On the virtues of dreams

May 7, 2007

'Caramelo' author leads discussion on creative process

Reprinted from the Saratogian , May 6, 2007

By Kevin Goodwin

Saratoga Springs–Lake Avenue Elementary School fifth-graders were encouraged to use their imaginations Saturday morning as part of the Saratoga Reads! festival weekend.

Sandra Cisneros, author of "Caramelo," "The House on Mango Street," "Woman Hollering Creek" and many other works, spoke to a fifth-grade class and community members at the Lake Avenue Elementary School for the festival, which concludes today. Cisneros' book "Caramelo" was chosen by the community to read.

Cisneros started writing when she was 11 years old, about the same age of the students in attendance. She still uses a composition book to write in and said she wrote in secret.

She read excerpts from two of her books and engaged the children in conversation. She said every time she goes into a school to speak, she feels like the new kid.

"They remind me of where I was," she said.

During the conversation with Cisneros, people asked many questions.

One of the questions from the students—asking how much revision she does—delighted their teacher Logan Fisher.

"The hardest thing as a teacher is getting students to revise," Fisher said.

Cisneros said she might write a page and a half, but revise it 20

times, then revise it again the next day.

"The more you polish it, the more it shines," Cisneros said.

Cisneros is currently working on several children's books and other works, as well as some essays. She also teaches writing.

"I have a lot of pots on the stove," she said.

Another student asked how she comes up with ideas.

Cisneros said her teachers used to tell her she was a daydreamer, but that's when creativity is at its best. She tries to go from dreaming while sleeping, straight to writing and daydreaming without any distractions.

"Daydreams are like birds singing on a tree," Cisneros said. "If you talk, they fly away."

She said people don't have words for everything that they feel in their hearts.

"That's why we have poetry," she said.

She said when a story is told, the readers should feel like the events of the narrative happened to them.

That's why fifth-grader Tyler Duguay liked her book, because he knew how the character felt.

She wrote her short story "Eleven" when she was 30-years-old and read it Saturday. People ask her how she can remember things in the past. In return, she asks how one can forget. As more time goes by she can look at it with more clarity.

Cisneros would read 11 books a week when she was a child, and made sure the students had a library card.

"The more you read the easier it becomes," Cisneros said.

Dorothy Nowhitney teaches Spanish at Saratoga Springs High School and thought Cisneros did an amazing job with the students.

"I love her books because of the details," she said. "She reaches all levels and has influenced so many people."