Meet the Instructor offers insight into the
teaching styles and personalities of our instructors. This time around,we spoke
with Bennie Herron, who will lead Seeing
the Blues in Poetry, an all-levels class, over three Saturdays
from August 6th through August 20th.
The Writer’s Center: What brought you to The Writer’s
Center?
Bennie Herron: I
respect the fact that The Writer's Center takes the poetry out of the classroom
and into the community. Bringing poetry to the people is very important to me.
TWC: How would you
describe your teaching style?
BH: I would describe
my teaching style as inclusive. I don't pretend to be an expert but I think
it's important to rely on the experience and motives of the individuals in the
class or workshop.
TWC: What are you
reading right now?
BH: Juice! by Ishmael Reed. It is a creatively
woven work about the social and political paradigm that we live in both past
and present. Great work!
TWC: What are you
writing right now?
BH: I'm currently
working on multiple projects. I am working on a play and my next full-length
poetry collection titled, Music Made Us
Do This.
TWC: What does your
writing space look like?
BH: Writing space. Ha ha.
I usually grab a cigar and sit at a table in my garage and think far too long
about what I want to say then start writing. I daydream a lot. But, my basement
and garage could be crowned my writing space.
TWC: What is the best
piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given and by whom?
BH: A great poet,
activist, and mentor Matthew Shenoda told me to always keep it simple by telling
your story. How you see things leads to the most authentic and relatable work.
Bennie Herron earned a B.A. in psychology at
San Diego State University and went on to earn a master’s in social work from
San Diego State. He has practiced school-based social work for the last eight
years. Herron recently received his M.F.A. in creative writing with an emphasis
in contemporary poetry from National University.
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