One year ago - or thereabouts - I'd bought a new digital camera and was thinking about taking a class at Clark College's Adult Education for digital photography. While looking at the offerings I noticed an intriguing title. Novel Writing Boot Camp. Hmm. I read more and watched the video that the instructor Carolyn J Rose had on the site. It sounded interesting and something inside me stirred. It hadn't stirred for a very long time. And so I signed up. Not for Boot Camp I but for the Combo Boot: Camp I and II - in for a penny in for a pound.
I almost didn't go when the day came. I sat at home my stomach in knots of nervousness and ...well..fear. I'm a shy person and going to a new place with new people is one of the hardest things I can do. But this day I went. And it's no exaggeration when I say it changed my life.
I began to write again, first with the exercises in class, then on a novel that I had in mind. By the end of Boot Camp I was several pages into my "novel" and couldn't wait for Boot Camp II to start. It was all thanks to Carolyn and her fun and firm teaching style. I thought I'd die having to read my work out in front of the class. And I'm sure I was probably a speed reader those first few times, but the criticism I got from her and the rest of the class made me feel...ok...I just might be able to do this.
All too soon class ended, but Carolyn had mentioned a writer's mixer that met at Cover to Cover Books in downtown Vancouver. Once again I had to face the shy demon, but I was supported by the fact that Carolyn would be there and introduce me to some people.
The people turned out to be Melanie Sherman and Carol Doane. They had also gone through the boot camp and with several members of their classmate had formed a critique group. They were kind enough to give me an audition and soon I was adopted.
The things I've learned in this year are amazing and the people I've met are so fantastic. So with this one year anniversary of my starting writing again I give my thanks to Carolyn, Melanie, Carol, Pam, and Peggy, Lisa and Ginger for all the great critiques and I can't wait for more.
And as this writer thing has taken off I've now come into contact (thank you twitter) with so many other fantastic writers who've made this year a great one. Tawna Fenske, Cynthia Reese, Linda Grimes, Saycaity, Bill Cameron, Squeakattack, and Jenku. Thank you all for the witty repartee in 140 characters or less.
I can't wait to see what this next year holds!
5 years ago
