SENIOR SPOTLIGHT WITH CHLOE ONORATO

 By: Hannah Cornell

Chloe Onorato

is a second-year student who primarily writes fiction. We interviewed her to learn more about her thesis project.

Café MFA: Introduce yourself. Who are you and what do you like to write about?

Chloe Onorato: Hello! I’m a second-year graduate student pursuing an MFA in Fiction at AU (though I occasionally dip my toes into other writing genres such as poetry and flash). My passion lies in the speculative – especially fantasy and science fiction – which I interlace with romance, mystery, and lore/legend.

Café MFA: What is your thesis about?

Chloe: My thesis follows a young man with otherworldly abilities who embarks on a journey to find answers about his past, in the hopes of gaining a better idea of what he may become. His quest takes him from the only home he’s ever known, as he strikes out on a road trip and meets friends, foes, and obstacles that threaten to keep him from learning the truth about his origins. At the story’s conclusion, he must make a decision to risk everything – even his own life – to gain something priceless. It is a story that encourages readers to make room in their lives for spontaneity and to take comfort in the knowledge that everyone spends some time muddling through as they make their own path – and that’s okay!    

Café MFA: Who is on your advisory board for the project? Why did you select them?

Chloe: I am lucky to have two titans on my committee: David Keplinger and Andrew Bertaina! Last spring, I took two fantastic classes with Andrew – Advanced Fiction Workshop, and a Speculative Spooky Fantasy craft class. His extensive experience with both my genres of interest and with my writing made him a natural choice. His lyrical yet precise writing focuses on human connection, the passage of time, and a romantic longing for the sublime aspects of life such as art and love. Andrew’s fiction is character-driven, with the speculative elements being important but not overshadowing the protagonist’s humanity – and that is what I want to emulate in my own writing. Before I took David’s incredible Seminar in Translation class this past fall, I read his poetry and was struck by his evocative descriptions, how he finds art in the ordinary, his preoccupation with the senses, and his unwavering devotion to wonder. His most recent collection, Ice, is an illustration of the repercussions of actions taken without thinking – concerns that also consume me and my protagonist. Poetry has greatly informed all my writing, and I share David’s admiration of Dickinson. I chose David because I was seeking a poet’s special gaze upon my work so that my thesis can simultaneously aspire to be a story and art.

Café MFA: How did the idea for your thesis come about?

Chloe: Characters clamor to speak to me, and so long as I keep my ears open, I hear them calling. Then I am faced with a question: do I answer the metaphorical door? An extrovert and an admitted social butterfly, I usually do, and I’ve yet to regret it. My protagonist’s roots were set in a summer game of D&D I played shortly after I graduated from undergrad. Knowing that I was heading into a two-year program and eager to start my first novel, I racked my brain for a character or topic. The D&D character returned and started to gently (but insistently) occupy my head, inserting himself into my thoughts with the familiarity of a dear friend. I was initially unsure whether I should listen, but when the character refused to relent, I decided to try an exorcism of sorts by writing out the first chapter of his story. The rest, as they say, is history, and I’ve adored this story and this character as I got to know him better on the page!

Café MFA: What has been the biggest challenge with your thesis thus far?

Chloe: So far, my biggest challenge has been balancing action and description in my storytelling. I have an affection for detailed imagery, and my protagonist also likes to stop and smell the roses; to pause and look up instead of keeping his nose pressed to the grindstone. (Even here you begin to see my meandering!) As much as I love it, fiction, and especially novels, require a trajectory of action and profluent forward progression of plot and character.

Café MFA: What has been your biggest success thus far?

Chloe: I’ve been having a blast writing my thesis! While I have ideas about where the story is going and how it will conclude, there’s still room for the characters to be impulsive or extemporaneous in ways that surprise themselves as well as me! I get to dip into the whimsy of fantasy while keeping my characters at the forefront of the world and narrative. Also, to my great pleasure, both my committee and readers across my numerous writing workshops have also enjoyed the story! Their delight is just as rewarding as the act of writing because that is why I write: I love to do it, and if it brings joy to others, then I’m satisfied!

Café MFA: What has this project taught you?

Chloe: Upon completion, this will be my first novel. Before this, I’ve only written short stories, flash fiction, a few poems, and by continuing to work on this singular project for over two years, I’ve confirmed that I have the dedication and devotion it takes to write a multi-chapter work. I love the characters, the world, the story, and don’t see myself shelving it anytime soon – unless it’s on a publisher’s desk! It’s also proven that, no matter what I do after this program, I will always find and make time to write. It has never felt like a hobby to me: it’s a passion, a need, that serves as catharsis. I’m a fount of expression, and writing is one of my preferred ways to share that effervescence with others. Being in this program and surrounded by such amazing professors, colleagues, and peers, I’m so grateful to be taking the sage advice given to me by Adam Tamashasky (that he learned from Joseph Campbell): follow your bliss!

Café MFA: What advice would you give first-year students who are planning their thesis works?

Chloe: Trust your instincts and listen to your heart! These may sound like lyrics from an 80s love song, and if so, they beat me to it! The reason I encourage this is because the moment your writing turns from fun to drudgery, there’s no hiding it from your reader. It’s a sixth sense, and one that you can avoid so long as you work ahead of those submission deadlines (your readers can tell if something’s been rushed!) and write something you love and care about. I tell people I’m a “mood writer,” and by that, I mean that I can only write what I “feel” like writing. The idea, the characters, the world: all those elements need to be appealing and something I’m jazzed about, because on the flip side, if you’re having a ball with the writing, your reader will pick up on that enthusiasm and be more easily seduced by your story.

Café MFA: Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers?

Chloe: I wish everyone the best of luck on their own writer’s journey – and never feel like you have to power through a rough patch alone! AU has an unofficial official graduate writing group called Prose Bros that meets weekly. This is where both past and present MFA grads come together to read each other’s work and build camaraderie. Writers working on sequential projects such as novels may also find it very helpful since it can be more challenging to workshop chapters in an ever-changing workshop environment. Take advantage of the expertise and advice of your peers and the opportunity to get to know one another better!

Thoughts from the Editor: Chloe Onorato’s interview demonstrates above all, the importance of finding joy in your writing and letting the story and its characters guide you. Fiction is often a difficult genre to write because of its demand for deliberate focus and intentional craft; this is incredibly true of long-form writing like the novel. For many writers, working on a novel can be frustrating – even like dragging yourself through the desert to get to the end, to make things work. Chloe reminds us that while novels require lots of work (which we can see through her dedication to her craft), they should also be enjoyable to write. She is the first person in workshops to remind us that if you write what you are passionate about, the reader will pick up on that passion too. There is no hiding that Chloe is a master of embedding enthusiasm into her work, because it shines so clearly in the incredible stories she writes.

We also asked Chloe if she’d be willing to share an excerpt of her work. This was her response:

 “I’m playing coy until I complete and publish this work, so I’ll keep most of it a surprise for now!”

But, as a teaser, she provided us with the opening line:

“Kelly was pretending to be a tree.”