MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE LITERARY
AND WRITING COMMUNITY

PUBLIC READINGS

Meaningful Impact

As a writer, I tend to feel more comfortable behind the confines of a screen and a keypad. Unfortunately, if I ever want to get my name and my work out there, one of the best and most nerve-wracking ways to do that is to read my writing out loud in front of a group of mostly strangers. I make this sound far more unappealing than it actually is, and it can be quite fun and exciting. I have participated in a handful of open mic readings, including this one at Stardust Video & Coffee. By participating in open mic readings and other reading events, I not only have the opportunity to present my work, but I also get to hone in on my public speaking skills. This helps me practice for when I teach and for when I have to convince a publisher that my writing is worth investing in.

LITERARY AND WRITING CONFERENCES

Clean and Professional

As an editor, I contribute to the literary community by publishing experienced and up-and-coming authors, writers, and visual artists. I have taken the editorial and analytical skills that I have learned in writing workshop classes as well as in publishing classes and applied them to the literary journal publishing industry. I have also attended and tabled at a handful of conferences, including this one at the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference (AWP) in 2017 and 2018. By attending and tabling at conferences, I not only have the opportunity to showcase the work of other writers and artists, but I also get to immerse myself within and among the national writing community.

PODCAST

Working Title: A Literary Arts Podcast

Working Title: A Literary Arts Podcast, is a literary citizenship project founded by the Fall 2019 cohort candidates in the MFA: Creative Writing program at the University of Central Florida.   

Our episodes will feature in-studio readings from the UCF literary community, interviews and readings from published faculty and students, seasonal readings such as our inaugural “Spooky Stories” episode, craft round-tables, and special events such as public readings and conference reports. 

Working Title: A Literary Arts Podcast is an independent project produced with the support of the University of Central Florida MFA in Creative Writing Program, the Department of English, and the College of Arts and Humanities.

Wondering who’s behind the podcast?

You can see our current participants on our Team page. 

FILM

Visualize It

As a screenwriter, I contribute to the literary community in a different way. Whether or not screenwriters are considered to be literary agents is somewhat contested since this is a fairly young title, but I believe that we are very much proponents of and in the literary community. When working on a film set, I get the opportunity to apply the skills that I have learned in scrip twriting classes and in film production classes and apply it on set. Not only do I get to apply the skills that I have learned, but I also get the chance to meet and network with industry professionals. In fact, this has led to the creation and production of my very own feature film. This is a picture I took while we were filming [Un]sheltered, the horror film that I got to write. By networking within the literary community, I not only get to meet industry professionals, but I get to bring my and others’ visions to life on screen.