So I'm taking this writing workshop. Tonight was the first night. I'm so out of my league, it's not even funny. After the class, as I was walking to my vehicle, here is how the conversation with J went:
Me - "I'm a freaking idiot! What the heck was I thinking?? I'm in a writing workshop with 4 PhD's - THREE of whom are UNIVERSITY ENGLISH PROFESSORS!! One guy went to USC to MAJOR in SCREEN WRITING and has written SEVERAL screen plays. One woman without a freaking PhD, majored in theatre and has written a play that WON 2ND PLACE at some play thing and her play was performed in Chicago and Toronto and she has a reading next month!! The other person who does not have a PhD, is an executive who had a freaking book deal!! And then there is me. I write BLOGS!!"
J - "Oh my god, Babe."
Me - "We had 2 writing exercises tonight. After hearing them read their AMAZING work, I kept my mouth shut. No way were they gonna hear the crap that I wrote!"
J - "So, are you going back next week?"
Me - "I HAVE to. I paid money. AND, when the instructor asked if anyone would like to write a short story, one PhD lady said she would and I said I would like to. THEN she tells us it is due NEXT week, and the rest of the class is going to CRITIQUE it!!"
J - "Oooh. Hey, I gotta run. I'm really busy at work."
I came home and pulled up the workshop description. I found this word: "basic", as in "exploring the basic elements of fiction/non-fiction writing: plot, dialogue, point of view, setting, structure, and more." Basic. Basic. Basic. Repetition is one of the "basic" writing structures I learned tonight.
4 comments:
Being scared ****less is what being a writer is all about! Think of all the great writers who have gone before you who were equally as scared. What a great opportunity to not only learn but to make some great contacts as well. I'm glad you are getting out of your comfort zone and taking on this challenge. Besides, all the people who seem so "amazing" weren't born that way. Once upon a time they were crappy writers, I promise. Just ask them and they will tell you. (Unless they are egomaniacs!)
I'm looking forward to hearing your new adventures in this class. Keep us posted!
Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Lori. Only, you have been one of my writing hereos for many years. You rock!! Your journals are so deep and thought provoking. I want to be you, as a writer, when I grow up.
Awww, that is so sweet! Believe me, you REALLY don't want to be me...old and unpublished! Yuck!
LOL-
I'm so glad Lori got here first. So much more positive than I was probably going to be. When I read that I thought, "O.M.G."...I'm sure I would turn around and run.
Good for you for hanging in there and not getting intimidated. Lori's right, though...they're just people too. Everyone starts somewhere.
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