Featured Writer

Mayhem aka Tessara Dudley

Writing Workshop Participant at the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC).

Tessara Dudley, whose nickname and pen name is Mayhem, is an 18 year old poet. She has many interests and talents, including writing, singing, dancing and drawing. Mayhem lives with her mom, her brother, a friend and two cats in a two bedroom apartment – and she loves it. An avid reader, she is currently reading DH Lawrence, and her favorite author is William Shakespeare.

You can read Mayhem's writing, which is featured in our most recent anthology, See the Water Rise/Ver Las Aguas Subir, below. An interview with Mayhem about her experience writing in community follows.

Sky

by Mayhem

I’d never seen the sky like that.

Or perhaps I’d not enjoyed it as

I should, not appreciated it.

Panting, I lay on the ground,

My heart pounding. I could tell that

I had pushed too hard, and now

I lay in the grass and suffered

The consequences, the deep

Blue sky – cloudless - above me.

Tears pricked at my eyes, and I

Felt something break. The

World was full of beauty and

I was seeing it now, at the

End, for the first time.

A long life spent looking down, and now

I gaze up into a sky so blue

That I could drown in it.

Interview with featured writer Mayhem

Biography Writer and Interviewer: Raye Rose

Write Around Portland Volunteer, pictured below with Mayhem

I hear that you've been in several Write Around Portland workshops.

I've been in five or six workshops! I have every single [anthology] we've made on my shelf. The latest one is See the Water Rise.

Tell us about your experience. What made you decide to keep coming back to the writing workshops?

I am in the SMYRC group. We got to know each other – became close. We bonded over writing and it was a lot of fun.

It was a great experience. Being able to share and hear other people's work that isn't published – YET. It will be! Learning that people I know, hang out with, watch TV with, eat a lot of macaroni and cheese with, are also writers – and write beautiful and rich stuff.

What did you get out of the workshop?

I was able to hear different styles of writing. I've saved all the prompts I've ever gotten. And I used a prompt from the workshop to write a sonnet at home.

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

I like getting feedback. In our group everyone must give positive feedback. I think, "Wow, that never occurred to me. That's an entirely different perspective than when I wrote it, but it still works." You can request a critique, but it still has to be positive and kind. I like to hear what other people think about writing, get advice and opinions from other poets. We would use each other as a thesaurus. Sometimes words you wouldn't think of, they'd know. You get a lot of cool synonyms.

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

On and off. I've always written a lot of poetry and I am working on short stories and novels. I was working on novellas in 6th and 7th grade. My mom has kept a bounded book of all my work since 2nd grade.

2nd grade! Do you have a favorite?

There is one with these kids that find a monster's lunch box. It had a spider sandwich in it, pink milk and Jell-O worms. At the end the monster – eats YOU! I wrote a sequel in third grade: "Inside the Monster's stomach."

Has your writing style changed from each workshop?

It's mostly the place I'm writing from. When I was depressed, I was writing darker stuff. Now I'm in a better place, and in the [most recent] workshop, my stuff was very silly.

Were you surprised at what you were writing in workshops when you started?

I'm always a little surprised at what comes out of my head. Where a prompt takes me can surprise other people. Sometimes it was a very strange journey.

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

Sometimes I don't like to change things. This surprises people. I can churn something out all at once. I write it and then it's done. "Distillation" is an exercise where you take a piece you've already written, take phrases from that piece, and turn it into a new piece. It helps me to not be so set on one way of doing something. It helped

me to learn to work through it.

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

It's always different. I write from different perspectives. I like humor and surprise endings. I like to surprise people. That's me.

Would you recommend Write Around Portland workshops to others?

Yeah! I actually already have!

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write your own truth. That doesn't mean you have to write nonfiction. It means you write the way you want to. Don't force yourself into one way of doing it. Flexibility!

Did the workshops affect how you interact with the rest of the people in your life?

Yeah, they did. If I can write and have fun with writing then I'm less stressed out at work, which is good. And, if I share the writing with someone I care about, I feel a little closer to them.


Home \| Events \| What We Do \| Donate Now \| Get Involved \| About Us
TAKE A Writing Workshop SIGN UP for Write Around Portland News WRITING RESOURCES	Publications & Writers Featured Writer Mayhem aka Tessara Dudley Writing Workshop Participant at the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC). Tessara Dudley, whose nickname and pen name is Mayhem, is an 18 year old poet. She has many interests and talents, including writing, singing, dancing and drawing. Mayhem lives with her mom, her brother, a friend and two cats in a two bedroom apartment – and she loves it. An avid reader, she is currently reading DH Lawrence, and her favorite author is William Shakespeare. You can read Mayhem's writing, which is featured in our most recent anthology, See the Water Rise/Ver Las Aguas Subir, below. An interview with Mayhem about her experience writing in community follows. Sky by Mayhem I’d never seen the sky like that. Or perhaps I’d not enjoyed it as I should, not appreciated it. Panting, I lay on the ground, My heart pounding. I could tell that I had pushed too hard, and now I lay in the grass and suffered The consequences, the deep Blue sky – cloudless - above me. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I Felt something break. The World was full of beauty and I was seeing it now, at the End, for the first time. A long life spent looking down, and now I gaze up into a sky so blue That I could drown in it. © Mayhem and Write Around Portland Interview with featured writer Mayhem Biography Writer and Interviewer: Raye Rose Write Around Portland Volunteer, pictured below with Mayhem I hear that you've been in several Write Around Portland workshops. I've been in five or six workshops! I have every single [anthology] we've made on my shelf. The latest one is See the Water Rise. Tell us about your experience. What made you decide to keep coming back to the writing workshops? I am in the SMYRC group. We got to know each other – became close. We bonded over writing and it was a lot of fun. It was a great experience. Being able to share and hear other people's work that isn't published – YET. It will be! Learning that people I know, hang out with, watch TV with, eat a lot of macaroni and cheese with, are also writers – and write beautiful and rich stuff. What did you get out of the workshop? I was able to hear different styles of writing. I've saved all the prompts I've ever gotten. And I used a prompt from the workshop to write a sonnet at home. How was your experience writing in a group? Sharing with others? Hearing other people's stories? I like getting feedback. In our group everyone must give positive feedback. I think, "Wow, that never occurred to me. That's an entirely different perspective than when I wrote it, but it still works." You can request a critique, but it still has to be positive and kind. I like to hear what other people think about writing, get advice and opinions from other poets. We would use each other as a thesaurus. Sometimes words you wouldn't think of, they'd know. You get a lot of cool synonyms. Had you written much before you joined the Write Around Portland workshops? On and off. I've always written a lot of poetry and I am working on short stories and novels. I was working on novellas in 6th and 7th grade. My mom has kept a bounded book of all my work since 2nd grade. 2nd grade! Do you have a favorite? There is one with these kids that find a monster's lunch box. It had a spider sandwich in it, pink milk and Jell-O worms. At the end the monster – eats YOU! I wrote a sequel in third grade: "Inside the Monster's stomach." Has your writing style changed from each workshop? It's mostly the place I'm writing from. When I was depressed, I was writing darker stuff. Now I'm in a better place, and in the [most recent] workshop, my stuff was very silly. Were you surprised at what you were writing in workshops when you started? I'm always a little surprised at what comes out of my head. Where a prompt takes me can surprise other people. Sometimes it was a very strange journey. What did the workshop help you learn about yourself as a writer? Sometimes I don't like to change things. This surprises people. I can churn something out all at once. I write it and then it's done. "Distillation" is an exercise where you take a piece you've already written, take phrases from that piece, and turn it into a new piece. It helps me to not be so set on one way of doing something. It helped me to learn to work through it. Is there anything you would like to tell your readers about your writing? It's always different. I write from different perspectives. I like humor and surprise endings. I like to surprise people. That's me. Would you recommend Write Around Portland workshops to others? Yeah! I actually already have! Do you have any advice for other writers? Write your own truth. That doesn't mean you have to write nonfiction. It means you write the way you want to. Don't force yourself into one way of doing it. Flexibility! Did the workshops affect how you interact with the rest of the people in your life? Yeah, they did. If I can write and have fun with writing then I'm less stressed out at work, which is good. And, if I share the writing with someone I care about, I feel a little closer to them.	"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 Mayhem aka Tessara Dudley Click here to read about past featured writers.
Home \| Events \| What We Do \| Donate Now \| Get Involved \| About Us