I was not immediately convinced that the Memoir Writing Ink course with Alison Wearing was for me. Would 12 weeks of writing instruction online be worth the money? COVID left me sick to death of one-sided online communication. I read reviews. I checked out other offerings. I listened to Alison on YouTube. I listened to the audiobook of her memoir, Moments of Glad Grace. I liked the colourful style of presentation, the music in her voice, and the dance in her movements. I even liked that her hair was as crazy as mine. This was someone I could spend time with. I’d roll the dice.
I was motivated and loved the prompts to write, the content presented, questions to ponder, and book recommendations. My first frustration was having only one chapter released each week. My inclination is to motor through, and I resented having my speed controlled. The beauty was I had to slow down and think more deeply about questions and tackle content in a variety of ways. Although my research focused on rereading of text with young children, I relearned the power of rereading myself.
My feelings are bittersweetness with the completion of the class. I am proud of my application of the course content in my writing. I have become a more deliberate writer and more confident in sharing my stories. I’m proud of my submission for the Amy Award. I cut 780 words and spent days angsting and revising this 2,000 word submission. For the first time, I was brave enough to seek out beta readers. I just submitted so I could start packing for the Camino Trail. I leave in two days. I’ll miss these Friday sessions, prompts, recommendations, and submissions but I am so very grateful for the experience. Thanks Alison. I hope our paths cross again.
Inquire2Empower 