I’m a civic writer by nature. I write to connect people by listening to stories that emerge through voice—in oral histories, interviews, scraps of conversation…I turn them into weekly columns, poems, essays, short stories. In turn they may become part of a collage, a quilt, a song, a podcast, a live performance or a video. Poetry, short story, non-fiction, my genres are as varied as the modes by which people cross through the Ballard Locks every day.
Eighteen years ago I left educational outreach to give myself a year to write. I’ve been “Writer At Large” ever since, roaming all of Seattle to explore its history and share its stories, in print and on-line. I work with teenagers in central and southeast Seattle, cancer survivors in Fremont and seniors on First Hill. I help all ages find their voice and refine their writing by listening to what they say, and making them aware of their innate ability to share their stories. I’m proud of being called a “Literary Provocateur” and as StoryCorps and the MOTH has proved, literary arts are not just for writers. We need poetry on buses and more civic writers. It's a great life, at large.
Song
Bob Dalyrimple put one of my writings, "The Lifeline," to song. Still trying to get it loaded.
YouTube
Peggy Sturdivant reads "Take Thirteen" at the 6th Annual Gathering of the Ballard Writers Collective on November 13, 2015.