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USU alum and author urges writers
to steal ideas as source of inspiration
By Megan Wiseman
October 14, 2008 | "Steal, by all means steal," said
USU graduate Brandon Schrand as he spoke to students
and faculty at the Haight Alumni House Tuesday afternoon.
As Schrand gave advice to novice writers, he emphasized
getting inspiration from other authors by using their
ideas to come up with your own. Schrand, who graduated
in American studies, read excerpts from his book, Enders
Hotel, which is about growing up in
a hotel in Soda Springs, Idaho.
Schrand's family owned and operated the Enders Hotel,
where Schrand said his great-grandfather bootlegged
alcohol during the 1920s. The hotel had become run down,
and during his childhood Schrand said his family refurbished
the dilapidated hotel and attached café where his mother
worked. Schrand's book follows the beginning of the
hotel, which was started by two German immigrant brothers,
up through Schrand's life and experiences growing up
there.
Schrand also read from his newest essay, "Works Cited,"
which is a bibliography that follows his life through
the books he read growing up.
"This is a happier, more upbeat project," said Schrand.
As Schrand read passages from "Works
Cited" about failing in college, getting thrown
in jail and being arrested for possession of marijuana,
he gave an important disclaimer:
"To my mother-in-law in the audience, this is fiction.
To everyone else . . ."
After reading from his two works, Schrand took answer
questions from the audience. Most of what he said was
advice for young, beginning writers. Schrand suggested
giving yourself homework assignments, saying that if
you come up with an idea, assign yourself to write a
story about it or write it in a certain style. He also
said to read a lot. Scenes can strike you and you won't
find those scenes unless you read, said Schrand.
Schrand also stressed that writers without any major
life experience should learn to write about ordinary,
everyday experiences. Schrand said some of the greatest
authors have mastered the art of writing about the little
things of life but make them interesting to everyone
else.
"An artist's job is to pay attention to the quieter
stuff that the people going to Wal-Mart ignore," said
Schrand.
Schrand ended by saying that writers need to get used
to rejection. In a spreadsheet that he kept which tracked
his submissions to various publishers he had 120 submissions
that were all rejected. However, Schrand said, writers
are not alone in their rejection -- they are among many
friends who all have felt that same pain of refusal.
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