Tania Pabón Acosta is a writer and a new face at HippoCamp. Her work has appeared in Briller, Gravel, Breadcrumbs Mag, and is forthcoming in Pigeon Pages. Her talk “Things I Remember: Managing Memory to Organize and Generate Material” will be a great opportunity for creative nonfiction writers to learn how to organize their memories — the fuel for nonfiction stories. We asked Tania about what she is looking forward to at this year’s conference.
HM: Tell us a little about your involvement this year at HippoCamp. If you’re running a break-out session or workshop, what can attendees expect?
TPA: I’ll be giving a talk about the science of memory and remembering, and how this knowledge can help us optimize our memories to create vivid essays. If we understand, not only what we remember, but how we remember, we are better able to employ the use of memory in our writing. You can expect to get a glimpse at how memory works and to get practical advice on how to use that to your advantage in writing.
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.
TPA: I recently read Esme Weijun Wang’s The Collected Schizophrenias, and what an experience it was! Wang tells us of her experience with schizoaffective disorder-bipolar type, and fills in her narrative with facts and cultural commentary. This was such a memorable read because she was able to frame and give context to a topic that has not been quite humanized before. She effectively showed us the humanity in her condition and demystified a mental illness that has suffered through societal prejudice.
HM: What made you decide to participate in HippoCamp this year as a speaker?
TPA: I wanted to participate this year because I felt that, having been developing the topic of my talk for some time, I was ready to share what I myself had learned. I wanted to give back to the writing community in some way. As writers, we depend on each other to learn and grow, and I wanted to be a part of that process.
HM: What’s going to keep you busy between now and HippoCamp?
TPA: Before HippoCamp kicks off, I’ll be traveling here and there to enjoy the summer (it’s not winter! yay!). I’m also working on my manuscript—a collection of essays—and I’m hoping to have completed the first draft by the time the conference begins.
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?
TPA: I’m excited to attend a few other talks, including learning about writing about trauma and the lyric essay form. I’ve also never been to Lancaster, so I’m looking forward to seeing some of the town.
HM: We love introducing Lancaster to attendees. Since it is your first time here, what are you looking forward to?
TPA: I’m not sure what Lancaster is known for, but I love exploring new places through food, and that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.
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Thank you, Tania! We are looking forward to meeting and growing with you this summer (and to showing you all of Lancaster’s delicacies).
You can learn more about the fabulous sessions at HippoCamp 2019, here.
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