Down to Work!

I've dilly-dallied long enough! It's a new year, a new decade, and I'm making a new start! It sounds as if I'm on some reality show that will give me a 100% make-over, but, no, I've enrolled in a creative writing course.

I know what you're thinking--been there, done that--and yes, I have, but this time, I hold out even higher expectations than before. This class will give me opportunity to flex my creative muscle (that's not the one I've been building up shovelling all that snow in the past few weeks!).

The question that plagues every would-be writer is, "Can I really do this?" What we usually mean by this is "Can I make any money at this?" For most of us, the answer is probably "Not much, if any," but for me, I just want to get back into the groove of writing. Back into the habit. Get the ideas flowing. I need to begin to think of myself as a writer.

In fact, I used to write for a living. Yes, I was a journalist. In a small town, this is a kind of slave. Low pay, long hours, lots of complaints by people who didn't like the way they looked in the photo I took. Happily, that job is behind me, but when I say it's behind, I mean it in the most generous way. Every day, in whatever I write, I use something that I learned at that job. (So thanks, Dave!)

Unlike many people, I actually like writing. I have a long history of correspondence with several friends and family members that goes back more than 20 years. I have written to Timothy Findley, from whom I received a reply, and to Nikita Kruschev, from whom I received no reply. I am an inveterate note-taker. If someone starts talking, I start writing.

Now I'm in this course. And there's homework. Quite a lot, actually. I will be diligent and do my best. I will try not to be annoying to the teacher or the other students (I'll keep you posted on this!). And I will write.

This could be my big break!