ATHENS, Ga. — For some students at the University of Georgia, literature is not just a subject to study in a class where great works are read and discussed; literature is also an art form they would like to attempt for themselves. Writing short stories, poems, novels and journals not only allows students to explore the difficulty and rewards of writing, but often helps them to gain a greater appreciation for all literature in the process.
At no time is this more evident than in May, when the classrooms of Park Hall open for two weeks for the Maymester Writers’ Institute. Now in its fifth year, the program offers students an opportunity to read great literature, discuss it and also try their hand at writing it. With the help of faculty in English and visiting authors, students learn in a supportive, small class environment where they can begin to find their own voices as writers.
Taught in a workshop format, the courses require that students focus on writing for two weeks without the distraction of taking other courses. According to Brian Henry, the director of UGA’s Creative Writing Program, the opportunity of attending Maymester is unique.
“Students focus exclusively on their writing, without having to work on their writing while taking a full courseload,” said Henry. “The fact that classes meet every day lets students get to know each other very quickly, so classes tend to be high-energy and a lot of fun.”
According to senior English major Seth Parker, the program is difficult but rewarding. “For any serious writer, the Maymester program is both the most demanding and the most rewarding experience,” said Parker, a recipient of the 2004 Virginia Walter poetry prize. Parker will graduate from UGA this year and head to the MFA Program in creative writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the fall.
Maymester is “demanding” because students spend three hours a day in class reviewing, editing, and crafting their work while outside class they write and read the work of past and current authors. Through a series of assignments, they focus on their own work and that of their peers.
“Prior to taking the Maymester creative writing class, I felt I had limited writing abilities, but during the ten-day course, I was able to greatly improve,” said Natalie Lyalin, who also begins the MFA program at Amherst in the fall and was the 2003 recipient of the Virginia Walter poetry prize. “I can honestly say that without that class, I do not think I would still be writing poetry, much less starting my MFA studies in creative writing.”
“The Maymester Writers’ Institute is the most incredible thing I’ve done at UGA,” said senior English major Lyndsey Cohen. “Anyone remotely interested in writing should experience the challenges and rewards Maymester has to offer.”
An integral part of Maymester are afternoon readings and talks, which expose students to a wide range of living writers and allow professional editors to share the secrets of the trade. Visiting writers to the program this year include singer/songwriter Vic Chesnutt, poet/editor Ethan Paquin and fiction writer Susan Steinberg. Chesnutt has recorded more than eight albums and is a member of the band Brute along with musicians from Widespread Panic. Paquin is the author of two books of poetry and is the founder and editor of the poetry magazine Slope. Steinberg is a fiction writer and author of the award-winning book of short fiction The End of Free Love, the National Book Critics Circle selection for its annual prize reading list.
Maymester classes through the Creative Writing Program meet daily from May 10 to May 21 for a total of 3 semester hours of credit. Any writer either pursuing or holding a bachelor’s degree may apply to the program.
