I love writing classes, and every now and then I actually have time to sign up for one. A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to enroll in a first draft playwriting class at Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA) taught by award winning playwright Edwin Sanchez. The class was exactly what I needed at the time as a writer—supportive and critical. It helped me to complete a first draft of a play I’d had bumping around in my brain, and also to rewrite my short play Alone in the Goldfish Bowl, which was recently produced at the Six Women Play Festival.
Last month I learned that my inspiring teacher will be publishing his first novel, Diary of a Puerto Rican Demigod. What a fantastic title, right? But that isn’t the only reason that I wanted to profile Edwin Sanchez this month. As a playwright myself, who is having her first novel published very soon, I wanted to pick his brain a little bit about moving between these two genres, and learn what makes him tick as a writer.
Edwin Sanchez is a playwright, film and television writer, novelist, playwriting teacher and mentor. His plays have been produced in New York, throughout the United States and the world. He has won numerous awards including the Theatre Communications Guild Award, the New York Foundation for the Arts Playwriting Awards, and the National Latino Playwriting Award. To learn more about Edwin, check out his website: www.edwinsanchez-writer.com.
Thank you so much for joining me this month on Not Even Joking. What inspired you to write Diary of a Puerto Rican Demigod?
It was an idea that has been circling my brain for a while. I was really interested in writing a story about someone having to remake themselves. Going from a real low point and rediscovering not just themselves but their happiness. I first thought of it as a television series, but writing it as a novel really gave me a freedom I’d never had as a writer. I don’t have to worry about how to make it happen on stage or the budget you would need to film it. In a novel, ANYTHING is possible. Don’t get me wrong, every format, theatre, film, fiction give you as a writer, challenges, but that’s also part of the fun. At least for me it is.
I too write both plays and fiction. For me, some stories just come out as prose, and others manifest themselves in dialogue. How has the experience of writing a novel differed for you than writing plays? (Or has it?) Did your writing process differ?
The writing process stayed the same. It’s how it is for all of my writing. I start out with a question that I want an answer to. I’ll have an image or a line that digs into my brain and won’t let go, and that’s the start of it. With this novel, because it was my first time writing a long form fiction piece, there was a real, I don’t want to say fear, but wariness. I would start out for the first few days thinking to myself, “I can’t do this”, and then I would just keep going. I did the same thing when I wrote my first TV script and film script. It’s the sense of the unknown, of trying something different and not wanting to fail. But as writers, we have to be ready to try and fail. It’s part of the whole journey. Once I get past a certain point it becomes kind of a joy to write. Even the heavy stuff.
What does your typical writing day look like?
I don’t write every day. Sometimes weeks go by and nothing. I write when I am triggered to write. Little things begin to pile up and I start writing. When I am writing something, I like to do it early in the morning then I’ll take a break, ask myself a question and go running. Doing something physical in between writing is very helpful. Also sometimes I write for just ten minutes. Time myself and ten minutes, go! I think it’s important to be playful when I write and remind myself that I don’t need an hour or more to write.
What else gets you up in the morning? What are you passionate about? And how does this influence your creative life? (or does it?)
Teaching. My students really inspire me. Their journey as writers inspire me to keep going. Writing can be a lonely profession so to be able to share it with others is a lot of fun.
And my standard drama teacher question: What advice would you give to a student who thinks they’d like to be a playwright and novelist?
Write. It’s simple. You write. And you give yourself permission to try things. And find someone who you can trust to bounce things off. One of the things I always stress in my class is that it must be a safe place. I want everyone to feel that they are safe to try anything. And if it doesn’t work, it is not the end of the world. What did you learn from it? Cause I can guarantee you that if you had an impulse to write that moment, it is because there is something there that you need to have in your work.
Thank you so much! I think that it is really great advice. So often I think writers censor themselves before the words are even on the page. We do need to give ourselves permission. And thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to reading your novel.
You can connect with Edwin Sanchez, and learn more about his novel at the links below:
Amazon link for Diary of a Puerto Rican Demigod
