Fiction Program Hosts Guest Writer Series

Friendly Flash Fiction (FFF), an organization set on helping kids enhance their creative writing skills, hosted writer and film director Cathryn Michon through a Zoom webinar on September 4.

Michon is an author, comic, screenwriter, and actress known for directing A Dog’s Purpose and co-writing, co-directing, producing, and starring in Muffin Top: A Love Story and Cook Off!. Michon also has T.V. writing credits for South Park, Diagnosis Murder, Sisters, China Beach, and Designing Women.

At the webinar, Michon spoke about her experience as a female in a male-dominated field, her path to becoming a writer and director, and how her marriage to fellow writer W. Bruce Cameron affects her work.

“It’s not super often that you get to hear from a female screenwriter/author, so it was really empowering and inspirational to listen to her speak,” said attendee and FFF teacher junior Emma Ngo. “Because her husband is also a prominent writer, it was interesting to see how the two differed in terms of opportunities and experiences in the industry. Michon noted that her husband was often mistaken for the director of the movie, A Dog’s Purpose, which she was, in fact, directing.”

Michon also gave advice to aspiring writers. “The most outstanding thing she said was her issue with the stereotypical Cinderella story, telling the group to ‘Find their own shoe,’” said FFF’s Chief Marketing Officer junior Madison Lee. Michon encouraged attendees to find their own shoe rather than trying to fit into someone else’s glass slipper.

Michon is the 2nd featured guest to have been in FFF’s Writer Series installment. After FFF founder senior Lucas Tucker spoke at the Moraga Rotary about his organization, a Rotarian reached out and said that her daughter, Michon, and son-in-law, Cameron, could be the 1st speakers. “As I had already planned to start a Writers Series, this opportunity presented itself as our first 2 installments,” said Tucker. “I wanted to come up with a way to reach a larger audience, and bring in more members of the Bay Area’s amazing literary community.”

Lee and the publicity team helped set up the webinars and advertise them on social media and said their next webinar will be hosted by author Lemony Snicket, who is known for his well-loved series of children’s books, A Series Of Unfortunate Events, on October 6 at 5 PM PT.

“We had a pretty good turnout for both seminars so far, but it would be great if even more people knew about them,” said attendee and FFF teacher senior Ellie Olson. “Discussions with accomplished writers isn’t always something you get to go to, but the seminar gives you that opportunity and I think more people should take advantage of that.”