I’m a Chorus Girl Writer
by Laura Yeager
Back in 1985 when I was 22 and had just graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in creative writing, I thought I was going to become rich and famous publishing novels. At this young age, I’d written a novel, and the novelist Mary Robison had mentioned my book, DUCK, in an article she wrote for The New York Times Book Review. This added fuel to my fire. I’d also won a prize in a Cosmopolitan magazine fiction contest. With these two accomplishments, I thought I was set for publishing success for life.
Manuscript tucked away in my suitcase, I moved to New York City in search of an agent for said book. DUCK got around to and was rejected by three agents, and at that point, I got discouraged. (I didn’t have the tough skin I have now.) Long story short, I moved back to Ohio and put the book away in a box that now sits in our garage. I haven’t looked at it in 35 years.
I never became a bestselling novelist, but I am a prolific blogger and writer for several websites, magazines and literary journals. I am not a “star” writer, but I am a member of the “chorus.”
Back when Broadway was open (will it ever return?), I used to love to see musicals. I’d fly to New York and take in a show with my long-time friend and editor, Noah. There was one musical in particular – The Will Rogers Follies – and there was one chorus dancer whose expressions I’ll never forget. She stole the show with her gorgeous face making love to the audience, to me. Those arched eyebrows; the pursed lips; the sparkling, goofy eyes; and that flirty smile. Even more than the stars of the show, I remember this chorus girl.
I know a little about being a dancing chorus girl, because I was one when I was a teenager. I danced in the chorus of Anything Goes, tapping away in high school; I know what it’s like to make love to an audience – to make bawdy faces to the crowd as if I know and love them all. I also danced in a children’s youth ballet company, in Peter and The Wolf. I can pick out the communicative chorus member.
You don’t have to be the one with the most lines and solos, and the biggest salary, to win over an audience. Readers will fall in love with you because of your ability to communicate well with them, just like that chorus girl touched my heart with her little bit of razzle dazzle.
Writers, this is a note of encouragement from someone who has been writing a long time (over 40 years). As a writer with a modest writing career, you are still valuable. You will still reach the readers you’re supposed to reach. You will say what you need to say. And, again, readers will be captivated by you.
As a chorus girl writer, I’ve had my share of fans. The sister of one of my best friends never missed reading religious articles I wrote for aleteia.com. A fellow Catholic, she felt my take on Catholicism was on point. Whenever I saw her, she’d tell me how much she enjoyed reading my stories; one that she particularly liked was “Encountering Grace in the Thrift Store.”
Once when I was visiting my editor, his cousin’s daughter said, “My mother says you’re a brilliant writer.” The word “brilliant” rang in my ears and is stilling ringing. Apparently she’d read several of the cancer blog posts I’d written for curetoday.com, and some of the autism and bipolar illness posts I’d created for psychcentral.com.
At Gotham Writers’ Workshop, where I teach writing, my stories, blogs and articles are mentioned monthly in a section about what Gotham teachers are writing. I have a following because of this writing school.
Years ago, when I wrote essays as a parent with bipolar illness about adopting our child, people came out of the woodwork and asked me for guidance for how they too could adopt a baby despite their mental illness issues. I was touching people. And it was magnificent.
As a dancing chorus girl, and as a writing chorus girl, I’ve done my share of hamming it up and of upstaging the leads, and I’m not ashamed of it.
Who knows? I may (one day) become a star and leave the chorus behind. But I don’t make this my goal. My dream is to work, to keep pounding out new knowledge, to touch people’s minds and hearts, to understand the world.
I dream to write my heart out.
By the way: Once I complimented a fellow writer I’d studied with at The Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa for his prolific writing abilities. He’d written several well-received novels. He said, “Yeah, I’ve written novels, but I’ve never been published in the Paris Review.” The Paris Review published my story, “How to Write a Story” back in 1992, when I was just getting started.
Yes, I am a chorus girl writer, and it’s just enough for me.
Writing the Second Novel Symposium
Laura Yeager has been writing for most of her life. Some of her favorite topics include surviving cancer, mental health, writing, parenthood, dogs and religion. She blogs for curetoday.com and psychcentral.com. Laura Yeager teaches at Gotham Writers’ Workshop and at Kent State University at Stark. She lives in Akron, Ohio with her husband and son.