In my life, I have attended more creative writing workshops than I can count. I have read and commented on literary fiction where not much happens, vampire fiction where too much happens, and romance novels where confusing things happen. 1 have been critiqued by professors whose work appeared in the New Yorker, and I have led workshops with undergraduates trying their hand at fiction for the first time. But no creative writing gathering has been quite like the Pens & Pages workshop 1 attended at Truphae pen shop via Zoom on March 28.
This workshop was different for two reasons. For one, although it catered to amateur writers, the caliber of talent was exceptional. For another, I have never seen such furious scribbling with so many beautiful pens. The attendees at this writing workshop were not just aspiring writers, they were regular customers of Truphae in Greenville, South Carolina. It felt like a bunch of friends catching up at one of their favorite hangouts who just happened to be trying their hand at writing fiction because that is exactly what it was.
Those regulars included poets and Converse University Associate Professors of English Rick Mulkey, who led the workshop, and his wife Susan Tekulve, whose poem "In Praise of Fountain Pens" was published in this magazine (Vol. 36 No. 4). Mulkey is the Director of the MFA and BFA creative writing programs at the university in (relatively) nearby Spartanburg, South Carolina. He and Tekulve are also both avid fountain pen users. When they discovered that Truphae was an easy 20 mile drive from the university, they became regular customers.
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Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av PEN WORLD.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Remembering Ward Dunham (October 11, 1941 - August 24, 2024)
On August 24, 2024, calligrapher Ward Dunham passed away.
The Black Pen Society and the D.C. Pen Show: Poobah in a Flower Pot
Do you like black pens? If so, you are probably already familiar with the fun, frivolity, and fellowship associated with the Black Pen Society (BPS).
Stationery Fest: This Is Not a Pen Show
Daisy and Neil Ni's twist on the traditional pen show is about community, not commerce.
"It Has Style:" A History of the Aurora Hastil (1969-1970)
The Italian pen company's experiment in modernism led to a revolution in late 20th century pen design. A two-part series.
GW Pens Scores a Critical Hit
With new collections inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and Fender guitars, artisan John Greco is tapping into cultural trends.
Roterfaden's "Pocket Companion' "
The Taschenbegleiter hand-made planner system from German artisan cooperative Roterfaden features a modular organizational system that grows with the user's ambitions.
S.T. Dupont Takes the Iron Throne
The French atelier continues its forays into popular culture with a new, officially licensed Game of Thrones collection.
More Mail, More Dip-Less
The six-part series on dip-less (or one-dip) fountain pens garnered some major attention through its run from October 2023 through August 2024 (Vol. 36 No. 6 Vol. 37 No. 5).
David Oscarson: A Reflection
The artisan pen maker celebrates 25 years of luxury writing instruments with a new collection that harkens to his Art Nouveau roots.
The Parkette Hopalong Cassidy Ballpoint Pen
The Jotter was advertised as Parker's first ballpoint pen, but a novelty item that played on the Hopalong Cassidy culture craze predated it.
