Author Visit: Michael Perry

New York Times bestselling author Michael Perry (Population: 485 - Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time) visited Howe Elementary School today. He spoke with our 4th and 5th graders about his new book for middle level readers, The Scavengers. Perry shared his process for writing, including the research he does prior to starting a book and his methods for revising his manuscripts once a draft is written. The teachers I spoke with thought he gave an excellent presentation. "The students were totally engaged in his stories and insights - you could have heard a pin drop in the cafeteria," described one teacher.

I had a school administrator meeting, so I was unable to enjoy the presentation. Fortunately, Michael Perry was speaking at our public library the evening prior. This was the main reason he was in town in the first place: McMillan Memorial Library hosted our first ever community book club. It was titled "Rapids Reads" and focused on three of Michael's books (Population: 485, The Scavengers, and The Jesus Cow) to read. The author visit at the library was the culminating activity.

The assistant director of McMillan Memorial Library, Brian Kopetsky, introduced the program and the author. It was nice to hear the purpose and the expected outcomes of hosting a community read. "We wanted to create a dialogue around a story, and through that dialogue we can come to discover our values." One of the activities hosted by the library was a youth writing contest. To my pleasant surprise, two Howe students were the winner and the runner up!

Next up was Michael Perry himself. He started off by sharing that he was very shy by nature and did not naturally enjoy speaking in front of others. Perry's preferred lifestyle is writing in his second floor office in his farmhouse in Northern Wisconsin. "I will spend multiple days not talking to anyone. This recharges me and allows me to speak to audiences such as writing groups and community programs."

Next, the author went into his life as a professional writer (and part time farmer). He specifically spoke about the revision process as something he really enjoys.

I am a polisher. I love to revise and edit my work. For example, I will play what I like to call "desperate literary solitaire": I will print off my manuscript, cut up the sections into smaller pieces, and then move the pieces around until they make sense to me.

Michael Perry did not attempt to glorify the life of a writer. It is his livelihood. He finds joy in his profession as a writer, yet he does not wait to be inspired.

My muse is Mr. Jim, the bald guy nine miles away sitting at the Chetek State Bank who holds my mortgage.

With regard to generating ideas to write about (Perry also writes a weekly column for the Wisconsin State Journal), he finds the best ones derive from his everyday life.

A lot my stories come from phone calls from my brothers.

As I listened to the various stories he shared about his family and friends, I found that these narratives relied on the language and the dialogue of the characters. Their words revealed who they were. What Michael Perry does, in both his speaking and writing, is to pace the narrative in a way that allows for unique phrases to provide a big pay off.

I wasn't able to stick around for the entire event - my wife had Zumba. Perry read aloud from some of his work and also shared some personal thoughts on the book that I am reading right now, Population: 485.

It is your classic "Can you go home again?" book. What I can say about this book is that I am very grateful that I was able to write it. I got the opportunity to work on something for two years on a topic that I love - the small town of New Auburn and the volunteer fire fighting department.

This post does not adequately convey Perry's humor, modesty, and honesty that I witnessed in person. If you can bring Michael in for a community read in your area, or to speak with your students, I highly recommend it. His observations about writing, small town America, family and friends, and what it means to be a part of a community are not to be missed.