Show Notes for Ep. 30 "The Portolan Project: Charting the Way for Writers"
Portolan charts were maps used by sailors long ago to navigate the seas of the world, and to find harbor. Similarly, the Speculative Literature Foundation wants to chart the way for writers with Mary Anne’s newest endeavor and baby, the Portolan Project. Mary Anne talks with Ben and show producer Darius about the ins and outs of the project, as well as its future goals and concerns.
We are running a Kickstarter right now to help fund the project, which you can find here at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mohanraj/the-slfs-portolan-writing-project-phase-1
Recorded 14 November 2021 / Published 16 November 2021
Contents
- 0:00:00: What does Portolan even mean?
- 0:05:31: The history of the Speculative Literature Foundation and the impetus for starting the Portolan Project
- 0:10:12: On MFA programs
- 0:21:39: What is the Portolan Project exactly?
- 0:43:20: Mary Anne’s concerns about the Portolan Project
- 0:54:29: On moderating community
- 0:59:52: What Mary Anne wants for the Portolan Project going forward
Notes and Links
- Steering the Craft, Ursula K. Le Guin
- Michael Chabon, writer
- Charles Saunders, writer
- Kelly Link, writer
- SLF grants page
- check out this link to see SLF’s archived mentorship program
- Howard Waldrop, writer
- John Varley, writer
- Khan Academy
- Small Teaching Online, Flower Darby and James M. Lang
- The Dazzle of Day, Molly Gloss
- Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
- On Writing, Stephen King
- About Writing, Samuel R. Delaney
- Jane Yolen, writer
- Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, writer
- Mandy Jayatissa, writer
- link to MRAH’s Cory Doctorow episode
