I have had the
opportunity to work with Ayse Papatya Bucak, professor at Florida Atlantic
University, for a few years now. She patiently read and responded to my
creative work as an undergrad (even through the terrible zombie-dystopian-Twilight-gothic
years) and has encouraged me throughout my graduate studies (reminding me that
I am on the right path, that I am not a failure at what I do). These are all
things that keep me going and are very important to me—but what I think I’ve
enjoyed most about working with this phenomenal instructor is how much of her
writing process she is willing to share.
Professor Bucak’s
debut collection, The Trojan War Museum and Other Stories was released
into the world last week. I’ll have you know; she blew up on the internet.
Every email shared, interview posted, and podcast linked littered my Facebook
timeline, repeated throughout my Instagram stories. We (her FAU cohort) could
not be any prouder or more excited. She premiered her collection at the lovely
Books & Books in Miami. The room was full, the excitement palpable, and the
appreciation for this wonderful writer abundant, ever-present against the
backdrop of floor-to-ceiling walls of books; shelved stories not unlike our
own. She read “Good Fortune” from her collection. Lines like, “Before: a
nephew-stranger, a brother-replacement, an old beginning. After: still fear but
less, still stone but less, still Gudrun but more,” read like magic, defined a
main character (Gudrun) and played with sentence structure, which she is always
reminding us (her students) to do. We leaned toward her, away from our seats.
We listened. Not only did we get to dive into this story as a collective,
delighted audience, but she also showed us her notebook, her scribbles. She
shared the evolution of her sentences, her notes, her writerly mind. And me, a
mere student, a mere fangirl, thought, I have notebooks like that too. I
have sentences waiting to be evolved too. Of course, this reading wasn’t
for me. This reading was for Papatya, to share herself and her hard work. But
how wonderful it is, to find inspiration in others, to be a part of a lineage
of hardworking artists who don’t mind sharing themselves.
I am in my third
and final year at Florida Atlantic University’s graduate program in creative
writing. As expected, I have made countless connections to the writing
community, gained quite a few new friends, written a lot of words, had many a
breakdown, worked my little writer-nerd’s self into the ground, and—most
importantly—learned to share myself. In what other world do people have the
opportunity to share their words, their art, their bones and trauma and joy so
professionally and so completely? I think we can find circles who support us
throughout this journey of life, but to find friends and mentors who openly
share their process, their successes, and their advice so willingly and so
supportively is truly unique. In my experience, Professor Bucak has always
opened her door to students looking to create a world on paper. She remembers
our names, our stories, and she helps us practice our craft, all while
accomplishing feats in the sometimes-paralyzing but always fascinating
publishing industry. Her collection of short stories is a pleasure to read, and
an inspiration to those of us who look up to her as a writer. Her reading in
such a local, bookish spot was a culmination of all the things the MFA at FAU
represents; a community of supportive colleagues and writers witnessing the
magic of a new book being articulated into the world by an author we love.
Congratulations,
Papatya.
Emily White is a third-year MFA
still attempting to complete the daunting task of finishing a story. She is a
bit further along now, though.
