Creativity and My Writing Class

[catherine]

As I've mentioned in other posts, I've taken a year-long "Optimize" program to instill good habits/find purpose, all that kind of stuff. So, in my bullet journal I make a grid every day for all the habits I'm working to incorporate on a daily basis. Examples are exercise, meditation, reading, good nutrition. One of those habits is "Creativity"--because I really feel like I'm missing that part of my life. In fact, whenever I put my check marks on my grid at the end of the day, the Creativity column is always blank.

Well, on FB I follow a particular author whose name I won't mention because I don't want this post to wind up in google's search engine. But I really admire and respect this writer's work. I've mentioned his books on this forum. Anyway, I saw that he was offering a 12-week writing class for a VERY reasonable price. Works out to about $5 a class. So I signed up.

I haven't taken a writing class in decades. I write reports, but I have no aspirations for being "A Writer" necessarily. I was just star struck enough to want to take advantage of this class. Why not?

So last night was the first night. 40 people participated. He assured us we don't have to read our stuff out loud if we don't want to. About halfway through the class he gave us a 20 minute assignment to write a descriptive piece using some prompt words he threw out, just to give us a framework.

I had so much fun doing that little assignment. I just dove in. When the time was up, I certainly didn't plan to read mine out loud. I'm shy, introverted and star struck. This is a writing hero of mine--and one of the participants is a filmmaker whose work I've actually seen.

But I read it anyway!! I just didn't want to hide in the corner, if this was my chance to get feedback from this author. And he loved it!! He gave me great feedback, better than many of the others who read.

So, I'm psyched! Psyched because I took time out just for a purely creative exercise. And psyched because I rose to the occasion. And psyched because I was able to put a big ol' check mark in my "Creativity" column in my bullet journal.

[Tybee]

Nice!!

[happystuff]

Congrats, catherine! I love the excitement you are expressing and wish you continued fun with the class.

[iris lilies]

I loved hearing about this!

[nswef]

Congratulation, Catherine. I love that you took the leap and were so inspired to read aloud. The first time I read aloud to a writers' group was my first class at the public library. I was so nervous...I had tears once I read it and it was so well received. That was 10 years ago. I am still in that writers' group, have placed in the County Library contest for poetry, short story and picture book over the years. I write picture books now and it all started with that ONE STEP! Am I famous? NO. Have I been published (aside from the winner's anthology)? NO. But I have been connecting to writers, have a critique partner and most of all am learning and growing while having fun! So, good for you!!!

[JaneV2.0]

This could be a direction you take in retirement--what a great start!

[Teacher Terry]

Congrats!!

[razz]

Way to go!
A group of friends meet a couple of times a month and soon we are going to discuss "aging gracefully". Aside from the four-dimension analysis of aging as per gerontologists, I think that aging successfully once Maslow's Needs are met is an attitude - exploring/doing new and challenging activities.

[rosarugosa]

Congratulations, Catherine. What a great thing to do!

[SteveinMN]

Congratulations! It's nice to stretch and reach someplace new.

[Greg44]

That is so exciting! I saw a writing challenge online - write 1,000 words a day for 100 days. Well I didn't do 100 days, but now almost a year later I am still doing it several days a week. I can't even imagine reading any of them out loud to any one! I don't even like my wife reading over my shoulder when I am writing! Years ago I did write an article for a "family history" magazine - and they bought it! And wanted more if I would write one...I never did. How cool to have some one of note like your work, and also give good feedback. Keep writing! Stepping out of our comfort zones can be extremely scary - but look how rewarding!

[Rogar]

That's great. I took a creative writing class through our adult education program some time ago and have good memories of it. Being your average introvert I was cautious about reading aloud, but actually found that to be one of the better parts. Not just to read, but to hear in person other people reading their assignments. One of the fellows in my class had lost his hands at the wrist and wrote or typed with prothesis, before modern voice recognition software. His stories were the most interesting. I recall one of his stories started something like, "Young men, pretty girls and fast cars are inextricably related". I always thought that was a great line and way to start a story, and it was well told.

[happystuff]

I used to write more than I do now. Have had a couple adoption-related articles published, but that was all a long, long time ago. Funny how situations change and one stops doing a certain activity for whatever reasons! I think I may have to revisit this writing stuff. Thanks, catherine. Wishing you continued enjoyment with all this!

[catherine]

Thanks, all! Nice to see how many other writers, whether amateur or published are here, and interesting to see how writer's groups have been a part of your lives.

At one point, being a published writer was an aspiration of mine. I wrote an article/essay once based on my experience having my third child. I sent it off to Mothers Today Magazine. Never heard anything. But one day an old friend of my husband's called and started reading my article to me! Turns out his wife had a subscription to the magazine. They had published it, and didn't even tell me! So I called up the magazine and they sent me $100.

My experience with that (other than the fact that this company would have stiffed me if it hadn't been for my friend) was how nice it is to have an editor work on your stuff. They made my words and paragraphs so much more readable.

I still don't know how far down that path I'll go, but I was partially inspired when I asked my daughter what she saw as my greatest talents, and I was surprised when she said, "Well, obviously writing." I think I had her comment in the back of my head when I signed up for this class. We'll see how it goes.

[iris lilies]

The only thing I have written recently was an article that will be published in our regional Iris Society quarterly publication.

These hobby groups are usually desperate for content. But, you have to know something about the subject.

[beckyliz]

Wow, catherine - how exciting for you to get that feedback and congratulations on challenging yourself to take the class and then to read your work.

[KayLR]

Catherine, that is so cool, and what a great feeling that must be to get that kind of feedback from your mentor!

I have the galleys of the first story I wrote for the newspaper I worked for; it's covered with my editor's red ink! I was pretty crestfallen, but he was very encouraging with his words to me in person. Writing for a newspaper has its own little nuances. I had a great story. All the pieces were there; it just needed a lot of tweaks.

Very excited for you! Hope you have more to tell as the course goes on.