Michael F. Shaughnessy Senior Columnist EdNews.org
Eastern New Mexico University

1)I understand that the Mark Twain Young Authors Workshop will be held next year on June 25, 2007. How did this come about?

This has pretty much been a dream in the making for a number of years.As a kid, like lots of kids, I loved creative writing.I also loved the stories written by Samuel Clemens, whose pen name was Mark Twain.I seize every opportunity to share Mark Twain or to encourage young writers.This weeklong workshop, named in Twain's honor and held in Hannibal, Missouri where he grew up, is the merging of a few great ideas… As a graduate student, I attended the University of Iowa, home of the renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop.During those two years in Iowa, I served as a graduate assistant at the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development.My primary job there was coordinating summer programs for young students.I was also fortunate enough to occasionally teach these classes, and one particular class cemented the idea for this workshop.It was a creative writing class for middle school students, and we used Mark Twain's life experiences and writing as our model.Students read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer before arriving in Iowa for the weeklong course.Then on the first day of class we began to examine the characters, setting, and plot to discover how much "real life" became Mark Twain's "fiction."The students were amazed to find that the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri was Mark Twain's real hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, located just two and a half hours south of Iowa City.So, on the second day of class we took a field trip to Hannibal.You should have seen their faces when they entered the actual cave where Tom and Becky got lost in the novel!The tour guide was stunned to see these 19 boys and girls from all over the country flipping through their copies of Tom Sawyer saying, "Listen to this!"They excitedly read passages to each other and pointed out sights in the cave.When the tour guide pointed out "Aladdin's Palace" and explained that Mark Twain himself had named this section of the cave, one student exclaimed, "Mark Twain really did get his stories from real life!" – which, of course, was the point of the class.

Their enthusiasm continued to grow as they toured Twain's boyhood home on Hill Street, climbed Cardiff Hill ("dreamy, reposeful…"), and rode a riverboat on the Mississippi River.Our last stop of the day before heading back to Iowa City was the local Pizza Hut where the 19 tired but enthused students shared highlights of the day- standing beside the "real" Injun Joe's grave, seeing the actual dress worn by Mark Twain's mother (the model for Tom's Aunt Polly), etc.Driving back to Iowa that night I knew that somehow I had to come up with a way to share this incredible experience with other aspiring writers, and thus the seed for this workshop was planted about 8 years ago.We are not affiliated with the Iowa Writers' Workshop, but for years I nurtured a wish that a similar program for young writers could be established.That is the hope of the Mark Twain Young Authors' Workshop.

2) This will be held in Hannibal, Missouri...Have you ever been there and what is that wonderful town like?

Oh, I got ahead of myself, didn't I?Well, yes, I have been there many times – first in my imagination, of course when I read Tom Sawyer as a 4th grader, and later as an adult.The town is just as Mark Twain described it in his writing – a "white town drowsing" on the west bank of the Mississippi River.Mark Twain is the claim to fame there, but even without the Clemens family's history being an integral part of Hannibal, it is the quintessential "America's hometown."The old downtown section near the river – where the boyhood home still stands – is vibrant and thriving.An influx of artists over the last five or ten years has resulted in something of a renaissance for the downtown.Besides the museum buildings there are lots of interesting shops and restaurants.The Clemens family home and the Mark Twain Museum are my favorite spots, but other favorites are the Java Jive ("first coffeehouse west of the Mississippi") and Lula Belle's restaurant, which is also a bed and breakfast.Both places have the feel of the old days.The historic preservation society does a wonderful job helping to preserve the look and feel of Hannibal.The old cemeteries are also beautifully maintained.When I stood at the Clemens family plot (Sam Clemens, or "Mark Twain" is actually buried with his wife and children in Elmira, NY) I felt as though I knew these people, especially Henry, Sam's younger brother who died in a steamboat accident.For me, ironically, the sight of the graves actually brings these stories to life.It is easy to imagine Tom and Huck sneaking into the old Baptist cemetery late at night to indulge their superstitions.Also, it wouldn't be fair to talk about the sights and not mention the people.

They are very welcoming to outsiders and used to the steady stream of Twain fans that converge on this small town of 17,000 residents.You know, I recently visited the Museum of Modern Arts in New York City, and I was impressed with the many different languages I overhead spoken all around me."Regardez! Monet!"The enthusiasm of these art lovers who had come from near and far to see the works of Van Gogh, Picasso and others immediately transported me to Hannibal, where I have often overhead a parent telling a child something about Mark Twain in a language other than English.What Americans might not understand is that our Mark Twain is not just a national treasure, but that he is revered around the world.When you visit Hannibal, you will recognize this reverence in these overhead snippets of conversation spoken in a variety of languages.One more point about the locals… last summer while I was in Hannibal for the first ever teachers' workshop, I accidentally left my digital camera somewhere.I discovered it was missing while I was on the riverboat and wanted to have my picture taken while I was steering the boat.(That's right… the captain allowed all of us to come and take turns steering the riverboat on the mighty Mississipp'.

)Upon discovering I had misplaced my camera, the captain radioed back to shore, but it was nowhere to be found.Later I retraced my steps to the Java Jive, and sure enough someone had found my camera on the bench outside where I had left it and turned it in.As I've said, the people of Hannibal are wonderful.

3) What is going on currently at the Mark Twain museum?

There are always numerous projects and exhibits in the works.A little known fact about the museum is that it houses the second largest collection of original Norman Rockwell paintings in the country.Rockwell had been asked to illustrate special editions of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, so he traveled to Hannibal to form an impression of the town.What resulted were these amazing paintings that became the illustrations for the books.The originals are displayed year round at the museum.The museum recently collaborated with the Smithsonian on their traveling exhibit titled Between Fences.They typically tie these exhibits into local events, and the result on this occasion was some stunning photography of area fences by local residents, including children.There were also sections of fence painted by local artists that were auctioned to support the museum.The museum holds regular events for children in their efforts to promote the arts, history, and the literary connection of Mark Twain.Another endeavor of the museum is the newly established workshop for teachers.The first weeklong workshop was held in the summer of 2006 and helped teachers develop easy and innovative ways to teach Twain in their classrooms.The second series of workshops is planned for summer 2007.

The details for all of these events are found at the museum's web site: http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/

4) What will take place during this workshop?

Students will be asked to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer before arriving at the workshop.Once there they will reside in dorms at Hannibal LaGrange College, but the days will be full of adventure and exploration.We plan to balance the writing workshops with delving into Twain's past and how he used his real life experiences to create some of the most unforgettable fiction ever written.The writing workshops will include exercises for developing characters, plot, and setting – all using the students' real life experiences, of course.We'll be taking participants on a riverboat tour, through the cave, and of course to the boyhood home.We'll even go out and visit Twain's birthplace in Florida, Missouri.Collaborating with the Mark Twain Museum gives these students access to resources usually reserved for researchers and Twain scholars.Curator Henry Sweets will be on hand to provide important details about Twain's life, emphasizing Twain's early years as a printer's apprentice and later a journalist.Our plan is to encourage and inspire the participants to write, write, and write some more.We will provide feedback and discussion, but the bottom line is simply to inspire a lot of writing.

5) How will the participants be chosen?

We're asking students (those presently in grades 5-8 are eligible) to submit a writing sample and a teacher recommendation.The deadline for entries is January 15, 2007.We will then use a blind review process to evaluate the entries.Several English professors at Stetson University have offered their services in helping to evaluate the submissions.We're very excited about the opportunity to attract great young writers from all over the country.We will separate the entries into two groups, boys and girls, but other than that entries will not reveal any information about the writers.We want to bring six boys and six girls to Hannibal for the workshop.Admission is based solely on writing ability.

6) How will this nurture great writers?

Well, I believe it will provide three main components: recognition, inspiration, and guided instruction.

I believe there are many talented young writers out there who are overly instructed in the formula of the five-paragraph essay to the exclusion of the art of imagination and creativity.In Florida, for instance, teachers lament that the writing portion of the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) destroys all endeavors at creativity.If the essay is not written in the correct formula, no matter how well written and engaging, the student will receive a low score.So, creative writing is diminished, and formulaic writing is rewarded.I want this workshop to recognize and reward talented, creative writers.I also believe that sharing vicarious experiences of Mark Twain – arguably America's greatest writer – in the context of his simple beginnings, will inspire students to consider the importance of their own lives and instill a belief that their stories are just as vital.Finally, writing is a craft, and my role as an instructor is to help participants hone their craft.Each day we'll tackle a different aspect of writing.We'll share.We'll edit.We'll elaborate.It will be a week where the true exchange of ideas is encouraged.

7) Who will pay for this program?

The HATS (High Achieving Talented Students) Program at Stetson University will fund this scholarship program, including travel expenses.We do not want to exclude students because they cannot afford to pay tuition, room and board, and travel costs.Hannibal LaGrange College has graciously donated dorm space, and the Mark Twain Museum is waiving fees for participants.Of course, I am hoping to find one or two corporate sponsors along the way, especially as the program grows each year.

8) Where can people get more information? Do you have a web site?

All of the details are online at http://www.stetson.edu/hats/

9) What question have I neglected to ask?

Nothing really comes to mind, but I would like to add my vision for this program.I see this as a unique opportunity to recognize and nurture young writers.I believe we are establishing a workshop that will become known for its rigor and excellence, and I expect great things from the writers who participate.I appreciate this opportunity to share.Thank you, Mike.