Michael Crummey knows writing is not an easy thing to do.
That’s why UPEI has invited the Newfoundland author to be their writer in residence for the next two weeks. Until Feb. 4, he will meet with students one-on-one to review their work and offer critiques.
He will also sit in on a creative writing class as well as a Canadian fiction class at the university.
Having written five books of poetry, three novels and a collection of short stories, he is well versed in the finer points of writing. He said he’s most looking forward to meeting students one-on-one.
“For me, that’s the most rewarding part, feeling like I have something to offer. The conversation is very intimate. I feel like I’ve learned some things over the last 25 years and that’s where I think I’m most capable of offering what I’ve learned.”
Crummey’s interest in writing really sparked when he was in university, himself. He said he went into class not having the slightest idea what he wanted to do in life. He took some general classes — math, sciences, English. But it was poetry that really struck him.
“I think poetry is more meditative. I feel like I lose time when I’m writing poetry. I’ll be writing, and I’ll look up and see that two or three hours have passed and I won’t have even noticed.”
Fiction, on the other hand, is heavy lifting, he said.
“It’s hard work. I’ll do two or three hours of working on a novella or story and then I’ll have to do something else because I’m tired. I’m beat out.”
Bibliography Poetry Collections - Arguments With Gravity (1996) - Hard Light (1998) - Emergency Roadside Assistance (2001) - Salvage (2002) - Went With (2007) Short Story Collections - Flesh and Blood (1998, expanded edition 2003) Novels - River Thieves (2001) - The Wreckage (2005) - Galore (2009) Non-fiction - Newfoundland: Journey Into a Lost Nation (with photographer Greg Locke) (2004) Other - Coastlines: The Poetry of Atlantic Canada -
Most active writers in Canada also have to have day jobs, adding to the load, he said.
“They either teach at universities, or they run their own consulting companies, or work in a library or whatever. But most people, and this was true for me most of my writing life, I needed a day job. I think it’s really important to stress the only reason to be doing this at all, is because you love to do it. That’s the only reward you can count on.”
One thing he will likely talk to students about is how to make ends meet and get published.
“I think a lot of people start out with unrealistic expectations of what it means to be a professional writer. I think they think there’s money in it and if you publish books, then that automatically means you’re making money. But that’s not the case. Not necessarily.”
A veteran of working with universities, he will pass on his expertise to students and perhaps even learn some things himself, he said.
“It’s inspiring to see people slugging it out. To see people who have that (writing) spark, and are doing it solely for the love of it. That’s the only reason to be at it, and that’s why they’re doing it.”
Accompanying his stay at UPEI, Crummey will also be participating in a reading of his most recent work, Galore, which was shortlisted for the IMPAC Dublin award, at Confederation Centre on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
