Opportunities

Last spring, I took the plunge and signed up for a writing class. All of you know that, and you know it lit the fire under my bum and got me going down this writing road. Since then, I've been looking at free seminars and more classes, but I haven't had the time to do anything about making myself a better writer. Well, I've been writing, which is probably the best thing one can do. But learning more about show versus tell, and how to balance dialogue, and other items they call the "craft of fiction" is something I'd like to do in a classroom setting. From a published author.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. My writing group (wonderful, superb group of ladies that I am so lucky to have fallen together with) decided that we needed to approach the local author we knew and ask if she'd put together a custom class for us. We had a specific list of what we wanted and presented it to her, nicely. And she said yes, she'd love to hold a class just for us, but that she needed to think about the best possible way to get in what we wanted.

We waited. We knew she'd come back with something and that we felt comfortable going back and tweaking what she proposed.

But then, this is what came over my email yesterday:

Here's what I think you women are ready for. I know it may seem pricey, but let's see if we can brainstorm together and figure something out:  I'd love to read everyone's COMPLETE manuscripts (or as complete as you're willing to hand over, hopefully a good portion). We'd take turns, and say, we'd all read T's novel, then meet to workshop it. I would definitely cover all that you've asked me to. Then, we'd meet up a couple weeks later to workshop the next person's work.

Does that sound feasible? What you were looking for? I want to stress I'll give you LOTS of written feedback and will thoroughly mark up w/comments all your pages with suggestions, questions, guidance, etc.

Talk it over and let me know. AND, if you have another vision of how this might go, PLEASE PLEASE let me know. Let's make this work.

Thanks so much for trusting me with your work! 

Our fearless leader sent a reply to just the writing group ladies saying she'd be up for it, and all of us, complete manuscript or not, raised our hands in solidarity and said,YES! LET'S DO IT! We hope to schedule the sessions sometime after mid-April and into the summer.

So now, I'm going to sit like a madwoman and finish up my story because I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PUBLISHED AUTHOR TO GIVE ME COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK ON AN ENTIRE MANUSCRIPT. Sure, I have to pay for it. But what a great way to learn what I need to learn so that perhaps, someday, I'll be published, too.