Intro to Creative Writing: Conversation with Poet Yana Knittel

Introduction

• Lecturer: Mei-Li Yang
• Guest: Yana Knittel, poet living in Minnesota
  • MFA from the University of Minnesota
  • Author of "Real Work" and "Fish and Wildlife"
  • Published in various journals and anthologies
  • Recipient of several awards and recognitions
  • Teaching experience in numerous universities and art centers

Poetry Reading

• Yana Knittel shares selected poems:
  1. Soliloquy
     • Based on Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the AK-47
     • Themes: Legacy, warfare, unintended consequences
  2. Canis Solo
     • Title means "lone wolf" in Latin
     • Themes: Isolation, identity
  3. My Father at 80
     • Autobiographical elements
     • Themes: Aging, perception of immortality
  4. Hospice
     • Last visit to father in hospice
     • Themes: Finality, emotional conflict
  5. Do You Remember?
     • Childhood memories of camping
     • Themes: Nostalgia, sensory experiences
  6. Driftless
     • Describes the Driftless Area of Minnesota and Wisconsin
     • Transitions into an ars poetica (a poem about poetry)

Craft Talk - Speaker vs. Poet and Persona Poems

• Speaker vs. Poet

  • Speaker: The voice of the poem, not necessarily the poet's own
  • Poetry isn't always autobiographical or personal
  • Artifice in poetry: Construction of a fictional speaker

• Persona Poems

  • Defined as poems where the speaker is distinctly different from the poet
  • Often called dramatic monologues
  • Clues in titles and pronouns
  • Examples: Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess," Patricia Smith's "Skinhead," Tom Gunn's "Yoko"

Writing Prompts for Students

• Write from the perspective of someone very different from yourself
• Write from the point of view of an animal
• Write from the perspective of an inanimate object

Yana's Writing Journey

• Started writing poems at an early age
• MFA at 46, showing it's never too late to pursue writing
• Encouragement to explore different poetic voices and personas

Writing Process and Revision

• Begins with imagery or a vivid line
• Daily writing practice to generate ideas
• Revision involves cutting unnecessary words, refining imagery, and moving lines
• Importance of sharing work with others for feedback

Advice for Aspiring Writers

• Keep writing and practicing
• Focus on generating work without self-editing too early
• Embrace the process of revision

Conclusion

• Yang and Knittel discuss the importance of writing as a practice and encourage students to explore creative voices in their work.