(In)Scribing Gender: International Female Writers and the Creative Process

(In)Scribing Gender: International Female Writers and the Creative Process
Edited by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard
Diversion Press (www.diversionpress.com)
The purpose of the (In)Scribing Gender anthology is to explore the
creative processes of women writing fiction, non-fiction and poetry
from multiple cultural contexts, in different styles, and within
various disciplines. Through personal anecdotes, interviews, articles,
narratives and essays, established and emerging female writers from
diverse backgrounds will expound on topics such as creative
inspiration, locating the muse, the limitations and liberties
associated with categorization and labels (academic, institutional,
social, artistic, literary, or other), conducting literary or
scholarly research as a woman, cultural perceptions of female writers,
female/feminine literature, feminist literature, and gendered
representations. This anthology will examine how gender shapes an
author's creative process and the ways in which gender tints the lens
through which a writer's work is viewed by literary and/or academic
audiences.
In both academic and literary circles, specific labels (and their
attendant expectations) are often foisted upon, or in some cases
chosen by, female writers. One of the goals of this anthology is to
begin to deconstruct these culturally specific (in terms of literary,
academic and global cultures) categories, both imagined and real.
To articulate and overcome the myriad gender-related social challenges
of the twenty-first century, the world's creative literary and
academic minds must unite. In this vein, (In)Scribing Gender will
encourage dialogue between international female authors and provide a
global readership with the opportunity to more fully comprehend the
intricacies of the creative process as it applies specifically to
women writers.
Essays, articles and narratives on (but not limited to) the following
themes are encouraged. We welcome a wide range of disciplines, topics,
and stylistic, theoretical and methodological approaches. Entries may
be self-referential or focus on another writer's process. Contributors
are also welcome to submit interviews related to these themes.
- Inspiration, the muse, the creative spark
- Culling, organizing, and articulating ideas for an article, story,
poem or book
- Verbal and written imagery (drawing from the theories of Mitchell,
Paivio and others)
- Academic writing as a creative endeavor
- Theories of creativity, gender and audience reception as they relate
to the creative process (drawing from the theories of Benjamin,
Adorno, Arieti, Wertheimer, Ghiselin, Wallace and others)
- Negotiating gendered literary themes and gendered representations
(women writing on men and women, creating gender-specific fictional
characters)
- Language and gender
- Poetry written by and for women
- Gender and authorial authenticity
- Writings on gender, culture and sexuality
- Feminist vs./and/or feminine literature
All entries should be between 5,000-10,000 words. Interested
contributors should email an abstract of around 300 words, a short
bio, and a current CV to Jen Bouchard at jtwestmore@yahoo.com by
August 15, 2009. Completed manuscripts will be due by December 15,
2009.
Editor bio:
Jen Westmoreland Bouchard holds a B.A. in French and a B.A. in
Interdisciplinary Fine Arts from St. Olaf College in Northfield,
Minnesota, and a M.A. in French and Francophone Studies from
University of California-Los Angeles. She has presented her research
on Francophone women's writing, postcolonial literatures and world
language pedagogy throughout the United States and Europe. Bouchard is
currently a faculty member in the World Languages Department of
Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota and a French
instructor at Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria, Minnesota.
Her recent articles and chapters have appeared in The Journal of
African Literature and Culture, The Journal of Pan African Studies,
Migrations and Identities (Liverpool University Press), and in myriad
anthologies and reference volumes published through Gale Cengage
Learning, Pencraft International Press, Diversion Press, Greenwood
Press, M.E. Sharpe, Wiley-Blackwell, ABC-CLIO, Handel African Books
Network, and Facts on File. Bouchard serves on the editorial board of
The Journal of African Literature and Culture and is a film, literary
and arts reviewer writer for Global Woman Magazine. She is the owner
of a freelance writing, editing and translation company, Lucidité
Writing, LLC (www.luciditewriting.com).