{"id":565,"date":"2012-04-20T14:51:41","date_gmt":"2012-04-20T21:51:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogschapman.wpenginepowered.com\/wilkinson\/2012\/04\/20\/meet-mfa-graduate-and-author-ruben-guzman\/"},"modified":"2012-04-20T14:51:41","modified_gmt":"2012-04-20T21:51:41","slug":"meet-mfa-graduate-and-author-ruben-guzman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/wilkinson\/2012\/04\/20\/meet-mfa-graduate-and-author-ruben-guzman\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet MFA Graduate and Author Ruben Guzman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapman MA\/MFA candidate and a member of Sigma Tau Delta, Michelle Arch, has been chronicling her journey through Chapman’s program on her blog,\u00a0 Archetype<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0 Recently, she posted an interview with recent MA\/MFA graduate Ruben Guzman.\u00a0 Ruben just self-published his novel thesis and, in the interview, opens up about that decision, as well as the MFA program, the merits of workshops, the MFA thesis defense experience, and the creative writing\u00a0process.<\/p>\n

\n

An Interview with MFA Graduate and Author Ruben\u00a0Guzman<\/h4>\n

by Michelle Arch<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As a graduate student enrolled in Chapman University\u2019s dual MA in English and MFA in Creative Writing program, Ruben Guzman<\/strong> wrote his debut novel The Fountain in Forsyth Park<\/em>, the tale of a middle-aged homosexual man searching for meaning in his melancholy life.\u00a0 Guzman and I were peers in the program until his graduation last year.\u00a0 Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Guzman about the MFA program from his perspective, his first book, and his experience with self-publishing.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0As an MFA student myself, I\u2019m always curious about which came first for other student writers: the program requirement of the 150-page novel thesis or the story premise that needed the discipline and critical feedback of an MFA program.\u00a0 In your case, was The Fountain in Forsyth Park<\/em> already in progress when you began your work at Chapman, or was it conceived and written entirely while pursuing your English and Creative Writing degrees?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>Fountain<\/em> came about after starting my MFA.\u00a0 In my third writing workshop class, I felt I finally had something substantial to write.\u00a0 Up to then I\u2019d been writing short stories \u2013 likely bad ones when thinking back.\u00a0 I was inspired to write Fountain<\/em> while on a trip to Savannah to help my best friend open a furniture and design store.\u00a0 I was so intrigued with the city and was charmed by its history, architecture, culture, and traditions.\u00a0 It was really that first trip that inspired me to write my novel.\u00a0 I even made several trips back during the writing process to do my research.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019ve found that the demands of graduate school both promote and hinder the advancement of creative projects.\u00a0 Challenging reading and writing assignments immerse students in classic and contemporary literature and develop their critical thinking and writing skills.\u00a0 However, the course load can be daunting for most and leave little time for thesis work and other creative endeavors.\u00a0 With a full time job and demanding class schedule, how did you carve out the time to write Fountain<\/em>?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>I can agree that managing a job and graduate school made for a trying creative writing process at times.\u00a0 I recall that there were semesters when I couldn\u2019t even touch my novel project due to other commitments.\u00a0 That was frustrating.<\/p>\n

However, as I reflect on it now, those times were critical in two ways.\u00a0 One, my immersion in other literary topics like critical theory, special authors, and period and contemporary literature contributed in developing my own thoughts about my novel.\u00a0 I had a chance to read Saramago, Nabokov, Whitman, and Wilde \u2013 all influential to Fountain<\/em> in one way or another.\u00a0 Learning theory afforded me the chance to think of fiction and metafiction in different ways.\u00a0 In Fountain<\/em>, I even took the opportunity to play with literary terms like fabula<\/em> and syuzhet<\/em> \u2013 two important ideas on narrative intent that I couldn\u2019t have used without studying theory.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Two, it allowed me to let my ideas ferment (whether consciously or unconsciously).\u00a0 Those breaks worked for me in the sense that, when time opened up, I was ready and eager to write something.\u00a0 During those productive periods, I would eat my lunch in the office in order to take coffee breaks instead.\u00a0 I would write at the coffee shop for an hour each day.\u00a0 Come to think of it, I wrote nearly all of Fountain<\/em> at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0One of the most important elements of writing we learn about in workshop is the necessity of revision.\u00a0 The willingness and ability to review early drafts with an increasingly critical eye and make appropriate edits is crucial to the final product.\u00a0 How often did you find yourself revising sections of Fountain<\/em>?\u00a0 Were the edits you made in response to observations from your peers and professors or to your own development as a writer?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>I think workshops are effective for writers in a number of ways, but I also realized early on that I could take or leave other criticisms.\u00a0 Readers weren\u2019t going to necessarily understand the full scope of my ideas, so I had to learn which constructive suggestions to take from workshops.<\/p>\n

With respect to revisions, the breaks away from writing I mentioned earlier allowed me to realize the greater need to revise when returning to writing.\u00a0 I found that revisions became just as natural as the writing itself after a while.\u00a0 However, I didn\u2019t let revisions get in the way of getting content written first.\u00a0 Instead, I focused more on revising as I got closer to finishing Fountain<\/em>.\u00a0 I think it was better to have a nearly complete draft of my novel before I could solidify unity in motifs, character development, arcs, and the like.<\/p>\n

I also found myself continuing to revise up to the point at which I submitted my thesis, as well as after, when I started the self-publishing process.\u00a0 By then, I was focused on tightening syntax, form, and punctuation; eliminating anachronisms; etc. \u00a0I\u2019ll confess, I realized at that late point that I\u2019d added references to the autumnal equinox but never changed the time of my story from October to September!\u00a0 I knew when the equinox was all along but didn\u2019t notice the problem until I was focused on revisions.\u00a0 Hence, I can\u2019t stress how important the revision process is.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Your story is told from the interesting perspective of your protagonist\u2019s inner voice.\u00a0 In Fountain<\/em>, mystical elements, universal questions, and philosophical themes are probed in a stream-of-consciousness narrative style.\u00a0 Were there times when the criticism you received from your peers or professors seemed disconnected with your artistic vision?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>Absolutely.\u00a0 I remember not being able to articulate the difference between the inner voice and the conscience.\u00a0 In my mind, the inner voice speaks constantly about anything from the mundane to the fantastic.\u00a0 I had an idea of writing the narrative of one\u2019s inner voice that worked in ways that one\u2019s conscience wouldn\u2019t.\u00a0 In fact, Remy\u2019s conscience is completely absent from the story.\u00a0 It\u2019s his inner voice, the uninhibited voice, the imp, the voice of impulse that fights to tell Remy\u2019s story.\u00a0 Jinn is based on the Arabic characterizations of the djinn<\/em> or genie<\/em> as we know it in Western culture.\u00a0 It\u2019s a parallel voice to the human one and can be known to work for or against us.\u00a0 I remember one student in my workshop being really confused about that idea.\u00a0 At the time, all I could explain was that Jinn was a voice inside Remy that wasn\u2019t a moral compass.\u00a0 It just was.<\/p>\n

I knew that this inner voice would give greater dimension to my marginalized protagonist.\u00a0 It would have been one thing for Remy to narrate Fountain <\/em>as a marginalized protagonist.\u00a0 For me it was another thing to read a marginalized narrative voice contained within<\/em> that marginalized protagonist.<\/p>\n

There were so many times I could have resorted to writing Jinn as Remy\u2019s conscience, but it was neither spontaneous nor real to my expectations for the story.\u00a0 Jinn\u2019s stream-of-consciousness narrative left uncertainties and instabilities for the reader \u2013 something that was much more interesting for me to write.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0You and I have talked about the creative stall (most often referred to as \u201cwriter\u2019s block,\u201d a term I think sounds more ominously permanent); was there ever a time while writing Fountain<\/em> when you felt unsure about how the story or the protagonist, Remy, was developing?<\/p>\n

Guzman:<\/strong>\u00a0 Before starting my MFA, I was in a graduate program in screenwriting.\u00a0 So I think part of that formulaic way of storytelling rubbed off, which is odd because that\u2019s the reason I abandoned screenwriting.\u00a0 When I was told that certain plot points had to happen by page 30 or 45, I felt I wasn\u2019t embracing a fully creative and organic storytelling process.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>After writing a couple of chapters of Fountain<\/em> nonlinearly, I discovered that I was able to formulate the outline of the whole story in my head.\u00a0 What I did find useful was generally planning out what happens through the story early on.\u00a0 I deduced that if I knew something would take place later on and this is what happens, I would have a target to shoot for.\u00a0 My advice is to write nonlinearly.\u00a0 I found that I wanted to write about a drag show at a Savannah nightclub way before my story ever got there.\u00a0 For me, nonlinear writing worked well in this case because I had to get the story and characters to that drag show.\u00a0 It also prevented me from veering off on tangents and losing focus.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m writing my thesis nonlinearly, as well, and couldn\u2019t agree more.\u00a0 It really does help you keep the characters and story moving towards pivotal events or targets, as you referred to them.\u00a0 You once mentioned a breakthrough point at which the narrative began to practically pour out of you.\u00a0 How far along were you in the project when you reached that moment, and to what do you attribute the breakthrough?\u00a0 Once there, how was the pace of your writing impacted?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>I reached that point when I read James Gleick\u2019s Chaos: Making a New Science<\/em> during the winter break before my final thesis class.\u00a0 I was simply channel surfing one night and came across a program on chaos theory on cable.\u00a0 It piqued my interest since much of it seemed to make sense as metaphor for Fountain<\/em>.\u00a0 By the time the program mentioned fractals, I was already online buying Gleick\u2019s book.\u00a0 Fountain<\/em> really explores the balance between the scientific and metaphysical aspects of life.<\/p>\n

In reflecting back on that moment of discovery, I believe that keeping an open mind throughout a project is worth the risk.\u00a0 Passion for the story can emerge at a least expected time.\u00a0 When I started watching that show, I was asking myself how I could possibly apply chaos theory to my story.\u00a0 It sounded really odd at first, but something was telling me to give it a chance.\u00a0 Getting to a point of inspiration and letting the writing happen, with no expectations, was a big and cool discovery for me.\u00a0 It made me a believer in trusting impulse \u2013 trusting in my Jinn so to speak.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019m a fan of Gleick\u2019s book, too, and applied his theories of chaos and Lorenz\u2019s butterfly effect to the works of Virginia Woolf recently, so I know what you mean about those seemingly unlikely connections.\u00a0 Defense of the thesis is one of the final components of the MFA program.\u00a0 Were you confident about Fountain<\/em> when you submitted it?\u00a0 Assuming you had been working with your defense committee members prior to submitting the narrative as your final thesis, was there any aspect of the process that surprised you?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>From the first day of writing Fountain<\/em>, I\u2019d made a commitment to write something that I wanted to read.\u00a0 My focus wasn\u2019t on something that made sense, was moralistic, was commercially viable, or otherwise.\u00a0 I made my vow and stuck to it.\u00a0 I was fortunate that my faculty advisor, James Blaylock, is a science fiction writer with numerous novels.\u00a0 He was able to give me support when I doubted myself in some of the risks I was taking.\u00a0 He got what I was trying to do and helped me to sharpen my story.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, my thesis committee responded favorably to my final product.\u00a0 They praised me for the risks and were unanimous in stating that they hadn\u2019t read anything like it before.\u00a0 When they then asked what I planned to do with it, I told them that I\u2019d reached my goal of writing what I wanted to read.\u00a0 That\u2019s when they urged me to seek publication.\u00a0 Needless to say, I was floating after my thesis defense.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0 Last year I attended a writing conference with several other MFA candidates, and we discussed the advantages and value of a literary peer group.\u00a0 After graduation, MFA students lose that inherent forum for critical feedback.\u00a0 Are you concerned about that now that you have completed the program?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>It will be tough to retain a reliable network of others like one would have in a workshop or thesis setting.\u00a0 Not having a thesis committee to sign off on future projects is a little sad.\u00a0 Like other writers, I do tend to be a loner when writing.\u00a0 But I\u00a0know a few other writers and peers I can look to for workshopping new projects.\u00a0 I can also do the same for them in their writing projects.\u00a0 I\u2019m also considering finding writing groups with which to share ideas and work.\u00a0 They\u2019re a little tough to find, but they\u2019re out there.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0After finishing The Fountain in Forsyth Park<\/em>, you decided to self-publish it.\u00a0 What led you to that decision, and what was the process like?\u00a0 Can you offer any suggestions or insights to others who are considering self-publishing?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>Self-publishing has expanded into a viable way of getting exposure and is at a point where it\u2019s quickly gaining respectability.\u00a0 I wanted to experiment with self-publishing for the sake of getting immediate feedback from others outside of academia.\u00a0 Landing a publisher is incredibly difficult; it could take years or not happen at all.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want to wait.\u00a0 Much like the writing process, I pursued an unconventional way of publishing.\u00a0 Self-publishing was attractive and was timely and cost-effective for me.<\/p>\n

The down side is the reality that I am the marketing department.\u00a0 So connecting with websites, reviews, contests, and blogs like yours are marketing strategies.\u00a0 As a writer, I\u2019ve also had to put myself in a marketing frame of mind with my product.<\/p>\n

Arch:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0What\u2019s next for you?\u00a0 Is there another project in progress?<\/p>\n

Guzman:\u00a0 <\/strong>Yes, I\u2019ve got a few projects going.\u00a0 While my priority is marketing Fountain<\/em> for more readers, I\u2019m also writing a collection of short stories that all revolve around childhood fears.\u00a0 I\u2019m also playing with other forms of narrative such as audio narrative and episodic writing for podcasting to see where they may lead.\u00a0 My focus is to further any one of these projects on a day-to-day basis \u2013 and there\u2019s never enough time, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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