Reading Pieces in a Creative Writing Class

Everything I Learned in a Top Creative Writing Grade

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A few years ago I decided I needed some assistance to push my writing career forwards. I had been telling people I was a 'author' since I had left school, merely the reality was a little different. My writing was sporadic and unfocused — I was one of those people with a hundred half-finished drafts and most no completed pieces. And I was ever distracted with big questions: What type of writer was I? Was I whatever skillful? How should I be writing? I needed some advice.

I'd known nigh this course for a long time. It's one of the skillful ones, with a long roster of success stories from laurels-winners to bestsellers. I knew I didn't accept the time for an MA or MFA, but this was the side by side best thing: several months of classes that combined taught sessions, peer feedback and career advice. It was a great mix of theoretical and practical, and treated writing seriously as both a craft and a concern.

From day ane, I savage in love. Those hours became the highlight of my week. They nourished me and kept me going through whatever difficulties I experienced outside the form. I kept that regular appointment with near-religious devotion. Each week was a different subject field, unremarkably with recommended reading, exercises, and drinks afterwards where we would dissect and discuss everything from the class. We had access to some incredible invitee speakers, some of whom rank among the most inspiring people I have always met. And nosotros had a close and supportive grade of dissimilar ages, backgrounds and writing styles, who all learned with and from each other.

Everything I Learned

So I guess I learned a lot in those weeks. I must have. But if yous asked me now what lessons I remember from the course, I could summarise quite easily for you:

• Nix.

That is to say, I can't remember a single matter we were told. (I approximate I could if I checked through my notes, but to be honest I didn't even write many of those.) There were no great secrets or tricks revealed to us. We weren't taught any piece of cake ways to observe success, or tips to brand our writing instantly more than readable, enjoyable or unique.

But allow me re-frame the question. What do I now do that I didn't before the course?:

• I write. Not quite every twenty-four hour period, but frequently.
• I read with the mind of a writer. (And non just read, only lookout man, listen and experience the earth.)
• I practice my craft — I fix myself prompts and exercises, I experiment.
• I value and seek out the feedback of my peers.
• I fail without fear.
• I speak with confidence about my abilities every bit a writer. (And when people compliment me, I take the compliment!)

Learning to Unlearn

Information technology turns out, the best thing I did on the course wasn't to learn, but to unlearn. I unlearned my fear, and with it I unleashed a lot of my potential.

Fearfulness prevents us moving forwards, and writers and other creatives are specially susceptible to this. It makes united states of america procrastinate, and discourages united states from putting pen to paper. Information technology stops usa thinking of ourselves equally writers, and therefore prevents u.s.a. gaining the opportunities that this tin can bring. Information technology makes u.s. fearful of taking risks, experimenting with our work or trying out things that may be uncomfortable — all things that are necessary if we want to develop an authentic and distinctive voice. It stops us showing our work to others for fear of criticism. And information technology prevents u.s.a. owning who and what we are.

In short, fright suffocates us. And it kills our writing.

Now, y'all are never going to banish fearfulness entirely as a writer. And I'm not sure you'd want to. A little fear is human, and you can only write well if you tin tap into the part of yous that is most human and most vulnerable. But about of it needs to go, and in those months I learned how to command mine. I wrote then much that I forgot to be agape each time I started. I showed my work to people and realised that although doing and so is scary, information technology is also deeply, deeply rewarding. And I slowly gained the conviction to call myself a writer.

From Fearlessness to Authenticity

My writing improved over the period of the course. Simply when the last lesson ended, information technology didn't stop improving. This is because I hadn't just been learning ways to write improve; I had been learning how to learn to write better.

The simple fact is that earlier I attended those classes, I wrote what I thought I was supposed to be writing: I copied my favourite writers or created fictional scenarios that felt suitably literary. And and then I'd read back what I had written and would feel aback at how insincere it sounded. It wasn't me, after all. It was a semi-competent impression of other writers.

I now write in a wide range of styles and about many subjects, but all these writings are still essentially me in a way that zippo earlier was. They sound like me. They have my rhythm. They express my truth. Or at least they do a hell of a lot better than annihilation I wrote five years agone.

When yous peel back layer later on layer of fear, you know what's left? Authenticity. And that's where truly great writing can begin. Information technology's a long process. I'm not there yet, and I'm non even sure information technology's a destination — only I'm on the path, and I'm enjoying the journey.

Exist Your Ain Teacher

If a writing course is what you want to practice, I advise it. It's liberating, conviction-building, and one of the best means to spend your free time and meet people who volition support yous. Simply if you don't have the time or money right now, or if you lot don't feel it'southward the right pace for you, there are a lot things you can do to unlearn your fearfulness on your own:

• Write as often as possible. The do of sitting down for half an hour or more every twenty-four hour period will become a habit. And if you lot can acquire to write without over-thinking, you lot will commencement to write fearlessly.
• Stretch yourself. Set out to write something that you know will be bad — really bad. If yous've never written a sci-fi curt story before, write a sci-fi brusque story. If you haven't written a sonnet, write a sonnet. How did it feel? Did the world end? No? Do this again and again.
• Own your skill. Think about what makes you a good writer. What are your unique talents, your special perspectives? Perchance make a list. Believe in it. And when someone asks you what kind of author you are, don't say 'oh, I haven't written much still'; tell them what y'all can practice.
• Find other writers and swap work. Give each other regular feedback. Develop an honest and respectful relationship. Not only will you detect how bully it feels to have people pay close attending to your piece of work, but yous will slowly detach your writing from your ego, and this will aid you take risks and be open up to larn.

If y'all are stuck where I was a few years agone, you take two options: you either stay there, or y'all motility forward. And this is a approximate, but I don't think you desire to stay there.

If you do these things, and work at them, you are going to move forwards. You lot are going to unlearn your fright and observe a lot about yourself every bit a writer. I can't promise how — information technology won't be linear, and non every solar day will experience easy. Y'all will have doubts and days where the words just don't come out. But over the weeks and months, you will build greater confidence, write more, and brainstorm to find a phonation that will feel like y'all. And that'southward a greater lesson than money can buy.

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Source: https://writingcooperative.com/everything-i-learned-in-a-top-creative-writing-course-686c33d76b52

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