Intro to Creative Writing Lecture: Michael Torres

Guest Introduction: Michael Torres

• Background: Born in Pomona, California; former graffiti artist.
• Achievements:
  • Debut poetry collection: An Incomplete List of Names
  • Selected for the National Poetry Series
  • NPR's "Books We Love"
  • Awards from National Endowment for the Arts, McKnight Foundation, Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Cantamundo, Vona Voices, Minnesota State Arts Board, Jerome Foundation, Camargo Foundation, Locke Literary Center.
• Current Roles:
  • Assistant Professor, MFA Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato
  • Teaching artist, Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop
• Website: michaeltorreswriter.com

Poetry Readings

"Doing Donuts in an 87 Mustang 5.0..."

• Subject: Loyalty and friendship depicted through a shared experience of doing donuts in a car.
• Imagery: Stars missing, muddy window, chain links in headlights, emotional turmoil of a friend.

"The Pachuco's Grandson..."

• Theme: Struggle between being good and rebellious.
• Imagery: School setting, identity and belonging, transformation of self and perception.

"Affiliated"

• Theme: Belonging and identity
• Imagery: Fence, streetlights, confrontation, childhood memories, fear and bravado.

"A Song of the Red Jack Handle"

• Theme: Father-son relationship
• Imagery: Carjack handle as a symbol of unspoken communication and love.

Discussion and Insights

Writing Themes

• Male Relationships: Explores familial and fraternal bonds.
• Curiosity in Writing: Importance of exploring how traditional male roles interact in poetry.

Journey to Writing

• Early Influences: Encouraged by sister, exposure to literature at a young age.
• Community College Experience: Competitions and conferences that fostered growth and engagement with the writing community.
• Poetry as a Gateway to Dialogue: Desire to be part of conversations in the literary world.

Making Poetry Accessible

• Advice for Readers:
  • Don't seek hidden meanings; focus on emotional resonance.
  • Engage with poems that evoke a visceral response.
• Advice for Writers:
  • Use concrete imagery for clarity and accessibility.
  • Embrace uncertainty and wander in poems for surprise and depth.

Creative Process

• Adaptability: Changes in writing process after becoming a parent.
• Inspiration: Drawing from a range of creative disciplines and personal reflections.
• Writing Techniques: Use of imagery, varying sentence and line lengths, and wandering within poems to create surprise and emotional truth.

Revision Techniques

• Step Away: Distance from drafts before revising.
• Experimentation: Play with structure, line order, and endings.
• Reflection: Imagining the poem as completed to gain perspective.

Writing Exercises

• Creative Prompts: Use quizzes, imagery-based exercises, and associative writing to spark creativity.

Final Thoughts

• Advice for Aspiring Writers:

  • View poems as experiments rather than finished works.
  • Focus on the joy and exploration inherent in writing.

• Personal Reflection: Connection between creative writing and the scientific method in terms of exploration and discovery.