Enrolled myself on a writing course that is.
I know, I know. You're thinking "But Expat, you're a published author, who could possibly teach you anything?" Why thank you, but I've noticed that since I've started blogging, my ability to produce a decent-length sentence has diminished and my grammar has all but vanished. Me with my English A level and my Law degree, used to pride myself on syntax and grammar. But now? See what I mean.
So on January 24th, I will start an 8 week course on Creative Writing Fundamentals. I was a bit limited in that they only offered two day time courses (I can't do nights because I never know what's going on and who's going to be in to watch the Little Guy) and a lot of the classes were on fiction, which I don't want to tackle just yet. However, I chatted to the nice lady and she said not only was the class almost full, but that there was a wide variety of students signed up.
Now I'm going to worry till I get there.
We have to read things out to each other see. Although I have a book still on the market, which anyone can read and critique, I'm still not comfortable with the idea of people picking through my work while I'm sitting there in front of them. Bit silly really since anyone can read this blog and I write all over the place for the world to pull to pieces, but I can stick my fingers in my ears and sing "La, la, la, la, laaa" too. Not sure that will go down too well in class!
I haven't really made any NY resolutions but I'm deifnitely shaking things up a bit!
That sounds like good fun.... though the reading out is a bit unnerving! I think that it is good for like minded people to get together this way.
ReplyDeleteMaggie X
Nuts in May
Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had the time to do a creative writing course.
Look forward to hearing all about it.
Well you silly goose, here I am picturing Alfred E Newman of Mad Magazine fame and his infamous quote of "what, me worry?"
ReplyDeleteYou have nothing to worry about, you just go on full speed ahead and come back and teach us what we don't know how in the words of Johnny Cash! (Going to Jackson)
bowing to your wisdom
Sandi
Good for you - I think that taking a course will be a great thing. Who knows where it can lead.
ReplyDeleteAlso, happy new year to you.
One final note - I loved your post on the blogger word identification. I had skollo today - my definition: What an inebrietate Swede would say while raising a glass in Italy. Not as good as yours - but I thought of you and wanted to pay homage.
Enjoy sounds like a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteYou write really well already though!
Sounds good!
ReplyDeleteBeing on a writing course with a published author (you) would have me quaking in my boots when I had to read aloud...
Happy new year!
Brilliant - I'm so impressed. You've actually gone an acted on a (not really) News Years Resolution, which is more than I've ever managed.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear all about it.
PS - I'm with geekymummy, I think you already write really well anyway.
That sounds like so much fun! Now I want to find out if there is such a thing near me...
ReplyDeleteGood luck! You'll do just great.
Ok well you know Im already a fan of your current writing abilities but I really admire you for looking for ways to improve!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Like the others said, you are a great writer anyway but one can always learn more. (And if nothing else I bet it will be great blog fodder!)
ReplyDeleteAw shucks y'all. If truth be known I need to get out more. Seriously - I drop the Little Guy off at 8.15am and am quite happy not to go out or speak to a soul till I pick him up at 3.10pm. Not good really.
ReplyDeleteAdding my voice to the "you write so well already" crowd. Funnily enough, only today I was wondering whether to sign up for a writing course - but I would do the creative writing thing.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful, good luck. I'm very envious. Hope it's a great course.
ReplyDeleteI took a couple creative writing courses and was glad I did. You learn so much from different people. Can't wait to read some of your homework!!
ReplyDeleteArgh! No - that's what I mean. I worry about things like that.
ReplyDeleteHOw exciting. Good luck - you must blog about the whole thing. I am very curious :-).
ReplyDeleteLike A Modern Mother, I have taken a children's writing course and an online writing course and learned very different and important things from both.
ReplyDeleteIf you were a great chef, I bet you would still have a stack of cook books next to your bed.
Enjoy it and Happy New Year.
Mother Hen - Oh I read about writing all the time, but this is the first time I've actually taken a class. It's the first time I'll have been in a classroom since doing my Masters in the early 90's. Gulp.
ReplyDeleteI hope it's better than a one I took several years ago. It was full of nut jobs. I'm not kidding. I lasted a few weeks and then quit. Even the teacher looked afraid when these people started pulling out their notebooks to read to the class.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that.
;-)
Wow, you are so brave! Oops, sorry, wrong thing to say. I mean you have NO WORRIES as far as yr writign goes, but I, personally, wdn't have the guts to sign up. It's ironic, I'm an English teacher, & I make kid sdo that, but I cdn't read my stuff out, am far too sensitive to criticism & lacking in confidence. (& actually my classes know they don't have to & I don't expect kids to read stuff out regardless) That ol' American confidence they all have, has rubbed off on you! I hope it goes really well.
ReplyDeleteYou will love it - I did an MA in Creative writing five years back and at first I was very shy about presenting my work. (I mean sweating buckets shy.) But slowly I got used to it, and even could listen to negative critique without wishing I'd taken the bread knife with me to class (OK that's a lie).
ReplyDeleteSeriously, the year taught me a huge amount and gave me the confidence to carry on writing.
Good luck!
Helena xx
Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI've done a number of creative writing classes and met some great people and some...well, let's just say interesting people too. There was the woman in London who had a novel in her head, but wanted to keep it there as it would be corrupted as soon as she put it down on the page. Then there was the strange woman twice my age who wanted me to join her exclusive writing group that just consisted of me turning up at her apartment once a week. Wasn't sure if she was more of a Mrs Robinson or a Norman Bates, but either way it was an invitation to decline.
I have noticed that a lot of people who drop out after a few classes do so because of having the wrong expectations. Really calling them classes is a mistake as they're really workshops. So a bad writer won't learn to be a good writer (tho they may become a better writer) but a promising writer will, hopefully, grow with the experience. As it's all about the feedback, I wouldn't persevere with a particular class if you don't think much of the teacher or the classmates. If they can't provide, proper and thorough feedback - though that should always be polite and constructive criticism - then it's not worth sticking with that group as you'll learn nothing about your work and you'll just be wasting your time. If there's a couple of really insightful readers there it should be great fun.
Good for you - I'd love to do that Lx
ReplyDeleteSounds really interesting to me. Make sure you tell us all about it! Hope it's enjoyable too and that nerves don't spoil it for you.
ReplyDeleteI would love to do that course with you, but would hate the reading out to each other thing. It's bad enough when friends and family say they are reading my ebook - I cringe inside as I really don't want anyone I know to read it! Then, when they make nice comments I feel even worse, as if they are having to be nice to me! Perhaps we should be going to a self esteem course!
ReplyDelete