By Anna Snader ‘26, English Literature Major and Political Science Minor
On September 30th at 7:00 pm, the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series welcomed Heather Sellers, a former Hope professor, and Anna Gazmarian, a 2014 Hope alum, to read their work. After reading Devout by Anna Gazmarian and You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know by Heather Sellers, I was eager to hear them read their writing in their own voices.
First, we heard from Anna Gazmarian, who graced the stage in her lively red pantsuit. Immediately she cracked a joke about how 10 years of drafts would lead to book material. Her wit and honesty captivated us, and only grew as we were brought back to her Hope College days. She leaned into the podium over her memoir, Devout, and read a passage about her poetry class with Heather Sellers that helped her navigate her struggles with faith and her bipolar disorder.
She wrote about an Elizabeth Bishop poem that made her cry, her group workshops at Good Time Donuts, and the first poem she wrote that was featured in the class packet. Interspersed with Bible stories and her own, Gazmarian captured the power of writing and community, and the ways her writing became a form of prayer and redemption that her evangelical churches could not provide.
Next, we heard from Heather Sellers, who walked on stage with various books and journals. As she introduced her recent poetry books and manuals, we expected her to read from her recent collection, Field Notes from the Flood Zone, but she did not. She did not even begin with her own work, but with her friend John Brehm’s haikus. Sellers explained that haikus were hard to write in both languages and admitted, “I can’t write anything short.” We laughed. She explained that haikus were like a door swinging open. They left us with something more. Something to wonder about.
Sellers read two poems from her collection, Present State of the Garden, and a new poem called “Women in Tampa Talking about Alligators.” In these poems, Sellers drew us in with her vivid poetry, descriptions of her classrooms, students, and wildlife. She was not concerned about our expectations, but cared more about performing in a way that was immersive. When she began, I leaned in. Her words alone were astonishing, a perfect balance of humor and sorrow, but it was the performance of her writing that I was most struck by. Her reading left me with space to wonder.
After their readings, the audience asked Sellers and Gazmarian questions about their writing, practice, and teaching.
Could you share more about the impact of communities on writing, particularly communities of faith?
Gazmarian explained how essential community is to her writing and faith practice. Her friends are her church, helping her through many mental health struggles and supporting her in her writing journey and career. She believes these people are made in the image of God and point her back to Him. Sellers considered her community as one that included the readers. She said her work moves away from herself and toward the reader, because ultimately, it is for them. She describes this relationship as a type of grace.
How did you find freedom from genre?
Sellers joked about being naturally rebellious, but also explained how daily practice was important to improving her craft. She firmly believes that in order to be a writer, you should be able to write in every genre. Gazmarian spoke about the uncertainty of writing and how dwelling in the mystery made it similar to a faith practice. For her, writing is a way to connect to God and help her reclaim her belief that she is made in the image of God.
What makes a good teacher?
Sellers, an educator for multiple decades, defined a good teacher as someone who was passionate about learning, had a deep reverence for their students, and personalized the content. She believes that teaching is shared with the students, and that teaching should come from a disposition of humility and openness. Finally, she said her job was dependent on bad writing.
“I love bad writing!” she said. We laughed but didn’t doubt her for a moment.
Gazmarian said a good teacher believed in a person’s potential, had compassion and understanding, sought creative ways to engage, and recognized how people access the world.
By the end of the night, I was incredibly grateful and inspired by the courage, humor, and insight that both our visiting writers brought to the stage. Although Sellers and Gazmarian approach their writing practice in different ways, I am reminded that there are many ways to be a writer. In the end, their words, advice, and presence reached us, and that is what was most important. In fact, their words are a reminder that writing, committing to a practice, and sharing it with others is no small thing. On the contrary, it is everything.
