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Emily Pehrson Editor-in-chief
Justin Kirkham Managing Editor
In her newly released book, “Commit to Win,” Heidi Reeder examines what prompts some people to follow through and why other people fall off their goals. According to her book, much of this can be summed up in one word: commitment. “I think people have a misnomer about what commitment means; they over-associate it with being obligated,” Reeder said. “But commit-
ment is something different. It’s an internal drive to stick with something that matters to you.” “Commit to Win” outlines the four factors that statistically predict how likely someone is to be committed and how readers can set themselves up for success. Reeder believes that by identifying and being aware of these factors, one can determine what choices will align with their values long-term. “What if my goal is to be excellent in my career?” Reeder said. “Some goals are really life-long pursuits.
What makes us stick with some things for the long haul versus what makes us let go of something and choose a new path?” Self-help books have a reputation for spouting opinion or resting firmly on cultural stereotypes. Because of this, it was important to Reeder for her book to have a foundation in study and research. “There’s an audience that is craving advice, suggestions, perspectives but ones that are based some real concrete evidence, where they can feel more confident in the expertise,” Reeder said. “I think that’s really my audience.”
Martin Corless-Smith
An adjunct in Boise State’s creative writing program and graduate of Boise State’s MFA program, Christian Winn recently published his first collection of short stories entitled “Naked Me.” The collection is comprised of 15 stories—some pieces ranging from only 200-300 words to a few longer short stories. “Naked Me” is a thin volume that can be read in one sitting— and after you finish you’ll
English professor Ryan Blacketter strives to make each of his fictional characters sympathetic and believable for any reader. His novel, “Down in the River,” published in Jan. 2014, spotlights the uncanny humanity that can be found within his manic character, Lyle. “Down in the River” follows Lyle’s emotional journey after his twin sister dies. His religious extremist brother doesn’t allow any mention of his sister because she committed suicide. Entrenched in grief and disillusionment, Lyle finds himself in several
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bouts of trouble, including a mausoleum heist. “Even though Lyle’s a bit cracked mentally, he’s lost and heartbroken, and his bad actions are sympathetic,” Blacketter said. It took Blacketter five years to fully compose and revise his novel. The first draft took one year to write, and the next four years were spent revising for five hours every day. Blacketter explained that this sort of intensive revision is necessary for compiling a novel with real, believable and human characters. “Once you have your first
draft, then you can say, ‘OK, I’ve got something. I’ve glimpsed this world and its characters. Now I can begin,’” Blacketter said. According to Blacketter, well-rounded characters are essential in creating lasting, quality writing. “How many great doctors are there in the country? Thousands. Doctors are a dime a dozen,” Blacketter said. “But how many great living fiction writers are there? Maybe 50, possibly much fewer. Writing literary prose that endures forever is the most competitive job in the world.” jared lewis/the arbiter
The English-born writer and painter Martin CorlessSmith has housed his considerable talents at Boise State for the last 15 years. He has published five collections of poetry including his most recent work, “English Fragments: A Brief History of the Soul.” His work is classified by many as post-modern, but contains many elements of something beyond that. Corless-Smith is less concerned with how his poems are classified. Rather he focuses on the experience that he gets while creating them—one he hopes will carry over to the reader. “You might start with an
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The work, while fiction, echoes scenes from Winn’s life. The title story, “Naked Me” begins with Winn’s experience with an exhibitionist his friends used to witness while playing cards. “I drew from the college experience,” Winn said. “It’s just such a spectacle, it’s uncomfortable ... it just somehow suited that group of people. It’s good for a fiction writer, I guess. There’s a lot of characters.”
Christian
Heidi Reeder
be happy to hand it off to your roommates so you can chat about it all night. “I feel like we settled in a good place. Putting it together was such a process but it was well worth it,” Winn said. “I believe good writing should not only entertain but instruct.” For students looking for accessible fiction, Winn offers stories with enough familiarity to draw readers in. The stories, however, deal deftly with adult themes.
impulse—it might be the shape of a house if it’s a painting or it could be the coming together of a few words that spark an idea,” Corless-Smith said. “But the idea is to sort of follow it and keep it buoyant.” Those who are easily frightened by the idea of poetry might want to tread lightly. Corless-Smith’s work is not the limericks of childhood. In his poetry, all the things that makes a novice readers cringe are realized. However, grappling with his work is exactly what makes it so rewarding. “Part of what poetry is about is learning by playing, experimenting,” Corless-
Smith said. While reading CorlessSmith’s poetry may seem like a daunting task, there’s plenty of encouragement to accomplish it—including a chance to experience firsthand a poet that may be talked about for generations to come. “Boise State is extremely fortunate to have Martin here,” Carrie Seymour, professor of literature, told The Arbiter during a 2013 interview. “In my opinion, his poetry will be read and taught decades from now when he takes his place among the great poets that subtly resonate throughout his work.”
Winn
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