Panel writers honor prof who inspired them
Four alumni spoke on difficulties new writers face today
The Daily Pennsylvanian
October 31, 2006
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Alumni non-fiction writers Buzz Bissinger, Jean Chatzky, Lisa DePaulo and Stephen Fried (left to right) shared their experiences at the Kelly's Writer House in memory of English professor Nora Magid.
Photo by Elizabeth Baker/The Daily Pennsylvanian
For four Penn alumni writers in journalism and non-fiction, the memory of a beloved professor is reason enough to return to campus every year.
The writers discussed their careers in a panel discussion at the Kelly Writers House on Saturday.
The event, which was standing-room only, celebrated Penn professor Nora Magid. Magid, who taught in the English department until her death in 1991, was renowned among English majors for her hands-on mentorship, according to Writers House director Jessica Lowenthal.
"Everyone on the panel was one of Nora's students," panel member and award-winning columnist Stephen Fried said. "The panel is our way of continuing her tradition of an extraordinary support network for Penn students. We hold the event yearly in her honor."
The panelists are all independently traveling the country to speak about their successes in an increasingly competitive industry.
"It's hard to succeed. When you start out freelancing, you're only as good as your next story. You're a piece of meat," panelist and author of the best-selling book Friday Night Lights Buzz Bissinger said.
GQ magazine political correspondent Lisa DePaulo agreed that the field has become especially competitive in recent years, mainly due to the rising number of Internet bloggers.
"If I want to do a good story, I have to do it before the Internet gets to it. These bloggers are brutal," DePaulo said. "It's a tough time to be a journalist."
Sheldon Gerstenfeld, an audience member and College alumnus, noted another obstacle that many writers have to overcome - relatively low starting salaries.
Gerstenfeld, a veterinarian at the Chestnut Hill Veterinary Hospital, published eight novels on his work with animals.
"If I had to make a living based on my writing alone, though, I would be on the street holding a tin cup," he said.
While conceding that succeeding as a writer requires a stomach for failure and a willingness to start out small, Fried insisted that there will always be room in the field for a truly talented writer.
"You start wherever you can start, and you move your way up," he said. "There's always a place for someone with talent, drive and commitment."
Audience member Alex Edelman, a high school senior who said he has published two books, said he was inspired by the panelists' encouragement.
"I was walking by and saw Kelly Writers House. It looked welcoming, so I stopped in. Their observations about the direction the field is moving were really interesting," Edelman said.
Lowenthal said that the panel was purposely scheduled during Homecoming weekend to attract alumni and campus visitors.
"We like to find out what's going on in [their] lives," she said. "This is their house - the parents, alumni, staff, activists, poets, musicians, journalists and community members - and it always will be."