Poet-Editor Mary Biddinger Talks First Books & Beyond

Mary Biddinger has served as the Editor of the Poetry Series at the University of Akron Press for nearly ten years, and this October, she visited campus to discuss publishing, first books, and advice for emerging writers in our MFA Professionalization Series. She encouraged MFA students to take risks in their writing and to give oneself permission to be a “hot mess,” even if that means writing poems or stories that do not neatly adhere to the (often external) pressures of having a “project-book.” The graduate thesis, Biddinger says, is really the first draft of one’s book and that everyone should know and be prepared for their book to continue to evolve after completing the MFA-degree. Biddinger also reminded students how important is it take care of oneself as a writer: to find ways to re-charge the body and creative spirit and to cultivate a community of supportive writer-friends.

You can also check out Crazyhorse Editorial Assistants’, Dakota Reed and Katelin McLaren, recap of the Crazyhorse Reading Series‘s poetry reading by Mary Biddinger.