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Crystal K. Odelle
As we enter into April, we wanted to share this interview with creative nonfiction dynamo, Jennifer Jordán Schaller, who is Plume’s featured writer for May. I met Jennifer because we both teach writing at the same community college, and I have to say that she is as kind as she is talented. Recently, Plume had the pleasure of hearing Jennifer read from her work at our Albuquerque Women Write event. Her creative nonfiction does what I love best about this genre: it lures you in with wry humor, and then clobbers you with subtle, well-earned pathos. We hope you enjoy!Plume: When did you know you were a writer?Jennifer Jordán Schaller: In the first grade, my teacher asked my class to write a one-page story. I don’t remember my story specifically, but I remember my protagonist was on an adventure. My family lived in New Jersey at the time, and behind our apartment complex, there was a small thicket of trees that I was forbidden to go into; my brother and I called it The Woods, so naturally, my story took place in The Woods. There was also a leprechaun, a rainbow, and a pot of gold. I really liked Lucky Charms cereal. This was the 1980s after all.While we were only required to write one page, I kept writing and writing because nothing was stopping me, and I was pretty sure I didn’t have to stop my story ever. I remember a boy who sat across from me saying, “You can’t write a story that long.” I told him I could. I said my story can keep going as long as I want it to. I felt inspired for the first time, and I get the same feeling when I really dig and become immersed in my writing. I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was in the first grade. P: Where do you get your ideas?JJS: My ideas for my stories usually come from my family of origin, from wanting to sort out experiences and to grow as a person. My stories start in the tangible parts of my life, and then after drafting and revision, I explore abstract concepts and reflect, then I play with imagery. While my stories often originate in real life events and veer into the past, they also come from sitting in front of a computer and hashing it out. Sometimes … Read more
