A Writing Tip from the Top and Tonight's Twin Ports Arts Events

"If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it." 
~Elmore Leonard

In 1985, over lunch with Joe Soucheray during the Robert Wright Writer's Conference at Mankato State University, the St. Paul Pioneer Press columnist (who later went on to create a radio show called Garage Logic) shared that he was writing a novel and was six chapters deep but hitting a wall. The inspiration for taking up the challenge of writing a novel had been his love of Elmore Leonard's work.

I had no clue who Elmore Leonard was at the time, but his enthusiasm prompted me to find out. I've been an Elmore Leonard fan ever since.

Last night someone tweeted the Elmore Leonard quote above and it brought to mind my lunch with Joe Soucheray, and this blog post from 2013 on his ten rules of writing.

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Twin Ports Art News, November 17

You wish you could do it all, don't you? Here are four events for your consideration for this evening, November 17. From 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. a Poetry Slam has been slated for Yellowjacket Hall at UWS. Never been to a poetry slam? It's a little different from WWF, I will grant you that. But sparks can fly. This one is Native Style, with Linda Grover.

(I might as well note that at 7 p.m. Beaners Central is hosting its Spoken Word Open Mic featuring Emily Stone. Poetry fans can hit both, and grab a bite to eat here as well.)

If you do decide to head toward UWS, you may want to know that there is an opening reception in the Kruk Gallery for the UWS Alumni Photography Exhibition. This event is also slated for 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Across the bridge, from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m. the Tweed Museum of Art is hosting the opening reception for Maria Cristina Tavera's "Un-Typing Casta," an exhibition exploring contemporary Latinx identity by the Mexican-American Minneapolis artist, curator, and activist. The exhibit is a collaboration with Dr. Jamie Ratliff as Curator. Dr. Ratliff is Assistant Professor of Art History at the School of Fine Arts, UMD.

Tavera's work reflects her transnational upbringing, which was split between Mexico and Minnesota. She "focuses on society's underlying expectations related to race, gender, ethnicity, and culture," which makes it quite relevant in our current political climate.  "Visitors to the exhibition will encounter a series of complex and visually captivating prints and mixed media featuring Latin American legends and popular culture icons that question the societal constructs that racially categorize people of Latin American descent," the media announcement stated.

I myself am looking forward to this exhibition, having lived a year in Mexico and forever carrying a bit of Mexico in my heart. The DNT has more information here in today's A&E Best Bets section.

Finally, the PROVE Gallery downtown is putting doing their annual skateboard deck show, this time auctioning off their skateboard art in an effort to raise funds for a skateboard park. The show is called Plys With Purpose. It will be happening Friday evening from 7 p.m. till 10.

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Meantime, life goes on all around you. Get into it.