your hand. That’s what skin is for.


· Do not start rewriting until you have a finished draft. If you start to rewrite before you get down a skeleton of a story, you’ll lose the essence of what you were trying to write in the first place.


· Listen, don’t speak. Observe, don’t look. A writer is that individual who sees everything but is ignored by everyone until someone picks up his book, poems, whatever. Then they know someone was in that room with them.


· Take criticism gracefully. Listen to everything. Apply only what you think is needed. And at the end of the day if it sits in a drawer, know that its completion was accomplished according to your standards and no one else’s.


· Don’t write for an audience. Writing is not meant to attract friends. Admirers, maybe. Enemies, certainly. But at the end of the day, your writing should stand on its own for its own.


· Edit your work with a hatchet with the intent to draw blood. No passage, no word, no character is sacred. Only the story is important.>

10 Books That Shape a Writer

In thinking about my 10 favorite reads, I realized how they shaped what I do. What books have shaped you?

Here's my take:

The Great Gatsby: My first introduction to required reading literature that I absolutely fell in love with. Fitzgerald's ability to write beautifully, lyric prose supported by honest emotion completely hooked me.

Heart of Darkness: I loved the story and the way it was framed within the context of the journey. More importantly, I was immediately attracted to the book because of the myth-building, and the way Conrad built this larger than life character before the reader is finally introduced to him.

On the Road: Despite having significant detractors as supporters, Kerouac's On the Road exposed me to the possibilities of writing and writing style. It was fun and addicting at the same time.

Women: Charles Bukowski will remain one of my favorite authors due to his simplicity, raw honesty, and self-deprecation. He understood the need to balance gravity with humor and did it with aplomb.

The Fountainhead: Not unlike Kerouac, there seem to be as many detractors as supporters of Ayn Rand. Suffice to say, I thought the depiction of Howard Roark in The Fountainhead was brilliantly composed and still serves as my inspiration for the role of the artist in society.

Cathedral: Raymond Carver is a solid inspiration. He showed how you can write about the every day with value and humility. Even his poetry is good.

The Maltese Falcon: Dashiell Hammett showed me how much fun the pulp genre could be and paved my way to some of the other greats like Chandler, Cain, and Thompson. Tough men, devious women, and greed - that's all you need to tell a good story.

Romeo and Juliet: Everyone goes with Hamlet or Lear, but this story was the one that didn't make me afraid to read more Shakespeare. The events depicted in the play hold as much relevancy today as back then.

To Kill a Mockingbird:Atticus Finch is one of the best characters in the modern era, and the story of morality in the book still resonates.

Rumble Fish: Reading any S.E. Hinton's books was paramount for my interest in reading. Her characters were real and the subject matter relate-able to teens. Rumble Fish was my personal favorite and one that I still read today.

Guest Spot on JadeKerrion.com

I was recently featured on Jade Kerrion's site in a post: "From Screenplays to Poetry and Finding Out Why People Do What They Do."

Poetry for me is like a fine precision tool and taught me that superfluous writing is often not successful. Each word should need to be on the page and carry its own significance. Poetry epitomizes the “less is more” philosophy to a tee. Just when you think you can’t edit a poem down any more, you usually find a word that doesn’t need to be there, and through its deletion, the poem becomes stronger, resonating more. This was an important lesson especially when I started writing short fiction and incorporating imagery to convey message and meaning. I found that the right details were more important than multiple descriptive details because it made the reader become invested in the story. Rather than just telling him what was going on, my goal was to make the reader a part of the story. Playwriting and screenwriting taught me the importance of dialogue and how to capture the nuance of human speech down on paper. In my opinion, trying to evoke the way people really speak is one of the most difficult things to accomplish in writing because people rarely talk in complete sentences or speak with proper grammar.

If you're interested in my author journey take a look. And while you're there check out Jade's latest books as well: