Writer in Residence
Things I Love About Readings: In-Person vs. Virtual
By Sennah Yee
Date
November 16, 2020
In-Person Readings
- Putting on my lipstick (burgundy), earrings (fake gold), and favourite clothes (burgundy again).
- Listening to music on public transit on the way over.
- Seeing familiar faces and hearing familiar voices.
- Seeing and hearing some people for the first time, in front of me.
- Last-minute snacks before it starts - one time I was so hungry before a reading was going to start at knife|fork|book (back when it was in Kensington Market), that my friend and I bought a bunch of bananas from a corner store close by. We ate them quietly and shared them with others around us.
- When a friend slips into a reading late and you catch each other’s eyes, smile, and wave.
- Tearing up.
- Hearing snaps and people audibly go “mmm.”
- Squeezing my friends’ hands during certain lines.
- Buying books and holding them in my hands and wondering if they'll fit in my purse.
- Hugs.
- Wondering what to eat after.
- Long goodbyes.
- Reading the book(s) on public transit on the way home.
- Catching the streetcar, the train, the bus right on time, each time.
- Taking off my lipstick, earrings, and favourite clothes.
- Reading messages from friends about the reading in bed and sending them heart emojis.
Virtual Readings
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- Putting on my lipstick, earrings, and staying in my pyjama pants.
- Not worrying about being late because of getting stuck on public transit.
- Attending multiple events in a day.
- Lying on the couch.
- Seeing familiar faces all at once and hearing familiar voices through my earbuds.
- Seeing and hearing some people for the first time, miles away.
- People’s houseplants.
- People’s pets.
- People’s lighting setups.
- Capslock and emoticons in the chat after powerful lines.
- Texting someone and seeing them check their phone and smile.
- Eating loud snacks on mute.
- Tearing up.
- Leaving without drawing attention.
- Not worrying about possibly commuting home alone.
- Taking off my lipstick, earrings, and staying in my pyjama pants.
- Reading messages from friends about the reading in bed and sending them heart emojis.
The views expressed in the Writer-in-Residence blogs are those held by the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Open Book.
Sennah Yee is from Toronto, Ontario, where she writes poetry, short stories, and film criticism. Her first book, the creative nonfiction collection How Do I Look?, was published by Metatron Press in 2017. Her debut picture book, My Day with Gong Gong, was published by Annick Press in 2020.
