writing classes

Well, That’s Finished

Standard

Well, I finally got my homework done. And it’s kind of funny to have homework at this point, but I do. And it’s done. So yay.

For anyone who might have missed it, I’m taking a comedy writing class. I finished the first one, and rolled straight into the second. And so far, it’s been fun and interesting.

This week, it was challenging.

I had ideas, but I didn’t like any of them. Nothing really felt right, everything felt kind of off. It was a struggle to sit down and write the thing, and only the deadline looming finally got me going.

Well, that and a different, forgotten idea that I decided to re-purpose. Turned out that it was the right purpose for it all along.

We have comfort zones because they’re, well, comforting. But as a friend reminded me, the whole reason for taking a writing class is to shed the sweatpants, get out from under the fuzzy blanket, and try something different. I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea.

Does it always feel great when that blast of cold air hits your cozily-warmed skin? Why no, no it doesn’t. But pushing through that discomfort gets you to a new place and a different perspective.

I’m still glad I decided to venture out and try something I haven’t done before, even after an assignment that was a bit of a struggle. I’m allowing other parts of my brain to stretch their legs, and that’s good for both of us. All of us. Whichever.

Then again, there’s always next week. Hmm.

Check out  my full-length novels,  Her Cousin Much Removed,  The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management and Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only), and the sequel, Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) which is now available!

Sign up for my spamless newsletter. And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s free!

 

Advertisement

Writing Class Again

Standard

My previous writing class ended last week and it was straight into the second level this week. And I have to say, I’m excited about it. There’s a new teacher, a few new faces — many of my classmates carried on — and a more focused agenda.

Which, of course, it would be, given that it’s the next class.

I’m still not exactly sure what I’m going to do with the information from these classes. Mostly they are filled with people who ultimately want to perform, and I don’t know that that’s me. Nearly all of my fellow students have taken improv classes and/or acting classes.

I’ll learn more of the mechanics of comedy, and there’s no waste in that, even if my writing continues to be in novel form. But I admit there’s something irresistible about putting words in someone’s mouth.

Maybe I should consider speech writing. If that’s not comedy, I’m not sure what is.

So off I go for another round. Will there be a third? I have no idea, it’s much too early to tell. But so far, 2 has had a good start, and hopefully it will only get better.

Check out  my full-length novels,  Her Cousin Much Removed,  The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management and Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only), and the sequel, Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) which is now available!

Sign up for my spamless newsletter. And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s free!

 

New Year, New Things

Standard

So I decided to step outside my little bubble and take a writing class this year. I took one a while ago, and I felt like it would be fun, something different. It’s a basic class in writing sketch comedy.

If you’ve looked at my books, or even read my books, you may have noticed I have a tendency toward the funnier side of life. And here I am in this big city, I figured I may as well take advantage of what it has to offer.

Darning of me, no? Look out 2015!

What I think will prove the most beneficial for me is that it is focused on writing as a cooperative activity. That’s not something I commonly do, though I have done it, if you caught the 12 Days of Christmas spoof SloopJonB1960 and I did.

But we tend to guard our ideas, keep them close, keep our work, as it progresses, largely to ourselves. Or, at least I do. I see writers out there who are much more willing to open their works-in-progress to the world. For me, if I haven’t edited it 7 times, you aren’t seeing it.

So I’m hoping this class breaks me out of that need for perfection and, to be frank, ownership. The things you create with others are very different than what you can create on your own, which, incidentally, was one of the points of the first class.

We’ll see how it goes. I had to brave some icky winter conditions to get there, and it turns out I’m glad I did.

Check out  my full-length novels,  Her Cousin Much Removed,  The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management and Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only), and the sequel, Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) which is now available!

Sign up for my spamless newsletter. And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s free!