Featured Writer

Diane Tamassia

Writing workshop participant at Sisters of the Road Cafe for adults living on a low income, with a disability or who have experienced homelessness.

Diane’s hobbies include writing, volunteering at Sisters of the Road Café and at KBOO radio. She has been living in Portland for the past five years, although she had lived here years ago. She has traveled a lot around the United States and is trying to expand her horizons.

You can read more about Diane and her writing, which was featured in our summer 2008 anthology, And We Flew, and below.

The Acme

By Diane Tamassia

The Door Creaks, as You Walk in from the Streets,

A Whiff Musty Old Scent, as you get Eyed from The Gents,

Couples Kissing and Hugging,

Pool Balls Breaking,

Jukebox Playing, People Swinging and Swaying,

To that Funky Beat.

Pulled up a seat at The Bar,

Asked the Tender How much for a Brew?

He said A Buck or 2.

This place has quiet the Charm.

Just taking up a Storm.

Soaking up the Vibes. Brings this Old Joint Alive.

Interview with featured writer Diane Tamassia

Biography writer and interviewer: Amanda Miller, Write Around Portland summer intern

Tell us about your experience in a Write Around Portland Workshop.

I found out about Write Around Portland from KBOO community radio. I was volunteering [at KBOO] and saw it in a newsletter and thought I should see it. I called up Write Around Portland and signed up for a workshop.

The first workshop was with Human Solutions, then Park Tower Apartments downtown, and now I’m in the Sisters of the Road Café workshop. I learned how to open up inside of me and everything that was there.

My first workshop facilitator, Rod Freedman, who was also a writer and a very positive role model, quoted me in the introduction he wrote to a Write Around Portland anthology. He wrote, “There was this woman I met in a workshop, Diane, who said, ‘everybody has a story to tell.’”

What did you get out of the workshop?

I didn’t write before the workshops, didn’t even think about writing. I was scared to come to the first workshop session, scared to come in, didn’t know what to write.

Writing changes the ways I thought about things. I could write about anything I wanted to. I learned I can write, and there is nothing to hold people back from writing. It was a personal experience, like opening up a new world. Every week you get to write something, and it’s your personal thing. I wouldn’t always use the writing prompts, just wanted to write, and it was okay that I did that.

The program has changed my world. I can open up and talk to people now, can speak for myself now, overcome my shyness about reading and writing and sharing my writing. Being published was a mind blowing experience. I didn’t know I was going to be published [in the Write Around Portland anthology], and it was very uplifting. I sometimes carry the anthology with me and hand it to people to read. You get to see your work on paper. “I really wrote this? No, that can’t be true!”

Had you written much before you joined the Write Around Portland workshop?

I hadn’t written at all before the workshops. I don’t think of myself as a poet. I don’t think of myself as a writer, just something you have deep inside.

How was your experience writing in a group? Sharing with others? Hearing other people’s stories?

Some people broke down emotionally. They wrote about different things happening in their lives and about their lives. People grew in the workshop, their writing improved dramatically. They wrote about things they’d never think of writing about.

My first time sharing was scary, asking myself, “what do I do, what do I say?” You don’t know what people will think or share. I learned I could open up and say and do something. I could be myself again and open up to the world.

I made some friends in the workshops, not long lasting friendships, but we said “hi” to each other in the workshops and I’d run into some of them on the bus or on the street. I didn’t know anything about to other people until they shared their writing. Everybody has a story to tell, bring it onto paper and it is so beautiful the way it sounds.

Would you recommend Write Around Portland to others?

I recommend Write Around Portland to everyone. You get varieties of people and styles of writing. The workshop facilitators help bring things out of people. It’s a spiritual thing, a spiritual awakening of the mind. Others get a lot out of the workshop – they improve in their writing, get enthusiastic about what they do by writing about it, and you get to listen to what they have to say.

Write Around Portland is great for people who want to learn about writing and about themselves. It gives feelings of community. I’ve volunteered at Write Around, I walked in to sign up for a workshop and there was a mailing going on and they asked me to help and everyone there was just so warm and friendly.

The experience is uplifting and spiritual and gives an awareness of the abilities other people have. Write Around Portland has opened up my world and mind and spirit and soul and everything.

What did the workshop help you learn about yourself as a writer?

I think about certain things while not in the workshop. I write down certain things, think they would make a good poem. I write about what I see, what’s around me in my life and in other people’s lives.

Is there anything you would like to tell your readers about your writing?

My poetry is to the point and drastic. Short paragraphs. Punch to the point. My writing is personal, observational and it comes from inside of me, sitting inside my body. I like to write about nature and life and things that surround you in life. My first poem was about homelessness, the second was about walking the dog, the third was about a tavern [The Acme, above].

I feel really, really great and honored about being the featured writer. My birthday’s in September, and this is the best birthday present anyone could give, to be featured on a webpage. I am grateful and honored.


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TAKE A Writing Workshop SIGN UP for Write Around Portland News WRITING RESOURCES	Publications & Writers Featured Writer Diane Tamassia Writing workshop participant at Sisters of the Road Cafe for adults living on a low income, with a disability or who have experienced homelessness. Diane’s hobbies include writing, volunteering at Sisters of the Road Café and at KBOO radio. She has been living in Portland for the past five years, although she had lived here years ago. She has traveled a lot around the United States and is trying to expand her horizons. You can read more about Diane and her writing, which was featured in our summer 2008 anthology, And We Flew, and below. The Acme By Diane Tamassia The Door Creaks, as You Walk in from the Streets, A Whiff Musty Old Scent, as you get Eyed from The Gents, Couples Kissing and Hugging, Pool Balls Breaking, Jukebox Playing, People Swinging and Swaying, To that Funky Beat. Pulled up a seat at The Bar, Asked the Tender How much for a Brew? He said A Buck or 2. This place has quiet the Charm. Just taking up a Storm. Soaking up the Vibes. Brings this Old Joint Alive. © Diane Tamassia and Write Around Portland Interview with featured writer Diane Tamassia Biography writer and interviewer: Amanda Miller, Write Around Portland summer intern Tell us about your experience in a Write Around Portland Workshop. I found out about Write Around Portland from KBOO community radio. I was volunteering [at KBOO] and saw it in a newsletter and thought I should see it. I called up Write Around Portland and signed up for a workshop. The first workshop was with Human Solutions, then Park Tower Apartments downtown, and now I’m in the Sisters of the Road Café workshop. I learned how to open up inside of me and everything that was there. My first workshop facilitator, Rod Freedman, who was also a writer and a very positive role model, quoted me in the introduction he wrote to a Write Around Portland anthology. He wrote, “There was this woman I met in a workshop, Diane, who said, ‘everybody has a story to tell.’” What did you get out of the workshop? I didn’t write before the workshops, didn’t even think about writing. I was scared to come to the first workshop session, scared to come in, didn’t know what to write. Writing changes the ways I thought about things. I could write about anything I wanted to. I learned I can write, and there is nothing to hold people back from writing. It was a personal experience, like opening up a new world. Every week you get to write something, and it’s your personal thing. I wouldn’t always use the writing prompts, just wanted to write, and it was okay that I did that. The program has changed my world. I can open up and talk to people now, can speak for myself now, overcome my shyness about reading and writing and sharing my writing. Being published was a mind blowing experience. I didn’t know I was going to be published [in the Write Around Portland anthology], and it was very uplifting. I sometimes carry the anthology with me and hand it to people to read. You get to see your work on paper. “I really wrote this? No, that can’t be true!” Had you written much before you joined the Write Around Portland workshop? I hadn’t written at all before the workshops. I don’t think of myself as a poet. I don’t think of myself as a writer, just something you have deep inside. How was your experience writing in a group? Sharing with others? Hearing other people’s stories? Some people broke down emotionally. They wrote about different things happening in their lives and about their lives. People grew in the workshop, their writing improved dramatically. They wrote about things they’d never think of writing about. My first time sharing was scary, asking myself, “what do I do, what do I say?” You don’t know what people will think or share. I learned I could open up and say and do something. I could be myself again and open up to the world. I made some friends in the workshops, not long lasting friendships, but we said “hi” to each other in the workshops and I’d run into some of them on the bus or on the street. I didn’t know anything about to other people until they shared their writing. Everybody has a story to tell, bring it onto paper and it is so beautiful the way it sounds. Would you recommend Write Around Portland to others? I recommend Write Around Portland to everyone. You get varieties of people and styles of writing. The workshop facilitators help bring things out of people. It’s a spiritual thing, a spiritual awakening of the mind. Others get a lot out of the workshop – they improve in their writing, get enthusiastic about what they do by writing about it, and you get to listen to what they have to say. Write Around Portland is great for people who want to learn about writing and about themselves. It gives feelings of community. I’ve volunteered at Write Around, I walked in to sign up for a workshop and there was a mailing going on and they asked me to help and everyone there was just so warm and friendly. The experience is uplifting and spiritual and gives an awareness of the abilities other people have. Write Around Portland has opened up my world and mind and spirit and soul and everything. What did the workshop help you learn about yourself as a writer? I think about certain things while not in the workshop. I write down certain things, think they would make a good poem. I write about what I see, what’s around me in my life and in other people’s lives. Is there anything you would like to tell your readers about your writing? My poetry is to the point and drastic. Short paragraphs. Punch to the point. My writing is personal, observational and it comes from inside of me, sitting inside my body. I like to write about nature and life and things that surround you in life. My first poem was about homelessness, the second was about walking the dog, the third was about a tavern [The Acme, above]. I feel really, really great and honored about being the featured writer. My birthday’s in September, and this is the best birthday present anyone could give, to be featured on a webpage. I am grateful and honored.	"I just believe in myself more." Write Around Portland Participant Provide a writer with a writing journal, pen, bus tickets, and an anthology. Featured Writer Diane Tamassia Click here to read about past featured writers.
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