On to Session Two

I am happy to report last week's session of the writing workshop went well. The group of participants was diverse, but all were genuinely interested in learning the 'ins and outs' of writing a good story. I'm also happy my 'teacher mode' kicked in and I was able to guide and direct the flow of the evening in a positive and instructive manner. This week we will be talking about editing and revising, the most arduous part of the writing process. Most beginning writers don't want to make too many changes to their work because they've fallen in love with the story as it is. But taking a critical view of what has been done, and being willing to make constructive changes, is the only way to have a polished product in the end. Learning how to tighten a story is a skill I am still acquiring, but one that has made my writing so much better! I hope people will be willing to dissect what they've done and put is back together again in more exciting and concise ways. If so, by the conclusion of session three, each will leave with a short story they can be proud of!

In the meantime, I've been continuing to work in my painting studio. This week I attempted flowers, which were more difficult than You Tube made it out to be. Nevertheless, I've pushed forward and attempted to paint sunflowers. The only thing missing are some leaves, which will be added in the coming days. I love that, in my retirement, I have the time to explore things I've always wanted to do irrelevant of whether I'm wonderfully good at it. To make the painting adventure even better, my husband has joined me in the studio and is creating his own beautiful works of art. I love our shared time together now that he is retired, too!

Next week I'll share more success stories from the workshop and there will be greenery surrounding my sunflowers! I'm off to walk the dogs. Spring has finally arrived in Wisconsin and I don't want to miss a day!