I was thrilled to chat with Julie Lockhart about her incredibly creative essay, "The Fist." It's a fantastic example of what writers can do with a hermit crab form, and I encourage everyone to read it and then join us for a craft discussion. Julie and I chat about changing people's names in nonfiction, the hermit crab structure, and how she uses her rejection letters to enhance her work.
----- Interview by Angela Mackintosh
WOW: Welcome, Julie! Your winning essay, "The Fist" is incredibly creative. The police report format really complements the narrative in an interesting way. How did you come up with the idea for the format?
Julie: Thank you, Angela! Because this essay covers an incident that happened in April 2023, the trauma was still pretty fresh. I was taking Chelsey Clammer’s flash trauma class, so the essay needed to be 800 words max. I felt emboldened to write about the assault because of her class. This particular week she had us looking at perspective in writing about trauma. I tried a few different ways to write it, but nothing was working. I honestly can’t remember how I came up with this idea, but I did have a copy of my witness statement taken by the police, so I think that’s what spurred the idea. What I loved about using the format of a police report is that it allowed me to fit a complex story into a flash essay. The format also gave me some distance from the trauma, and I could play with perspective, thus satisfying Chelsey’s assignment for that week.
WOW: It's a delightful format to read, and it sounds like it provided the perfect container to write with some distance from the trauma. Well done! I also love Chelsey Clammer's WOW workshops.
Many creative nonfiction writers change character's names in their essays to protect the people they're writing about and/or themselves. You changed the suspect's name to "The Fist," and his friends to "fist people," which is really innovative and serves as an image and metaphor. What inspired you to change his name in this clever way, and do you change the names of all characters in your nonfiction writing?
Julie: When “the fist” assaulted my husband, neither of us saw who the person was that threw the punch. I suspect it was the father of the boy who fell off the ATV, because after the assault, that guy terrified me by coming over to our camping area pushing the bent-up two-wheeler screaming that someone owed him $600 to fix it. In figuring out how to craft the essay, the fist popped into my head as the suspect, so that I didn’t mistakenly accuse someone when I don’t know for sure. The people surrounding my husband were angry and aggressive, ready for a fight. “Fist people” seemed to be an appropriate way to describe them.
About changing other names, sometimes I do. My husband asked me to use an alias, “Charles,” in this essay. Whether I change a character’s name has a lot to do with my intuition on whether using their real name would hurt that person. I will change a name to protect a person, or even to protect myself in a situation where I’m describing someone’s horrible behavior.
WOW: That's smart! I also noticed that the police report doesn't include the victim's statement. Was this because of the limited word count or an aesthetic choice?
Julie: The word-count definitely had me pick and choose what to include. The victim’s statement was similar to mine, so I left it out.
WOW: Your piece has a really inspiring message. To me, it's about those intense traumatic events that help us realize how much we love someone, and the importance of being there for each other, and the importance of love overall. I simply adored the last section ("Wife's Epilogue"), and could feel the emotional connection between you and your husband. What do you hope readers will take away from your piece?
Julie: I am so happy you got the message I hoped to share! My way of being in the world is to look for the lessons, the positive things, that can come from difficulty. It’s a spiritual practice, and I try to express my personal growth and insights in all of my writing about trauma and grief. When we as humans are in the midst of a tragedy, we may not be able to see our growth potential while bombarded by grief, trauma, etc. I don’t want to seem flippant about the enduring pain people find themselves in, but for me, it’s important not to get stuck there. In this situation, both my husband and I worked to move through the trauma after our experience. But what blew me away is how our connection deepened with this tragedy. That deepening of love, the expansion of our hearts, helped us to get on with our lives in the aftermath. It’s a real testament to the power of love. I am so blessed to be with him.
WOW: The reader felt that love, too! You did a great job of showing that, and "The Fist" is an exemplary hermit crab essay! What advice would you give to a writer who is interested in trying this format, but doesn't know where to start?
Julie: Thank you! The hermit crab essay is one of my favorite structures. I get my ideas after reading other hermit crab essays, which stimulate my creative juices to create something unique that fits what I want to write about. Author Brenda Miller has used the hermit crab structure, such as in her grief essay called, “Artifacts.” Also, Miller beautifully describes the various forms that can be used in her book: A Braided Heart: Essays on Writing and Form. I am also inspired by Eula Biss’s, “The Pain Scale.”
WOW: Oh I adore Brenda Miller and Eula Biss! I first read their work in one of Chelsey's workshops.
Last time we chatted, you mentioned a digital "pile" of rejection letters. I have those, too! But you do something creative with them—you sort through them to see if there's a different way to tell a story. Have you done this recently, and could you give us an example? This sounds like something I want to try!
Julie: Yes, if I gather enough rejections on a particular essay, I often try to figure out what else to do with it. For example, I wrote about an abusive situation with my first husband, but didn’t find a home for it. I decided to create a braided essay, instead weaving in the story of abuse I witnessed as a kid to show that my childhood experiences in a sense informed why I would end up in an abusive marriage. In another essay about the death of my second husband, I have rewritten it from his perspective (looking down from wherever his soul is in the afterlife). Neither of these has been accepted at a magazine, but I still feel good about how each turned out. And I love the creative process of making something different, and hopefully better.
WOW: Those essays sound incredible! Julie, I always love hearing about your nature adventures, and your essay's setting of Canyonlands and Moab, Utah, was simply gorgeous and immersive. Where have you been lately and what was the most memorable thing you've seen?
Julie: I often wonder if I should do some travel writing, so thanks for asking this question! There are oh so many amazing things I’ve experienced. In early April, we camped in the Hoh Rainforest on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Some of the biggest drops of rain I’ve ever seen accompanied the steady showers, but weather did not keep us from hiking through the incredible mossy, lush, every-shade-of-green landscape. On our last morning, my husband stepped out of our truck camper and turned back around to tell me there was an elk. I grabbed my phone and joined him. As we peered around the campsite, we realized we were completely surrounded by a herd of about ten stately elk, munching away on spring’s tender leaves and fresh grass. Elk symbolism is about strength, stamina and pacing yourself. Their presence as they surrounded us felt powerful, especially in these times when there’s so much stress and chaos in the world. I can still breathe in their circle around us when I feel overwhelmed. While our health is still excellent, we hope to continue adventuring to beautiful places. In September, we’ll visit Taiwan and then South Korea. Maybe I’ll write a new essay from that trip!
WOW: That is such a surreal experience with the elk, and definitely essay worthy! I can't wait to hear about your trip to Taiwan and South Korea, too. I'm sure it will be amazing and inspire many creative works. Thanks again, Julie, for chatting with me today, and best of luck in your travels and writing! I can't wait to read more from you soon.
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