For fiction writer Joshua Henkin, 33, there is
no formula for good work. "You have to
throw out a lot of pages along the way,"
he says. The mystery "is what's exciting,
and frustrating, about being a writer."
Henkin is drawn to human motivation
and finds it fulfilling to create characters.
"I probably had a talk show in another
life. A writer can really do anything, as
long as it works," he says.
Resides: When not in his Ann Arbor
abode, he teaches fiction writing and does
bar mitzvah tutoring. "Like any artist, I do
anything I can to pay the rent." No signif-
icant other.
Raised: In New York City by his moth-
er Alice, a lawyer, and father Louis, who
teaches constitutional law at Columbia Uni-
versity Law School. Undergraduate degree
from Harvard, where he studied political the-
ory. Received a master of fine arts in fiction
writing from the University of Michigan.
When Writing Stinks: "It's hard to make
a living. It's a hand-to-mouth existence in the
sense that you don't know what is going to come
next. You have a sense of insecurity. Just be-
cause you write something good once, does not
mean the next piece will be good."
Special Scribes: Lorrie Moore, John Cheev-
er, Tobias Wolff.
So Long Stress: "I don't write when I'm
stressed."
Current Projects: A 35-city book tour for
his novel, Swimming Across the Hudson (G.P.
Putnam's Sons). Working on a collection of short
stories.
Will One Dar Write stuff that people rec-
ognize as good, while continuing to teach. He
also wants autonomy to continue to write, mi-
nus financial worries.
Why Write? "I'm a big fan of short stories
and novels," says Henkin, who started writ-
ing seriously at 25. "I wanted to write, but I nev-
er thought I could." Following a job at the Jewish
magazine, Tikkun, he realized he could make
it. "I saw how much awful fiction was sent in,
and it was inspiring."
Writing/Career Highlight: The publica-
tion of his book, Swimming Across the Hudson,
and the favorable reviews in the New York
Times and The Washington Post.
On Judaism: Attended a modem Orthodox
day school in New York and spent summers at
the Camp Ramah. "I grew up in a traditional
home. The social life was at the university but
not Judaism. My grandfather was a famous Or-
thodox rabbi, Yosef Eliyahu Henkin."
s While Susan Knoppow's
•
4111441 r-e
PHOTO BY KRISTA HUSA
Susan
Knoppow:
A poet,
a woman,
a Jew.
fourth-grade
the teacher
classroom
walls
with
,T,
kids' drawings, she displayed
Susan's teacher
written decorated
words. `My
would
hang
up oth-
my
, er
(1-
poems," says Knoppow who remenibers writing her first
;..:_
poem
when
she was to 6. make
oppow, 30, describes herself as a poet who does other
kinds
of writing
. Mlirtete
, , s
,
a
living.
A
20-page
chapter
of
her
work
has
been
published
in the book
on the OrdinaTy.
— ......,
Her poetry has appeared in
Variations
Mobius, Crosscurrents, Passages North
,,,....„..... „,
The Way ne Review, The MacGuffin,
Resides:
and Resourceful
Woman.
... "David
4--,-.--.
Huntington Woods with husband David Saperstein, an attorney.
. - ,....
.
is an amazing support. He's the one who keeps on me to send my stuff out
when I fear rejection.” She works out of her home as a speech writer for Gener-
al
Motors
executives
and teaches creative writing at Oakland Community Col-
lege's
Orchard
Ridge campus.
Raised: In
West Bloomfield by parents
West Bloomfield
oomfield High
Sharon and Jerry.
l nd the
School
in
Graduated from
University o
College.
f Michigan
with
a bachelor's
psychology. She also received a master of fine arts
in writing
from
Vermont
Writing Stinks When:
"People
who
aren't writers
writing
is of
literal
truth. up."
What I write
is emotional
truth assume
-- some that
of what I' m
and some
it I make
Special Scribes:
it is real,
So Long Stress: Brit Pegeen Kelly, Sylvia Plath,
Gardening, swimming,
Margaret Atwood.
Current Project:
to get out of her of
walking, cooking.
Working on a
fice
and
into
book
poetry manuscript,
Will One Day: Have
stores.
which she plans
more
time
to
do
more
creative
writing,
teach and volunteer,
known
enough
to
I see myself with children getting older, and I'll have written a couple of books. I'd
o speak at conferences."
"In 20 years
like to be well-
no Why
choice."
Write? "Writing is my favorite thing to do. I can't not write. It's like breathing. I
Writin g/Career Highlight
It'
: "In graduate school I got
have
,
then
I
er, whose writing
&lily a admired
even
before I worked with an him.
incredible
I thought review
if he found
from my
my work
ads
can I have
future in
this."
On Judaism:
"Judaism is a big part of my life." Knoppow,
day night dinners with her husband. "I sometimes equate to
a Conservative Jew s
with observing Shabbat. It's making the time sacred"
g the time to write , hares Fri-
Having written is one of the best feelings in the Detroitews.
world, N says
for the
senior vvri ter/features
Laura Berman, 43,
The hard P is getting started.
gild-
But once into the groove of a story, there's nothing like
ing into different worlds you would never normally have ac-
"You
cess
to. become part of that world while you are writing about
the events," says Berman, whose first job out of college was
Detroit Free Press.
a feature an
writer
for the
Berman,
award-winning
journalist,
was the
featured
as
for seven
years.
From
Detroit News
staff
lifestyle
columnist
1976-1986,
she was at a the
feature writer, Sunday
magazine
She
so
has
al been
Free Press.
Laura Berman: Learned in the era of the New Journalists.
Redbook , U , Enter-
writer and columnist at the Journal,
Ladies' Horne Journal and Working Woman.
published in
G husband Christopher Nor-
Parenting,lamour-
with
tainmet Weekly,
Two
of
Oak
Resides:
ris, director of corporate communications at Comp
In
Oak
Park,
by
parents
Rose
and
Seymour.
Dad's
a
dentist.
Went
to
Oak
Park High School,
University of Michigan.
stepdaughters, Adrienne, 23, and Nicole, 20.
history from the
"You have
to Bachelor's
introduce yourself
to strangers and convince people to talk to you
Rised:
where
she discovered her writing
talent.
in
PHOTO BY JENNI FER WEIS BO RD
-
-
to do so."
When Writing Stinks: best interest
oan Didion, Emily Dickinson.
even when it is not i in their heroux, J
Paul T
Special
Speci Scribes: Skiing, walking, tennis, movies, reading.
houses for a book she co
-
wrote
So Long Stress: Berman is circulating a book proposal to publishing
Current Projects:
in my college years (1972-1976), it was an exciting time for journalism.
with a friend.
Write a book.
Will
One
Day:
Tom Wolfe, George Plimpton
was and Nora Ephron were writing, and I wanted to emulate their writing. Jour-
Why 'Write? 'When I
newspaper
internship
in Washington D.C., while Watergate was
nalism also seemed like a career Summer
I could make
a living
at."
going
on and Nixon Highlight:
resigned. "Usually there is nothing for interns to do, but there was so much news that
COD -
Writing/Career
I got to write stories instead
of fetch
coffee. but
It was
incredible
exposure."
not very
observant,
I identify
strongly
with being Jewish, and I feel very
On Judaism: "I'm
Joshua Henkin: "A writer can really do anything."
nected with the Jewish community."