The Hold Steady is a group of nice young men who play rock music. Their new record, Stay Positive, comes out July 15th. The first single, Sequestered in Memphis, can be heard on the boys’ My Space page.

It’s strange to find a new ‘favorite band’ when you’re in your mid-30s, as I did with The Hold Steady. It’s hard to explain to my wife why I want to put their poster over our bed. But I would do it if she’d let me.

The band’s first three albums tell lyrically dense, guitar-driven tales of parties, clever kids, dope fiends, hangers-on and recovery, in and around Minneapolis. They have the gall to smile and laugh during their phenomenal live sets, often finishing concerts by telling the audience how much joy there is in what they do.

It’s easy enough to look up info on the band and sample cuts from their first few albums. I’ve collected a handful of additional links that I felt were helpful in explaining their appeal or the stories behind their work.

I hope to follow them around a bit on their summer tour. Hope to see you there. Stay positive.

Links

212 Margarita Live

An in-store performance for one of their best songs. The video quality is terrible, but adds to the ‘you are there’ vibe. Why can’t the guy in the cap just move???

NPR: The Hold Steady in Concert

From “All Songs Considered,” a full concert of The Hold Steady w/ Art Brut from November 2007, supporting Boys and Girls in America.

Dreaming of a Unified Scene

A little wordy. A little nerdy. A lot of lovely descriptions of how the band�??s openness separates them from other so-called indie darlings.

The A-to-Z Hold Steady Glossary

Not sure what Ybor City is, or why the same names keep getting referenced on the band’s first three albums? This Washington Post guide will help set you straight.

The Hold Steady Guide to the Twin Cities

A great little interactive map that collects many of the names and locations cited in the band’s work, along with the originating lyric.

And that�??s about as far as I can go with the tough guy trip report. Because if you are not familiar with the AWA method or haven�??t been exposed to writing in groups, a lot of what I want to tell you might sound simplistic, obvious, or even a little la-di-da. That�??s not what I want you to remember. So instead, I offer an overview of what drove me to this training session and how the AWA approach benefits my craft. I hope the writer in you will recognize a little of yourself somewhere in this journey.

What Happened First

There�??s a novel kicking around in my head. It�??s something I�??ve wanted to do for a long time, and after many false starts and stops, I began work on it last October. I expected to wrap up the first draft by the end of the year, based on Stephen King�??s advice from his book, On Writing:

I believe the first draft for a book �?? even a long one �?? should take no more than three months, the length of a season.

Yet after the 90 days had past, I had eight pages to show for my efforts. Eight. Screw you, Mr. King.

Looking for Clues

I encountered many barriers. I was distracted. My notes were insufficient. Real work got in the way. I also had certain expectations that the words would start sounding Novelistic once I got going, but this didn�??t happen.

I found what I was looking for by accident. One of my daily reads is �??Since You Asked,�?? an advice column at Salon.com by Cary Tennis. In January someone wrote in with a question about writing and part of Cary�??s answer got my attention:

So I recommend that you find a writing workshop and attend it regularly for at least one year. Ideally, it would be a group that follows the Amherst Writers and Artists method, but just make sure there is a method. If there is no suitable workshop in your area, then buy the book “Writing Alone and With Others,” follow the detailed instructions in it and create your own workshop. That is what I did.

I had never heard of the Amherst Writers and Artists method. I checked it out. It sounded pretty good. So I looked up certified instructors in Toronto and didn�??t find any. Impulsively, I signed up for an intensive training session to get certified myself.

The Crossings, Austin TX

The picture above is my ‘dorm-style’ room at The Bunkhouse, my home for five April days at The Crossings in Austin, TX. The Crossings is a fanspabulous wellness resort and retreat center, a self-contained little world of good eats, nature trails and a vast assortment of wildlife including massive red wasps, snakes, day-glo butterflies and the muddy paw print of what could have been a mountain cat. The creatures brought back memories for one of our groups members, who had grown up in Austin. “I forgot how many things can bite you in Texas,” she told us.

AWA Training

Our group was led by two trainers, who both happen to be terrific writers and teachers. Patricia Lee Lewis and Celia Jeffries set the tone for our course, and guided us through the ins and outs of the AWA method. We spent a good deal of time completing writing exercises that each began with some sort of prompt. Sometimes it was a lyric; other times it was an object. The prompts could also be sounds, smells or one of our own choosing if we didn’t like what was presented. We also discussed the history and philosophy of the AWA method, as well as the nuts and bolts of running our own workshops.

A good deal of our work actually started prior to arriving in Texas, as we were each sent a copy of AWA founder Pat Schneider’s Writing Alone and with Others (Oxford University Press, 2003) to read.

For a long time, I believed that certain frustrations about writing were mine alone. Pat’s book and the AWA training session were revelations to me. I felt like I had finally found a group that spoke the same language I did, and that I could communicate using my full vocabulary.

Here are three of the main thoughts I brought into the training session that held me back as a writer, and how the AWA method enables me to see them in a new light.

Writing is difficult.

When I sit down to eat or get behind the wheel of my car, I know exactly what to do. Yet when I sit down to write, I hear all sorts of voices that tell me my writing is not good enough, or I am not sure what I want to say, or that whichever project I have in mind will be so hard to finish, it is barely worth trying.

The AWA method has led me to identify these voices are the work of my inner critics. Although telling stories comes naturally to us all, we have learned - often through people who felt they were helping - that sharing our work can lead to unwelcome reactions. These responses might include criticism, inconsistent suggestions on �??how to make it better�?? or perhaps, if people don�??t �??get�?? what we are writing about, a confirmation of our deep-seated fear that we just can’t write worth a damn.

Designed to help writers get around these fears by writing and sharing in groups, the AWA method is based on the understanding that no criticism, questions or feedback will be offered on first-draft work. After all, if you have just written something, sharing it with the group will be the first time you have even read it yourself! This is where the concept of writing in groups becomes so valuable. Knowing that sharing your work will not result in unwelcome reactions is a powerful step towards building confidence to explore and challenge the limits of our voices as writers.

Great writers are born, not made.

I spent many beer-soaked nights arguing this point at University. In fact, I recall coming up with a hierarchy (Authors at the top, Writers in the middle, Typists at the bottom) to explain the level of talent different storytellers brought to the table. In my early 20s this seemed perfectly reasonable, as I had no doubt that with a carton of cigarettes, a quart of bourbon and a week�??s worth of peace, I could create an Author-worthy book myself.

I smoked a lot of cigarettes and drank a lot of single malts, yet I have very few �?? as in, not one �?? novels to show for these thoughts. The AWA method positions writing as a journeyman�??s craft, one that requires dedication and hard work to chip away at the rough ideas we have in order to take them to completion. By reducing the pressure on myself to create great works from the first draft, I am free to explore my craft and learn from my peers. This may sound straightforward. But if you have sat in a room for years trying to uncover greatness while pecking away at your keyboard as an all-in-one writer, editor, audience and critic, you may have an equal number of bad habits to try and correct.

I need to sound like a serious writer to be taken seriously.

I have a list of favorite writers and novels. When I think about the stories that I want to tell, I inevitably try to figure out if they are ‘as good’ as these works, and whether they will one day share a space together on someone’s shelf. I have been known to take certain phrases, characters or plot structure and steal them use them as inspiration for my stories.

Pat’s book and the AWA training session highlighted the futility of this approach. Think about your own favorite books or movies. Chances are one of the things you liked best about them was the originality of their plot, characters or set-up. One thing each of us as writers have going for us is our own voice; a unique perspective on how the world works based on our memories, our experience and our imagination. Work that aims to develop this voice will improve our craft and make our work stronger. Holding it up to the standards of someone else’s efforts will end up in something less memorable.

Three more thoughts

Another reason I value the AWA approach is that the workshop leader is an equal who writes and reads along with the group. Think about this relative to other methods. If you are in a class that is being graded, you run the very strong risk of writing to please the teacher. If you are taking a course by a writer you admire you may learn an awful lot about their approach to craft, but since we are all different in how we tell stories, this might not be a method that works for you. And you might not even be aware of it, since this process may feel difficult and you know no other way. The AWA method’s only goal is to give you a framework to develop your own voice as a writer. And since this is a goal for all writers, it is likewise an approach that can benefit us all.

In many ways, the affirmations and practices of the AWA method remind me of military language. For an outsider, the constant “Sir! Yes Sir!” business may seem hokey and artificial. For the people who have been trained to use it though, it becomes a reliable way to communicate with others from dramatically different backgrounds without getting into fist fights every five seconds. Since the AWA method restricts criticisms and respects the unique voice and talent of all participants, it has proven to be a highly successful approach with a variety of silenced groups including incarcerated men and women, veterans, abuse victims, as well as those with low-incomes or illness.

When the training session started, I immediately asked how much flexibility we had as workshop leaders to modify the affirmations and practices behind the AWA method. By the end of the session, my request was off the books. Over the last 25 years, the AWA has picked up enough proof points to show that it works with all writers, regardless of economic, social or educational status. I am a believer.

About my group

As the post title suggests, I was the only male in the bunch. Well, for most of the training session. We were also joined for two days by Charles MacInerney, a wonderful presence and teacher in his own right. But in the time before and after Charles was with us, it was me and the gals. I had initially intended to break this report down by somehow introducing each of the women than took the training with me. Over writing exercises, gossiping, lunch, beer and one memorable run through The Crossings’ nature trails, I bore witness to some remarkable moments of strength, generosity, and hilariously filthy language.

After giving the matter some more thought, I have chosen to keep the identities of my group members private. One of the essential practices of the AWA method is that confidentiality about what is written in the group is maintained, and the privacy of the writer is protected. In the spirit of this practice let me say this to my group members: if any of you happen to stumble by these pages, thank you for accepting me as a writer and an equal in your circle. The honor was mine.

The Way Back Home

A voice wakes me from sleep.

�??Ladies and gentleman we are at cruising altitude and it is now safe to use your electronic devices and computers.�??

By this point, after five days and 19 writing exercises, my mind responds immediately to prompts and I am already imagining all the different reasons why I would be on an airplane. In fact I am so well trained that I have already pulled out the ol�?? notebook before I realize this isn�??t an exercise at all but an actual announcement from Delta representative Maggie.

No matter. Before I was even conscious of the effort involved, I was 61 words in, off and running.

For those of us who live in fear of the blank page and the empty box of ideas, this is pretty powerful stuff.

We both kind of let that float in the air for a few minutes. Then I went back to shoveling Ms. Vickie�??s chips into my mouth with reckless abandon. The game was on and it demanded my attention. But it was pretty clear that this was a season unlike one she had ever witnessed before.

No drafts.
No bets.
No fantasy football.
No weekly picks.
Hey now.

What I Did

For nine years I wrote about the NFL at my site WideRight.com, �??a lone fan�??s attempt to explain an entire NFL season.�?? I predicted the outcome of more than 2,000 games and compiled a better record against the spread than most sports columnists. My straight up record was pretty stellar.

Some of the boys at NASA became quite partial to the picks, and posted them in their lunchroom from time to time. I got some very energetic hate mail when the picks were bad, and a rare smattering of applause when things went well. We made terrific fun of football dot com (sorry, still can�??t bear to send them any traffic). For a while I stayed in touch with PR reps from various teams, and got invited as an official visitor to Bears camp in 2002.

Some friends helped out from time to time. We ran a couple of contests and gave away a boatload of NFL DVDs. I got to interview some great writers. After a few years the place got even busier, with friends including Markzilla, The Goodwin Files and Tim Parry throwing in guest articles and columns. I hold very fond memories of my friend Pierre, aka The NYC Bruiser, and his �??Con Ball�?? series that tracked the criminal activity of NFL Players. We used the Alaskan penal code as a benchmark of performance. Due to the enormous amount of criminal activity on display, it took forever to format those posts. My fingers still tense up just thinking about it.

After a while, predicting the games became a chore and I decided to change it up. By 2006 video was becoming prevalent on the web �?? I was particularly inspired by ZeFrank and The Show �?? and decided to create short video clips for WideRight�??s 9th season. I bought a video camera, dry-cleaned my white shirt and spent a few days learning how to use iMovie to edit clips together.

After a few years of writing out the picks, I had it down to about a 90-minute exercise; the video & editing work blew that schedule right off the field. Completing the clips took anywhere from three hours to a whole day. Most of my regular visitors hated them. I knew that was a likely outcome, but before the season I had committed to seeing it through. By the time the Super Bowl wrapped up, even if I wasn�??t aware of it consciously, I knew I was done. I wasn�??t going to devote that much time to making picks the following year, and going back to plain text would have felt like a defeat. In my own small way, I went out on top.

After this sunk in, I decided to make a clean break. No football-related activities other than watching the games. And that�??s how the 2007 season began.

What I learned

As the season drew near, the earliest event I missed out on was the fantasy drafts. It was the first time in over a decade I hadn�??t huddled up in front of the computer with my massive collection of printouts, sweating out the late rounds so I could make my annually futile pick of Jeff George, just in case some team decided to let him air it out one more time.

I missed the drafts. It�??s my favorite part of fantasy football. But since I had no intention of following through with weekly rosters, it wouldn�??t have been fair to take part.

The regular season rolled around and I confess to a little post-partum depression when I confirmed that, in fact, an NFL season could go on without my prognostication. As the weeks ticked by and New England made their run at perfection, I started to realize what a tremendous pressure lifted from my shoulders when I was simply a viewer.

The amount of anxiety that goes into watching an NFL game when you root for individual players to score in specific manners, never mind having a three-team reverse parlay teaser riding on the final result, is enormous. Taking a step away from these activities allowed me to focus on the game�?�and I�??m pretty sure I observed more, learned more and enjoyed them more without all the other thoughts clouding my head.

I know this is the manly equivalent of going to Vegas for the spas, or giving up on beer because of the carbs. But it was true, for me anyway.

I did make one exception. My wife�??s cousin comes in from Boston once a year to watch to the Patriots pummel the Bills. Since this was part of New England�??s historic run I decided not only to go to the game, but also to put down small wagers on every exotic bet I could think of. I bet that the Bills would choke under pressure and call the game�??s first timeout and challenge, among others. Of course I forgot how hyper-competitive Bill Belichick is and lost both bets en route to the Patriots�?? 56-10 pasting of Buffalo.

The experience itself was wonderful though. I tailgated with a bunch of loudmouthed chowder heads for 12 hours in a frigid Buffalo parking lot �?? and starting talking like them after my third beverage. I can only describe my New England accent as a cross between Mayor Quimby from The Simpsons and a half keg of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

I enjoyed the season very much. The return of the Browns as a legitimate NFL team; 16-0; Green Bay�??s first playoff game; the Giants�?? meteoric postseason. And much like eating chili out of a bread bowl, when it was over, it was over. Nothing left to clean up.

What�??s next?

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. This is a shiny new website, only one post old, and I�??m visualizing how lovely the place will look with lines like �??Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) @ Cincinnati Bengals (0-1): Bengals -6.0�?? dancing all over the screen.

But what used to be driven by passion is now tempered by experience. I read, and was greatly moved, by Fooled By Randomness, Nassim Nicholas Taleb�??s book on chance and its hidden role in life. It would take me hours to (badly) summarize his arguments. I�??ll crib from (and agree with) Amazon�??s summary, which states in part that the book, �??examines what randomness means in business and in life and why human beings are so prone to mistake dumb luck for consummate skill.�??

I look back at the picks I made (against the spread specifically) in light of Taleb�??s book, and see nothing more than a guy who got lucky more often than not. I have no special skill at divining the outcome of football games. Anyone who claims such skill is a liar, a thief, or a columnist at football dot com.

I know that every time I correctly guessed which team would beat the spread, I felt my insights were �??vindicated�??. When I guessed the incorrect result, I maintained that my logic had still been �??theoretically correct�?? and should that game be replayed a number of times, I would be right more often than not. I am not alone in feeling this way. There�??s simply no other way to explain how intelligent people can end up one or two picks over a .500 season and consider themselves geniuses. Listen fellas; it�??s darts. You throw �??em at a board and hope you end up with more in your column than the other guy. That�??s it. That�??s all.

I can still see posting some game picks. It�??s great fun and is always a great conversation starter among degenerates. But after my thousands of little posts, a respectable library of NFL books and a solid decade of studying the philosophy, poetry and violence of NFL, I think Bill Parcells still summed it up best.

“Don�??t worry about it. It�??s just a bunch of guys with an odd-shaped ball.�??