Earlier this year I was in my local public library. On a whim I decided to look through the most recent issue of Ploughshares, and I just happened to flip to a story written by Alix Ohlin. It was called “Only Child.” I really liked it! A lot of stories have “back-story” but she weaved in future looking story, which I guess was still back-story. Whatever you want to call it I thought it worked well. I tried to copy it in a story and I failed miserably.
I also have a subscription to One-Story. The other day I was looking through their archives and saw a story called “The Tennis Partner.” I’m an avid tennis player, so that jumped out at me. And guess who wrote it? You guessed right (that was an easy one). I ordered it, read it last night, and really enjoyed it. It was great, but also a little depressing to read because it makes you doubt whether you’ll ever be able to write that well. Her short stories – at least the two I’ve read – are like little novels; they pack a lot in.
So I Googled her and she’s interviewed by Hobart. They ask her if she can remember the best writing advice she’s ever gotten. I thought this was good:
“I do sometimes talk about one of my teachers from graduate school, the brilliant Scottish writer James Kelman. Kelman hated the American workshop system and when class discussions got too technical he’d throw manuscript papers down on the table and yell, ‘This is shite! Shite!’ then storm out of the room. He believed passionately in the personal and political urgency of art, and that’s what he wanted to be talking about. Anyway, at the end of the year, I went to talk to him about this novel I was thinking of starting and wasn’t sure about, and he looked me in the eye and said, ‘Make art. Be bold. Take risks. Don’t wait another second.’ And that is pretty good advice to pass on to students, although I do think it sounds better in a Scottish accent.”
Of the writers I’ve read and have known personally this really reminded me of my friend Greg. He definitely goes for it. He follows his own voice. He’s fearless. I’m usually blown away by his creativity.






