In Thomas Mann’s novel Tristan, one of his characters, said, “A writer is one to whom writing comes harder than to anybody else.” A comic barb, but, as Mann suggested later, it holds some truth.
Readers certainly don’t sense that Laura Oliver struggles with her well-crafted columns appearing each Sunday in the Spy, but that’s the trick of artistic labor: for the final product to read as though it arrives trippingly off the tongue. Oliver writes every day of her life: writes books, articles, stories, lectures about the writing process, and teaches writing at colleges and workshops, and has a popular radio spot on NPR member station WHCP 91.7.
As a graduate of Washington College and the Bennington College MFA program, Oliver has significantly contributed to the writing community. Her book, The Story Within: New Insights and Inspiration for Writers (Penguin Random House), has been hailed by “The Writer Magazine” as one of the best books about the craft of writing. For a decade, it has been a trusted companion for writers seeking fresh perspectives on their writing journey.
On the rare occasion when Oliver is not writing, she plans to write or observes something she will file away to write about. “It’s not a hobby,” she says. And while that sounds strict and Spartan, you would find that in her classes and workshops at St. John’s College and other writing centers, her true default teaching persona is encouraging and helping students find their “story within.”
Don’t miss the chance to engage with Laura Oliver’s insights at noon on April 9 in the Hynson Lounge. She will be part of Washington College’s Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) Learn at Lunch programs, discussing “Practical Magic: Change Your Story, Change Your Life.” This is a unique opportunity to learn from a seasoned writer.
And on April 24, Oliver will take to the Stoltz Listening Room stage for the Spy Writers series at the Avalon Theatre for a public reading from her collection.
The Spy recently interviewed Laura Oliver about writers and writing and how the craft of writing has defined her life. For more about Laura, go here.
This video is approximately nine minutes in length. For information and tickets for Laura Oliver’s Spy Night on April 24, please go here.
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