NaBloPoMo 11.8 - Writing...

I’ve written seven consecutive days! I’m pretty impressed with myself. It’s been quite some time since I’ve had the guts to write. Although a lot of this isn’t deep or moving or inspirational, it’s writing. And, I am doing the writing. I like getting back into the groove.

For three years, I had been involved in an all-girls writing class. It was creative and uplifting and freeing. I was able to share so many things with these women; and developed close relationships with a few. The experience was so wonderful! My creative muse was released. My writing took strange and satisfying turns with each class, with each 8-week session. I was growing and finding my writing strengths. At some point, I felt comfortable enough to try writing for an audience outside of my class and Facebook friends. I started entering contests. I did fairly well, pleased that stories I made up were being read and critiqued by others.

I didn’t expect the critiques to be quite so harsh. As I read and re-read, I understood most feedback was really personal preferences – you should have used ‘cerulean’ instead of ‘turquoise’ or this would have been better told in first-person narrative. Not much of the criticism offered was helpful. I still entered contests and submitted my stories for review.

A few months ago, I entered another contest. This time, peer review AND judge review critiques were brutal. Brutal. Thisclose to saying I should never put pen to paper ever. I was devastated! Tears sprang to my eyes as I read the short sentences from the judges. So, I put my pen and paper away.

Last month, I found an interesting class offered by the Writing Pad. It’s a class that appeals to me and my writing style. It’s a five-week course, small group and I’m scared to death to write! First, it’s going to be a personal, revealing piece. (I guess it’s like writing a blog…but I don’t see your face when you read it…and if you have something not nice to say, it’s typically not commented…so, there’s some separation, some distance). Second,

:::2 hours later:::

Crap! I got distracted and lost my train of thought. Sigh