April 24, 2015 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 7A Symposium explores the elusive writing process Storytelling from Page 1A Brooks thanked her for her honesty, told her that it meant a lot to him, and said he prob- ably hears such things more often than he has a right to. “It was so nice,” she said. “He was such a nice guy.” Later that day, Romo listened as Nancy Pearl, a librarian and author of the QRQ¿FWLRQ ³%RRN /XVW´ VH- ries, delivered the “Get Lit” keynote speech. Pearl described her own hard childhood in Detroit and the refuge she found the books at the Parkman Branch Library, whose librarians gave her “the greatest gift that you can give anyone, which is the gift of books and reading.” Brooks and Pearl, along with the novelists Karen Joy Fowler, Jim Lynch and Gail Tsukiyama made up the liter- ary all-star team at the fourth annual “Get Lit” event, held April 10 through 12 and sponsored by the Tolovana Arts Colony. “Get Lit” began with an author’s reception at the Com- munity Hall on Friday; con- tinued with author talks, book signings, and Pearl’s keynote speech (all at the Surfsand Resort) on Saturday; and con- cluded with a Q-and-A panel at the Coaster Theatre Play- house on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, Romo, an aspiring fantasist, excitedly took notes as the guest authors revealed why they chose writing as a pro- fession — and why just about anyone would be wise to choose a different one. Writing process During the Q-and-A, Fowler recalled when Bruce 6WHUOLQJ WKH $PHULFDQ VFL¿ writer and futurist, once fan- tasized about a “Hell for Dis- carded Characters,” where the inhabitants are forced to hold up signs of shame that bespeak their shortcomings: “I was two-dimensional,” “I did not advance the plot,” etc. Alas, these condemned creations, unable to justify their existence on the page, were casualties of the writ- to “feel like I had a productive day. I get to go out and talk to people and interact with hu- manity.” “See, I hate that,” Brooks said, later adding, “This is why I write about elves, for crying out loud.” “Very inaccurately, I must say,” Fowler quipped. “These are my elves,” Brooks said. “They’re exactly the way I say they are.” Go anywhere, do anything ERICK BENGEL PHOTO The five guest authors of this year’s “Get Lit at the Beach” event gather for a photo onstage at the Coaster Theatre Play- house after Sunday’s Q-and-A. From left: Jim Lynch, Gail Tsukiyama, Nancy Pearl, Karen Joy Fowler and Terry Brooks. ing process, when ideas are abandoned, plot threads are severed and once promising FKDUDFWHUV ¿QG WKHPVHOYHV consigned to the narrative sc- rapheap. The process is brutal, but the collateral damage ulti- mately serves a greater good: the art of effective storytell- ing, which dictates that dead- end characters should be eliminated altogether before they do any damage in print. “Sometimes I feel like characters walk into my book and they’re auditioning to try to keep space in the book, and I have to boot them off be- cause they either don’t come alive on the page, or they don’t do what I want them to do,” said Lynch, the author of three novels, including “The Highest Tide” (2005). Whether disposing of characters or introducing bet- ter ones, the writer must be prepared to depart from his or her outline, which should be viewed as a guide, not a commitment, according to Brooks, the author of more than 30 novels. Writing must be an organ- ic process, he said. “You never want to let good ideas get tossed aside simply because you’re fol- lowing a structured form,” he said. “That’s a bad, bad thing.” Bad habits Of course, all of this as- sumes that the writing even gets done. “The central mystery of my professional life is that these two things are true: I love to write; it gives me great joy and great pleasure — not every day, but very, very of- ten,” said Fowler, the author of several novels, includ- ing “The Jane Austen Book Club” (2007). “No. 2: I will do anything on a given morn- ing to avoid writing.” For Fowler, a typical writ- ing day involves waking up, going for a walk, reading her emails, attending to things that require her immediate at- tention and checking out her favorite political websites to assure herself that, “Yes, the world is worse today than it ERICK BENGEL PHOTO Gail Tsukiyama, left, and Karen Joy Fowler, two award-win- ning writers, warm up the crowd during Sunday’s author panel, which was moderated by Terry Brooks, a Cannon Beach author. was when I went to bed.” “It it tragically possible for me to spend an entire work- ing day circling from my email to my political web- sites, and, at about 3 p.m., I’m exhausted,” she said. “And I think, ‘Damn, I really wanted to write today.’” Tsukiyama, the author of such acclaimed novels as “The Samurai’s Garden” (1996), admitted that her worst habit is procrastination. This, combined with perfec- tionism, is the death knell for a writer, said Pearl, quoting American author Peter Mat- thiessen. Lynch, an accomplished journalist, said that, for him, researching a book is much easier than writing it. “Writing can be great, in bursts,” he said, but, when do- ing research, he is more likely M U N I C I PA L M E M O April 2015 Is published monthly by the City of Cannon Beach ')QYGT5VTGGVr|21$QZr%CPPQP$GCEJ14 r|(CZ r|66; MEETINGS MAY 2015 %KV[%QWPEKN4GIWNCT/GGVKPI %KV[%QWPEKN9QTM5GUUKQP &GUKIP4GXKGY$QCTF 2NCPPKPI%QOOKUUKQP %+6;%170%+.4')7.#4/''6+0)#RTKN 2015 • Adopted Proclamation 15-01; for the purpose of designating the month of April, 2015 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the City of Cannon Beach; • Adopted Resolution 15-02; for the purpose of declaring the City Manager as the Budget Officer for the City of Cannon Beach; • Adopted Resolution 15-03; for the purpose of authorizing the City of Cannon Beach to apply for a Transportation Growth Management Plan (TGMP) from the Oregon Department of Transportation for the preparation and adoption of a local Transportation System Plan (TSP) and delegating authority to the City Manager to sign the application; • Discussed the street standards update and directed staff to add some language and return; • Authorized the City Manager to award the 2015 pavement preservation contract; • Appointed Carolyn Propst to the Budget Committee and Gregory Bell to the Tourism & Arts Commission; • Approved the City Manager 6 month evaluation form and process; • Approved the 2015 revisions to the Council Rules and Procedures. %+6;%170%+.914-5'55+10#RTKN 2015 • Discussed the Ecola Creek Forest Reserve stewardship plan update with staff; • Discussed the wording and content for a new derelict building ordinance; • Discussed the wording and content of a new slope- RO RO RO RO density ordinance; • Public Works Director informed Council of an upcoming tree removal project in Haystack Heights; • Discussed vacation rentals and how to ensure rentals are conforming to the ordinances; • Discussed the possibility of closing certain downtown streets occasionally for a pedestrian mall. ':'%76+8' &'2#46/'06 • Budget Committee meetings are scheduled for April 22, April 29, May 6 and if necessary, May 13, 2015 to be held in the Council Chambers beginning at 5:30pm each night; • Public comment will be taken at the second Budget Committee meeting, April 29th; • IT Director interviews were held April 16th and 17th. • Congratulations to Susan Glarum on receiving the Gaylord Nelson Award presented at the 12 Days of Earth Day potluck Friday evening April 17th. • Special thanks to Jeff Womack of Copies and Fax who was able to provide the Gaylord Nelson Award plaque on very short notice. Thanks Jeff! &'5+)04'8+'9$1#4& - the April 16, 2015 meeting was cancelled. 2.#00+0)%1//+55+10 At their March 26, 2015 meeting, the Planning Commission discussed: 54, Request by Dr. Roof Inc. on Behalf of the owner, Mark Fisher, for a Front yard Setback Reduction to Enclose an Existing Deck at 656 Ecola Park Road. Approved Scheduled to meet April 23, 2015 at 6:00 pm. 016+%'1(8#%#0%+'5 %+6;%1//+55+105$1#4&5 %1//+66''5 The City of Cannon Beach is seeking applications for the following vacancies: '/'4)'0%;24'2#4'&0'55 %1//+66'' ONE (1) vacancy to fill a four-year term. The primary responsibility of the Emergency Preparedness Committee is to plan emergency response on a city-wide basis and make recommendations to the City Council. The Emergency Preparedness Committee holds its regular meetings on the last Friday of each month at 10:00 a.m. and schedules work sessions as needed; usually twice per month. 2#4-5%1//70+6;5'48+%'5 ONE (1) vacancy to fill a four-year term. The primary responsibility of the Parks & Community Services Committee is to review and evaluate existing programs, identify needs, and develop plans for and recommend programs related to the City’s parks and community services. The Parks & Community Services Committee holds its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at 9:00 a.m. and may schedule work sessions as needed. 6174+5/#0Ǒ%1//+55+10 6#% ONE (1) vacancy to a fill four-year term. The seven-member Tourism and Arts Commission develops grant guidelines and procedures and distributes and accounts for the monies in the “Tourism and Arts Fund” which are to be used by local nonprofit groups to promote tourism and the arts in Cannon Beach. Each member shall have experience in one or more of the following areas: public relations, marketing, advertising, tourism, lodging, promotions, events promotion, art, and/or publicity. The Tourism and Arts Commission holds its meetings as needed. To be eligible to serve on a City committee, applicants must have resided within the city or its urban growth boundary during the one year immediately preceding appointment; or at the time of appointment, shall have owned real property located within the city or its urban growth boundary for at least one year immediately preceding appointment. 0QVG Tourism and Arts Commission applicants are not required to reside in Cannon Beach and are eligible if he or she has worked, at least part-time, within the In her keynote speech, Pearl — the only librarian im- PRUWDOL]HGDVDQDFWLRQ¿JXUH — emphasized the importance of public libraries in her life. Long ago, when Pearl told a colleague that she often dreams about her childhood library, she was told to “get a life.” She wanted to tell him: “In this world, we are given one life to lead, one life to live, but it’s through books and reading that we can have any number of lives. We can go anywhere, and we can do anything, and we can be anyone,” she said. “I knew when I was 10 years old that that was the case, and I cer- tainly know it now.” Even books that critics widely consider inartistic twaddle can have undeniable value as escapist entertain- ment, allowing readers to live vicariously through the char- acters’ exploits. Otherwise, there would be no room in the culture for volumes like E.L. James’ BDSM-laced romance “50 Shades of Grey” (2011). Brooks, at the Q-and-A, offered his theory about “this whole ‘50 Shades of Grey’ thing.” “This is a repressed society. It’s a Puritan society. A lot of that has carried over through the years. And sex is something that many are denied but all desire,” he said. But, “even if what you’re saying is very true, it’s so poorly written, how could you get through it?” Tsukiya- ma asked. To which Lynch respond- ed, after a thoughtful pause, “How do you know it’s so poorly written?” (14;174+0(14/#6+10 /#;145CO5VGKFGN %170%+.1459GPF[*KIIKPU /GNKUUC%CFYCNNCFGT/KMG $GPGƂGNF)GQTIG8GVVGT %+6;/#0#)'4$TCPV-WEGTC City of Cannon Beach for at least one year immediately preceding appointment. Applications are available at City Hall, 163 E. Gower Street, Cannon Beach, by email addressed to riggs@ci.cannon-beach.or.us or on-line at www.ci.cannon-beach.or.us. Applications should be returned to Colleen Riggs, City Recorder, Cannon Beach City Hall, and P.O. Box 368, Cannon Beach, OR 97110. For more information, please contact Colleen Riggs by email or phone at (503) 436-8052. *C[UVCEM4QEM#YCTGPGUU2TQITCO 6JG*C[UVCEM4QEM#YCTGPGUU 2TQITCO *4#2JCUDGGPopening eyes to the natural world for 30 years! Please join us on the beach and at events as we celebrate the past and set course for the future. '8'065+0#24+. 5CVWTFC[#RTKNVJ Spring Volunteer Training Learn about wildlife and volunteering at Haystack Rock COROCV%CPPQP$GCEJ%KV[*CNN (163 E. Gower St) The wildlife at Haystack Rock need your help! Sign-up to volunteer by contacting Samantha Ferber hrap@ci.cannon-beach. or.us; Phone: 503-436-8060; TTY: 503-436- 8097). To view our Beach Program schedule, please visit our website: www.ci.cannon- beach.or.us %1//70+6;)4#065 Community Grants Applications are available at Cannon Beach City Hall or online at www.ci.cannon-beach.or.us. Community Grants are available for Non- profit organizations providing programs/ projects in arts, educational, recreational, environmental, community, or social services in Cannon Beach. All applications must be received at City Hall by 2:00 pm, Wednesday April 22, 2015. 6174+5/#465(70&)4#065 Tourism and Arts Fund Grant Applications are available at Cannon Beach City Hall or online at www.ci.cannon-beach. or.us. Non-profit organizations providing programs/projects that further tourism and the arts in Cannon Beach are invited to apply. #NNCRRNKECVKQPUOWUVDGTGEGKXGFCV %KV[*CNND[RO(TKFC[/C[ 2015.