how many of you in this room use words online how many use Facebook Twitter
online how many use Facebook Twitter
online how many use Facebook Twitter have a blog right most of us have our
have a blog right most of us have our
have a blog right most of us have our hands up right we are all writers now
hands up right we are all writers now
hands up right we are all writers now all of us and in many ways this is a
all of us and in many ways this is a
all of us and in many ways this is a fabulous thing we’re hearing points of
fabulous thing we’re hearing points of
fabulous thing we’re hearing points of view we didn’t hear in the past it’s
view we didn’t hear in the past it’s
view we didn’t hear in the past it’s wildly Democratic and creative as
wildly Democratic and creative as
wildly Democratic and creative as someone who was born before the Internet
someone who was born before the Internet
someone who was born before the Internet I still love that I can pick myself up
I still love that I can pick myself up
I still love that I can pick myself up on a Thursday afternoon by googling puns
on a Thursday afternoon by googling puns
on a Thursday afternoon by googling puns and being entertained by the brilliance
and being entertained by the brilliance
and being entertained by the brilliance of strangers but it’s also true it’s
of strangers but it’s also true it’s
of strangers but it’s also true it’s also true that we’re immeasurably cruel
also true that we’re immeasurably cruel
also true that we’re immeasurably cruel to one another online we mock each other
to one another online we mock each other
to one another online we mock each other we call each other names we’re course
we call each other names we’re course
we call each other names we’re course were uncivil and we’re often
were uncivil and we’re often
were uncivil and we’re often dehumanizing in many ways this is
dehumanizing in many ways this is
dehumanizing in many ways this is understandable I think it’s really easy
understandable I think it’s really easy
understandable I think it’s really easy to forget when we’re putting our words
to forget when we’re putting our words
to forget when we’re putting our words we’re publishing our words online that
we’re publishing our words online that
we’re publishing our words online that there are human beings on the other end
there are human beings on the other end
there are human beings on the other end of those words but we can’t because our
of those words but we can’t because our
of those words but we can’t because our words matter
words matter
words matter the ones we choose matter we have so
the ones we choose matter we have so
the ones we choose matter we have so much power with the words we choose we
much power with the words we choose we
much power with the words we choose we can make people feel things strongly we
can make people feel things strongly we
can make people feel things strongly we can spur others to action a word can
can spur others to action a word can
can spur others to action a word can feel like a punch in the face or it can
feel like a punch in the face or it can
feel like a punch in the face or it can lift somebody out of depression with
lift somebody out of depression with
lift somebody out of depression with this power to quote the great writer
this power to quote the great writer
this power to quote the great writer Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben
Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben
Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben with great power comes great
with great power comes great
with great power comes great responsibility I’m here today to share a
responsibility I’m here today to share a
responsibility I’m here today to share a little bit of my story with the hopes of
little bit of my story with the hopes of
little bit of my story with the hopes of convincing you all that we are all
convincing you all that we are all
convincing you all that we are all co-authors of our culture and that the
co-authors of our culture and that the
co-authors of our culture and that the culture we tolerate online right now is
culture we tolerate online right now is
culture we tolerate online right now is one that we do not need to tolerate we
one that we do not need to tolerate we
one that we do not need to tolerate we have the power to change it
have the power to change it
have the power to change it it’ll take taking our words seriously so
it’ll take taking our words seriously so
it’ll take taking our words seriously so my story starts 20 years ago I was in a
my story starts 20 years ago I was in a
my story starts 20 years ago I was in a Creative Writing Program studying
Creative Writing Program studying
Creative Writing Program studying fiction as a graduate student and the
fiction as a graduate student and the
fiction as a graduate student and the ethos of the program was tough love the
ethos of the program was tough love the
ethos of the program was tough love the problem was that there was no
problem was that there was no
problem was that there was no none and that the toughness often felt
none and that the toughness often felt
none and that the toughness often felt like the internet feels today
like the internet feels today
like the internet feels today mocking disdainful and condescending I
mocking disdainful and condescending I
mocking disdainful and condescending I barely survived and so when I graduated
barely survived and so when I graduated
barely survived and so when I graduated I felt passionate about trying to teach
I felt passionate about trying to teach
I felt passionate about trying to teach creative writing differently I wanted to
creative writing differently I wanted to
creative writing differently I wanted to stick with tough love actually but I
stick with tough love actually but I
stick with tough love actually but I wanted tough to be honest rigorous
wanted tough to be honest rigorous
wanted tough to be honest rigorous feedback and I wanted there to be a
feedback and I wanted there to be a
feedback and I wanted there to be a whole lot more love and support and
whole lot more love and support and
whole lot more love and support and cheerleader earliness among the group so
cheerleader earliness among the group so
cheerleader earliness among the group so I put $400 on my credit card which was a
I put $400 on my credit card which was a
I put $400 on my credit card which was a lot of money for me back then and I
lot of money for me back then and I
lot of money for me back then and I created this flyer that I thought looked
created this flyer that I thought looked
created this flyer that I thought looked really professional at the time although
really professional at the time although
really professional at the time although it has not aged that well and I got on
it has not aged that well and I got on
it has not aged that well and I got on my bike and I drove up and down Beacon
my bike and I drove up and down Beacon
my bike and I drove up and down Beacon Street right here in Brookline
Street right here in Brookline
Street right here in Brookline advertising to workshops under the name
advertising to workshops under the name
advertising to workshops under the name of grub Street to my complete joy
of grub Street to my complete joy
of grub Street to my complete joy surprise and slight panic eight people
surprise and slight panic eight people
surprise and slight panic eight people eight brave souls took me up on this and
eight brave souls took me up on this and
eight brave souls took me up on this and grub Street was born the first classes
grub Street was born the first classes
grub Street was born the first classes were taught by me and a friend and we
were taught by me and a friend and we
were taught by me and a friend and we had really thin credentials we had no
had really thin credentials we had no
had really thin credentials we had no institutional backing and our students
institutional backing and our students
institutional backing and our students were completely unvetted there was no
were completely unvetted there was no
were completely unvetted there was no admission standards so in many ways we
admission standards so in many ways we
admission standards so in many ways we were just like the Internet is today we
were just like the Internet is today we
were just like the Internet is today we were democratic and open and there was
were democratic and open and there was
were democratic and open and there was it was not hierarchical at all so many
it was not hierarchical at all so many
it was not hierarchical at all so many ways we ran experiment with what happens
ways we ran experiment with what happens
ways we ran experiment with what happens when strangers come together and take
when strangers come together and take
when strangers come together and take each other’s words seriously in this
each other’s words seriously in this
each other’s words seriously in this culture of rigor and love so what
culture of rigor and love so what
culture of rigor and love so what happened well I’m very proud to report
happened well I’m very proud to report
happened well I’m very proud to report that 20 years later and almost 30,000
that 20 years later and almost 30,000
that 20 years later and almost 30,000 students later thanks to the incredible
students later thanks to the incredible
students later thanks to the incredible talent and hard work of so many local
talent and hard work of so many local
talent and hard work of so many local authors grub Street has grown into the
authors grub Street has grown into the
authors grub Street has grown into the largest nonprofit Creative Writing
largest nonprofit Creative Writing
largest nonprofit Creative Writing Center in the country
along the way many in our community have
along the way many in our community have had tremendous literary success but
had tremendous literary success but
had tremendous literary success but another thing has happened which is
another thing has happened which is
another thing has happened which is relevant to what I want to talk about
relevant to what I want to talk about
relevant to what I want to talk about today and it’s this we have created an
today and it’s this we have created an
today and it’s this we have created an incredibly connected understanding and
incredibly connected understanding and
incredibly connected understanding and kind community and it has everything to
kind community and it has everything to
kind community and it has everything to do everything with how we communicate
do everything with how we communicate
do everything with how we communicate with one another and what happens in our
with one another and what happens in our
with one another and what happens in our classrooms on one level what happens in
classrooms on one level what happens in
classrooms on one level what happens in our classrooms is very simple strangers
our classrooms is very simple strangers
our classrooms is very simple strangers come together they come in with drafts
come together they come in with drafts
come together they come in with drafts of novels op-eds memoirs and they share
of novels op-eds memoirs and they share
of novels op-eds memoirs and they share them with people they wouldn’t meet in
them with people they wouldn’t meet in
them with people they wouldn’t meet in any other setting people that come from
any other setting people that come from
any other setting people that come from different backgrounds and income
different backgrounds and income
different backgrounds and income brackets and age groups and they tell
brackets and age groups and they tell
brackets and age groups and they tell these other people what they’re trying
these other people what they’re trying
these other people what they’re trying to accomplish and then the strangers in
to accomplish and then the strangers in
to accomplish and then the strangers in the room treat them with respect take
the room treat them with respect take
the room treat them with respect take their words seriously and start to help
their words seriously and start to help
their words seriously and start to help them edit their work to the novelist
them edit their work to the novelist
them edit their work to the novelist they might say the settings working
they might say the settings working
they might say the settings working really well but these characters are
really well but these characters are
really well but these characters are still pretty flat you need to dig harder
still pretty flat you need to dig harder
still pretty flat you need to dig harder to figure out what that person’s really
to figure out what that person’s really
to figure out what that person’s really going through to round that out to the
going through to round that out to the
going through to round that out to the person who’s writing the op-ed them I’d
person who’s writing the op-ed them I’d
person who’s writing the op-ed them I’d say that’s a really interesting point of
say that’s a really interesting point of
say that’s a really interesting point of view but you haven’t worked hard enough
view but you haven’t worked hard enough
view but you haven’t worked hard enough yet so we you need to go out and get
yet so we you need to go out and get
yet so we you need to go out and get more evidence or your logics a little
more evidence or your logics a little
more evidence or your logics a little funky and in this way and this back and
funky and in this way and this back and
funky and in this way and this back and forth the writer learns a tremendous
forth the writer learns a tremendous
forth the writer learns a tremendous amount about themselves and what they’re
amount about themselves and what they’re
amount about themselves and what they’re trying to say they learn from the
trying to say they learn from the
trying to say they learn from the perspectives of everybody else in the
perspectives of everybody else in the
perspectives of everybody else in the room and they get better their writing
room and they get better their writing
room and they get better their writing gets better and often students will
gets better and often students will
gets better and often students will report to me that they were able by
report to me that they were able by
report to me that they were able by working in the company of strangers in a
working in the company of strangers in a
working in the company of strangers in a community to produce work they never
community to produce work they never
community to produce work they never would have been able to think possible
would have been able to think possible
would have been able to think possible to produce something that they thought
to produce something that they thought
to produce something that they thought was beyond their capacity what I see in
was beyond their capacity what I see in
was beyond their capacity what I see in the classrooms really makes me wonder
the classrooms really makes me wonder
the classrooms really makes me wonder about what we’re squandering online
about what we’re squandering online
about what we’re squandering online today when we have this opportunity to
today when we have this opportunity to
today when we have this opportunity to communicate human-to-human for the first
communicate human-to-human for the first
communicate human-to-human for the first time and what would it be like if we
time and what would it be like if we
time and what would it be like if we could actually make the online
could actually make the online
could actually make the online experience a little bit more like a
experience a little bit more like a
experience a little bit more like a really well-run writing workshop and a
really well-run writing workshop and a
really well-run writing workshop and a little bit less like a game of Thrones
little bit less like a game of Thrones
little bit less like a game of Thrones episode what would that take it’s
episode what would that take it’s
episode what would that take it’s deceptively simple
deceptively simple
deceptively simple I think it would take rigor and love it
I think it would take rigor and love it
I think it would take rigor and love it would take everybody owning the fact
would take everybody owning the fact
would take everybody owning the fact that we are all now co-creators and
that we are all now co-creators and
that we are all now co-creators and co-writers of this culture we share
co-writers of this culture we share
co-writers of this culture we share online and it would take us holding
online and it would take us holding
online and it would take us holding ourselves and other people to very high
ourselves and other people to very high
ourselves and other people to very high standards when we publish our words
standards when we publish our words
standards when we publish our words online we would also use this to help us
online we would also use this to help us
online we would also use this to help us figure out how to communicate with
figure out how to communicate with
figure out how to communicate with others online so if you’re writing
others online so if you’re writing
others online so if you’re writing online you would say to yourself I want
online you would say to yourself I want
online you would say to yourself I want to make sure that every word I publish
to make sure that every word I publish
to make sure that every word I publish online is as accurate honest and
online is as accurate honest and
online is as accurate honest and truthful as I can muster and it’s also
truthful as I can muster and it’s also
truthful as I can muster and it’s also written with an intention of being
written with an intention of being
written with an intention of being loving and kind to other human beings
loving and kind to other human beings
loving and kind to other human beings here’s a few things that might change
here’s a few things that might change
here’s a few things that might change online if we could all do this these
online if we could all do this these
online if we could all do this these words except in times of humor would
words except in times of humor would
words except in times of humor would disappear because we’d know immediately
disappear because we’d know immediately
disappear because we’d know immediately that the author wasn’t being rigorous
that the author wasn’t being rigorous
that the author wasn’t being rigorous there’s their cliche they’re flat
there’s their cliche they’re flat
there’s their cliche they’re flat they’re not telling us anything new and
they’re not telling us anything new and
they’re not telling us anything new and they’re also not loving we know
they’re also not loving we know
they’re also not loving we know immediately that nobody has any
immediately that nobody has any
immediately that nobody has any intention of learning anything from the
intention of learning anything from the
intention of learning anything from the other side when they’re using these
other side when they’re using these
other side when they’re using these words statements like all immigrants or
words statements like all immigrants or
words statements like all immigrants or all rural voters would also go away
all rural voters would also go away
all rural voters would also go away because all statements are never true
because all statements are never true
because all statements are never true and that just wouldn’t be a rigorous
and that just wouldn’t be a rigorous
and that just wouldn’t be a rigorous thing to say it’s not even true that all
thing to say it’s not even true that all
thing to say it’s not even true that all Boston drivers are bad drivers it only
Boston drivers are bad drivers it only
Boston drivers are bad drivers it only feels that way we would also not share
feels that way we would also not share
feels that way we would also not share any words or any up ads or essays that
any words or any up ads or essays that
any words or any up ads or essays that didn’t hold up to the standards so we
didn’t hold up to the standards so we
didn’t hold up to the standards so we wouldn’t share articles that weren’t
wouldn’t share articles that weren’t
wouldn’t share articles that weren’t sourced or accurate that weren’t written
sourced or accurate that weren’t written
sourced or accurate that weren’t written with the intention to understand the
with the intention to understand the
with the intention to understand the world and not to tear it down
world and not to tear it down
world and not to tear it down we wouldn’t share those terrible
we wouldn’t share those terrible
we wouldn’t share those terrible articles that make people’s blood
articles that make people’s blood
articles that make people’s blood pressure spiked because they have really
pressure spiked because they have really
pressure spiked because they have really alarming headlines that have nothing to
alarming headlines that have nothing to
alarming headlines that have nothing to do with the content of the article we
do with the content of the article we
do with the content of the article we wouldn’t do that but perhaps most
wouldn’t do that but perhaps most
wouldn’t do that but perhaps most importantly we would stop doing this we
importantly we would stop doing this we
importantly we would stop doing this we would stop talking to each other this
would stop talking to each other this
would stop talking to each other this way calling each other names and
way calling each other names and
way calling each other names and insulting each other online
insulting each other online
insulting each other online this took me three minutes to put
this took me three minutes to put
this took me three minutes to put together this slide this is what we’re
together this slide this is what we’re
together this slide this is what we’re all reading and getting used to online
all reading and getting used to online
all reading and getting used to online to my mind there is no good reason to
to my mind there is no good reason to
to my mind there is no good reason to insult another human being online
insult another human being online
insult another human being online and this includes public officials
and this includes public officials
and this includes public officials celebrities they’re human beings as well
celebrities they’re human beings as well
celebrities they’re human beings as well we need to stop this instead we should
we need to stop this instead we should
we need to stop this instead we should do what we do in the classrooms which is
do what we do in the classrooms which is
do what we do in the classrooms which is we look at the words and not the person
we look at the words and not the person
we look at the words and not the person when we respond to somebody in the
when we respond to somebody in the
when we respond to somebody in the classroom we always we have this
classroom we always we have this
classroom we always we have this expression keep it on the page and we
expression keep it on the page and we
expression keep it on the page and we interrogate and ask people in a rigorous
interrogate and ask people in a rigorous
interrogate and ask people in a rigorous loving way what they’re trying to
loving way what they’re trying to
loving way what they’re trying to express and we assume that their
express and we assume that their
express and we assume that their intentions are good we assume that their
intentions are good we assume that their
intentions are good we assume that their motivations are good and we start to ask
motivations are good and we start to ask
motivations are good and we start to ask them questions we can be very rigorous
them questions we can be very rigorous
them questions we can be very rigorous with one another if we make the right
with one another if we make the right
with one another if we make the right approach the other thing is we can have
approach the other thing is we can have
approach the other thing is we can have fun with this the other day I was
fun with this the other day I was
fun with this the other day I was reading an article I was reading a post
reading an article I was reading a post
reading an article I was reading a post from a friend and I thought her language
from a friend and I thought her language
from a friend and I thought her language or her logic looked a little strange but
or her logic looked a little strange but
or her logic looked a little strange but I couldn’t remember exactly why I
I couldn’t remember exactly why I
I couldn’t remember exactly why I couldn’t remember the logic from my
couldn’t remember the logic from my
couldn’t remember the logic from my sophomore logic class in college and I
sophomore logic class in college and I
sophomore logic class in college and I was thinking it would be great if we
was thinking it would be great if we
was thinking it would be great if we could unless those philosophy nerds to
could unless those philosophy nerds to
could unless those philosophy nerds to help remind us of the best arguments we
help remind us of the best arguments we
help remind us of the best arguments we could be using and when we were falling
could be using and when we were falling
could be using and when we were falling into using bad language and they could
into using bad language and they could
into using bad language and they could create emojis they could let us know if
create emojis they could let us know if
create emojis they could let us know if we were using a straw man argument or a
we were using a straw man argument or a
we were using a straw man argument or a red herring or a slippery slope
red herring or a slippery slope
red herring or a slippery slope it’s imagine what that our experience
it’s imagine what that our experience
it’s imagine what that our experience online would change if we could pull
online would change if we could pull
online would change if we could pull this off together now you might think
this off together now you might think
this off together now you might think this sounds pollyannaish but I think we
this sounds pollyannaish but I think we
this sounds pollyannaish but I think we can do it we have changed our culture
can do it we have changed our culture
can do it we have changed our culture before in the 70s we decided to stop
before in the 70s we decided to stop
before in the 70s we decided to stop littering and there was a massive public
littering and there was a massive public
littering and there was a massive public PSA campaign and we largely stopped
PSA campaign and we largely stopped
PSA campaign and we largely stopped littering sure there are a couple of
littering sure there are a couple of
littering sure there are a couple of literature still and there will always
literature still and there will always
literature still and there will always be trolls but by and large it’s
be trolls but by and large it’s
be trolls but by and large it’s insulting to us when we see someone
insulting to us when we see someone
insulting to us when we see someone litter as the co-authors of our culture
litter as the co-authors of our culture
litter as the co-authors of our culture we can decide now we are writing this
we can decide now we are writing this
we can decide now we are writing this story we’re in control of the plotline
story we’re in control of the plotline
story we’re in control of the plotline we can say that calling someone ugly or
we can say that calling someone ugly or
we can say that calling someone ugly or moronic online making a claim about all
moronic online making a claim about all
moronic online making a claim about all immigrants or sharing an article with
immigrants or sharing an article with
immigrants or sharing an article with your peers online that you haven’t
your peers online that you haven’t
your peers online that you haven’t bothered to read we can make that as
bothered to read we can make that as
bothered to read we can make that as offensive as rolling down your window
offensive as rolling down your window
offensive as rolling down your window and heaving a bag of trash onto the side
and heaving a bag of trash onto the side
and heaving a bag of trash onto the side of the road
of the road
of the road we can do that and from my experience at
we can do that and from my experience at
we can do that and from my experience at grub Street I can only imagine the
grub Street I can only imagine the
grub Street I can only imagine the brilliance the creative ideas the
brilliance the creative ideas the
brilliance the creative ideas the innovation the insight that we could
innovation the insight that we could
innovation the insight that we could help unlock in one another if we were
help unlock in one another if we were
help unlock in one another if we were communicating properly online if we’re
communicating properly online if we’re
communicating properly online if we’re using this historic opportunity to
using this historic opportunity to
using this historic opportunity to connect human to human as a way to
connect human to human as a way to
connect human to human as a way to connect instead of shoud II – the down
connect instead of shoud II – the down
connect instead of shoud II – the down so I’ll be they’ll leave you with this I
so I’ll be they’ll leave you with this I
so I’ll be they’ll leave you with this I hope that the next time you get online
hope that the next time you get online
hope that the next time you get online whether it’s in five minutes tonight or
whether it’s in five minutes tonight or
whether it’s in five minutes tonight or in the morning that you consider taking
in the morning that you consider taking
in the morning that you consider taking these words and putting them somewhere
these words and putting them somewhere
these words and putting them somewhere close to your computer put making them
close to your computer put making them
close to your computer put making them the wallpaper on your iPhone and
the wallpaper on your iPhone and
the wallpaper on your iPhone and thinking of yourself as a writer holding
thinking of yourself as a writer holding
thinking of yourself as a writer holding that responsibility and imagining that
that responsibility and imagining that
that responsibility and imagining that everybody else in your community online
everybody else in your community online
everybody else in your community online is also a writer and that we’re all
is also a writer and that we’re all
is also a writer and that we’re all showing up with really messy first
showing up with really messy first
showing up with really messy first drafts and that we have the capacity
drafts and that we have the capacity
drafts and that we have the capacity with rigor and love to help each other
with rigor and love to help each other
with rigor and love to help each other sort it out thank you
”
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