Judith Hannan is an essayist, author, and leader of workshops for those affected by illness, trauma, and social neglect. She will join us this years at HippoCamp as a speaker. Her special topic session “Writing the Body” will teach attendees how to get in touch with the stories contained in our physical being. We asked Judith some questions about what is going to make this year’s conference for creative nonfiction a can’t-miss event.
HM: Tell us a little about your involvement this year at HippoCamp. What can attendees expect from your session? What are you most excited to share?
JH: I will be presenting alongside Heather Bryant on how writing should embrace the corporeal, not just the spiritual and/or intellectual. This topic is of significance to writers of all genres and cross genres. My own experience as a writer and teacher began in the realm of illness narrative and experience, which opened up for me how our bodies hold our stories for us, even before we know they are there. I will be sharing the essays and poems I use to generate writing, and, with Heather, I will demonstrate strategies for accessing what the body has to say.
HM: Our motto is “memorable creative nonfiction.” Tell us about one of the more recent memoirs, essay collections, or individual essays you’ve read and why it was memorable.
JH: This is my least favorite type of question, because it is hard to pick only one, but since it has to be something recent I will choose the memoir In Shock by Dr. Rana Awdish. Dr. Awdish is a beautiful writer who refuses to use her white coat to protect herself, and us, from the vulnerabilities she discovers when she becomes a patient. She balances her identities as woman/doctor/patient/mother, allowing each to influence and talk with the other. In telling the story about her own illness and what her body is subjected to, she illuminates aspects of her own profession that are less than admirable while remaining compassionate and hopeful. Here is a quote that represents the power our bodies have to affect our perspective: “The change in my body led to the shift in my perspective. I didn’t stop being a physician; rather, being a physician stopped serving me.”
HM: What made you decide to participate in HippoCamp this year as a speaker?
JH: I have been a speaker and teacher at other conferences and love the interaction with writers and teachers this has afforded me. I particularly love questions and discussion. HippoCamp has a stellar reputation not only for the quality of its presentations but the joy and camaraderie it engenders. For the past couple of years, I have gone more deeply into the subject of how the body is presented and used in writing, and I am eager to share what I have learned and to stimulate discussion.
HM: What’s going to keep you busy between now and HippoCamp?
JH: I am in the final stages of writing a novel—new territory for me since my work to date has been memoir and personal experience. I am also working on a few essays that explore the topic of home. Outside of writing, I plan on doing a lot of kayaking, ocean swimming, and preparing for my daughter’s wedding in the fall.
HM: Since you’ll also be attending the conference, when you’re not wearing your “speaker hat,” what are you most looking forward to learning or doing?
JH: I am not very good at networking, so I will probably spend most of my time going to other sessions as a way to interact with other writers. I’ve also never been to Lancaster so maybe a little poking around the area.
HM: We love introducing Lancaster to attendees. Since you have been here before, what would you recommend to other attendees?
JH: I love being in the countryside, so when I need some down time, I hope to walk and do some unguided touring. I’m eager to know what others recommend.
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Thank you, Judith, for your thoughtful answers! We also can’t wait to see all of the joy and camaraderie HippoCamp generates this year.
And reader, if you would like to register for HippoCamp 2019, or to simply learn more about the conference, you can click here.
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