If you’ve known me long enough, you definitely know that words and writing have always been a struggle for me. Written communication is never a skill that I obtained and have zero talent for… so how did I end up in a writing intensive course?
Why did I sign up for The Writing Intensive course?
Timing, for one thing. When I learned of the course, it was January, and I live in a rural beach town on the coast of North Carolina. There was not a ton of activity going on… on top of that, Chase had recently died and I found myself with more time on my hands. (You don’t realize how much time you spend caring for a senior pup until they pass away).
Before going through the course, I expected to learn how to use words in better ways or string words together to make better sentences….but that’s not at all what I learned.
What did I actually learn?
First of all, the biggest thing I learned was that writing can be a skill, and some people definitely have the talent, but writing, in and of itself, is a discipline. Writing requires continuous practice, just as speaking a language does.
Two other major concepts I learned:
- How to organize when I’m writing and how to be more intentional with a purpose
- Consider other perspectives – readers or people who may show up in your stories (and their loved ones)
How is Writing a Discipline?
By getting the words out and trying to explain to my document (usually a blank Google document) or on paper, it creates clarity in my mind. Sometimes it is only a data dump, but sometimes the words take shape…
For example, when I originally wrote this post, it was some bullet points about the writing intensive and I used a pen and cheap notebook (my favorite style) since I could only type with one hand due to an accident with a dull knife (if we’re connected on Instagram, you’ve seen this saga). When I first started writing the bullet points, I had no idea what I was going to say about the course, but between the outline and now typing on Google docs, I ended up with over 550 words within 20 minutes.
Would I take this Writing Intensive Course again?
If more material was added to this course, or a new course popped up, I would absolutely take it again. In fact, I’ve already started another mini course on discipline & planning with the same author.
I had hoped to make connections with others wanting to learn to write, but that only really happened with two people. Although, most people that completed the course did so within 3 months and I took about 5 months to finish so I wasn’t on the same pace as they were.
In the future I may also look for another writing course as well, but definitely open if one comes my way. Meanwhile I have 2 or 3 other courses that I’ve begun and need to complete.
Why do I take so many courses?
This question is one I’ve heard many, many times and I wish I had a solid answer (I’m open to any solutions if you want to send one my way)!
The truth is, I’m never really sure why I’m doing something… but I just follow where I feel led. Either way, I try to finish every course I take – otherwise I feel unaccomplished. For me, I feel best when I’m productive (which is probably why I’ve had so many side projects throughout the years).
Leave a Reply