Creative Textual Reuse & Research (PAMLA 2026)
Seattle
Organization: PAMLA
Event: PAMLA 2026
Creative Textual Reuse & Research (PAMLA Conference in Seattle, November 2026)
As Andrew Epstein has noted, creative reuse has become a dominant mode in our culture at large: allusion, imitation, sampling, reproduction, reboots, adaptations and spinoffs seem to define our cultural literary and media landscape. Part of this larger cultural trend, creative writers have increasingly turned to quotation, collage, erasure and other creative reuses of other texts. Such work may exemplify Marjorie Perloff’s idea of avant-garde “unoriginal genius,” or the genre that Michael Leong defines as “documental poetry,” or the similar one Anne Duncan defines as “hauntological poetry.” In particular, collage and erasure poetry gained popularity around the turn of the 21st century, often connecting writing practices to visual arts. Of course, quotation and intertextuality are also historical creative practices, as evidenced by the glosa and cento poetic forms. Many creative writers rely on textual research, even if it does not result in a citation on the page.
This session invites creative writers and researchers into conversation. Writers may share their intertextual or research-based creative work in readings of 5-10 minutes, and/or reflect on how other texts shape their creative practices. Literature scholars who research intertextual forms or creative research practices might also speak to the genres, forms, and uses of these methods.
Presenters are invited to each share a creative prompt that invites creative writers and academic researchers alike to bridge their reading and writing practices through the creative reuse of another text. The final 15-20 minutes will be devoted to a communal writing session, in which all attendees are invited to try their hand producing a work of creative writing from their knowledge of another text. Attendees are encouraged to bring a way to write (laptop or paper and pencil) and any text (literary or otherwise) that fascinates them (a digital copy for reference, or a paper copy to visually/materially transform into an erasure or collage).
Please submit an academic abstract of 200-300 words, OR a short sample of creative work (1-2 pages of poetry or prose) accompanied by a very short abstract (75-150 words) reflecting on your creative practice. Submit by May 10, 2026: https://pamla.ballastacademic.com/Home/S/20134
https://pamla.ballastacademic.com/Home/S/20134
Anne Duncan