Creative Writing Institute Welcomes Writer in Residence Tyler Dilts

Tyler Dilts

John Cabot University welcomed author Tyler Dilts as this year’s Writer in Residence at the 5th Annual Summer Institute for Creative Writing and Literary Translation, held from May 19th to June 20th.

Public Reading. On Monday, May 19th Tyler Dilts gave a reading from his new novel A Cold and Broken Hallelujah, to be published by Thomas & Mercer in the summer of 2014. This is the third novel in the Long Beach Homicide series featuring Detective Danny Beckett.

Dilts described his inspiration and influence, commenting that it is the character of Long Beach itself, with its diversity of culture, communities and people, which pushes him to continue writing about the city. Dilts’s reading was followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

Craft Workshop. On Wednesday, May 21st, Dilts led a Creative Writing Craft Workshop attended by JCU professors, students, and members of the community. He spoke about his personal inspiration, including authors Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle. Dilts shared how he discovered his passion for writing in his first short story, a fan-fiction piece about Spock and Captain Kirk. The audience asked questions about writing techniques, plot development, and research that goes into effective storytelling.

Class Session. Tyler Dilts spoke to students in Professor Carlos Dews’s Fiction Writing Workshop. He explained his techniques for character development and evolution. He shared that Danny Beckett, protagonist of the Long Beach Homicide series, is a direct reference to author Samuel Beckett, from whom Dilts draws much inspiration. Students were encouraged to ask questions and seek advice in developing their own stories and voices.

Learn more about studying English Language and Literature at John Cabot University in Rome.

Learn more about studying Creative Writing at John Cabot University in Rome.