Last Monday I was completely prepared to register for my
third watercolor class. I had my eye on a class offered through the local
school district’s Community Education program. I decided to take one more look at
the program’s online catalog. I clicked on “Miscellaneous Classes” link and saw
a class title that has refused to leave me alone since I first laid eyes on it
in December: “Beginning Fiction Writing.” The class description looked pretty
straightforward, “Exploring various works of popular fiction to determine what
makes them successful. Students will have the option to submit their own works
for class analysis. Students will learn to evaluate the different elements that
make up good fiction and learn how to apply these elements to their own works.
The course will require some work outside of class.” The last sentence was the
hook for me.
I’ve had an idea for a [potentially very long] story ever
since 2009. When I started this blog in 2010 I thought I would play around with
the story, draft it and release “chapters” to see if the story was actually
interesting to anyone. The problem is, as of last Monday, I had never once
drafted a single word of the story. (I only had a few possible titles, a four-page
premise and a list of principal characters). I was always too scared to start
writing the story because I had never taken a creative writing class in college
and I was sure my method would be bogus. This little $35 Community Education
course with the promise of homework assignments was just what I needed to make
me start writing something.
I set my watercolor aspirations aside and registered for
the writing class. The first class took place the following evening (Tuesday
1/15). The instructor gave us a brief course overview and then we got right to
the good stuff. An hour and a half later she asked us if we would be
comfortable bringing a 3-page writing sample to class the following week. We
agreed to do the assignment and as I drove home I realized it really was “go”
time. Since Tuesday I have spent the majority of my free time outlining my
characters and doing some research and development. If I stick with this
project beyond the life of the writing course it will potentially turn into a
multiyear project. I don’t have a great track record of sticking with big life
plans but I can tell you that this last week has been a wonderful and
liberating jaunt into a world that is mine to create. Life is a little more fun
this way. My mind is working double-time trying to hold onto each idea that
floats through it. I have never found myself scrambling for a pen and paper so
many times in one day.
As of tonight I have written the first four pages of a
very raw first draft of my story. I’m a little nervous about sharing it with my
class tomorrow but luckily there are only four other students. (I should
probably be more nervous about squeezing into one of the middle school
student-sized desks!) Regardless of the feedback I receive tomorrow I am happy
knowing that I have 1,997 words written instead of zero. I just need to put a
little more trust in myself and keep going. For now I am going to let my mind
keep wandering - with my notebook close by, of course - and see what my
imagination can cook up.
Way to go Amber! That's very cool. Let us know how it goes.
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