Imagination and Inspiration
CSU's Imad Rahman Aims to Inspire NEO

Imad Rahman wants to inspire Northeast Ohio writers. As the director of Cleveland State University's Creative Writing Program and the Imagination Writers' Conference, he can definitely supply the inspiring environment. Since 1990, the Imagination Conference has brought together students of writing with regionally and nationally established writers for five days of workshops, craft talks, and readings.

From its inception through 2008, the conference was run by Dr. Neal Chandler, who was well known to just about everyone in the regional literary community. Rahman has ably filled what to some might be uncomfortably large shoes and has started to put his mark on the conference -- one which is right around the corner.

One change is that the writing workshops at the core of the Imagination experience are now single genre rather than mixed genre. In other words, students will only read, critique, and discuss the work of other writers working in the same genre. (For example, the poets will no longer have to hear half a dozen people say, “Well, I don’t really read poetry but…”). Rahman has also added screenwriting to the already-existing genres of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and playwriting. The screenplay submission process is a bit different than other genres in that writers can submit either a full screenplay or a treatment.

Beyond these structural changes, Rahman is “trying to make Imagination more social, to create more formal and informal opportunities for students to socialize with the visiting writers. I’m finding ways to make it a more communal experience -- not just a thing where you go in, take a workshop, and leave. You can learn a lot beyond the craft talks and workshops. It’s important to be surrounded by other writers for an extended period. A weeklong bubble is not a bad thing.”

Rahman came to CSU from Kansas State University. Prior to that, he was the James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His book of short stories, I Dream of Microwaves, was published in 2004. He also has ties to Ohio, having earned his BA at Ohio Wesleyan and his MA at Ohio University. Moreover, he really likes the city: “I can’t think of any other place I’d want to be. It’s a great job, I like it here.”

He taught at Kansas State for four years, and while the English program there had strong bachelor’s and master’s programs, it didn’t have an MFA program, and Rahman wanted to teach MFA students. In addition, he “liked the idea of a conference that brought in writers with national profiles. It’s a great opportunity for students and anyone in the community who wants to take the workshops to work with writers who normally wouldn’t pass through here.”

The Creative Writing Program at CSU is now part of the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts consortium (NEOMFA), which spans CSU, Kent State, Youngstown State and The University of Akron. Rahman acknowledges that there aren’t a lot of teaching jobs waiting for MFA graduates, just as an MFA does not guarantee that a writer will land an agent or be published. He believes this is fair as long as students understand going into the program that there are no guarantees.

MFA programs do give writers two or three years to focus only their craft. Rahman adds, “At the end of these few years, you should know if this is something you want to do.” He adds that MFA programs also create more readers, saying, “I can’t guarantee at the end of one of my classes that you’ll be able to go out and finish writing a book, but you will go out and buy a book. We’re creating more readers.”

One advantage of an MFA program is that classes are taken only with other MFA students, while students in the English master’s program often take courses that are cross-listed for undergraduates. He notes that “There’s a vigor and focus in an MFA class that isn’t present in an MA class. It helps you and you can help others. Being around people you want to impress, being immersed in that world makes you bring you “A” game.” The NEOMFA program is selective, rejecting more applicants than it accepts. Rahman hopes to continue to make the program competitive.

Whether you’re an MFA student, an MA or BA student, or simply a writer pursuing her or his craft, the Imagination Conference offers you a chance to immerse yourself in the written word for five days. Rahman notes that for those who aren’t students, the conference is especially useful, because it provides “an opportunity to meet writers you would not get to meet otherwise.”

This year’s workshop faculty include Reginald McKnight, John McNally, Terese Svoboda, Hannah Tinti, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Kimberly Johnson, Sheila Callaghan, and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith. Guest faculty include Sabrina Orah Mark, Porochista Khakpour, Rob Handel, Jenni Ferrari-Adler, and Jodie Ferrari-Adler. For more information or to get a registration form, visit: http://csuohio.edu/class/imagination/Overview.html.

Please note that registration has been extended to June 10.

Rahman sums up the conference this way: “Imagination is five days of craft talks and workshops focused on one genre. It’s a chance to listen to writers read, to talk to other participants and visiting writers, and immerse oneself in this world. I don’t see how that can’t inspire you. I want everyone to leave the conference and go home and write and become a better writer.”

From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Petrone Susan Petrone susanATtheinkcasino.com (:divend:)