Enough time has passed that I’ve evaluated my writing resolutions list and wondered what I was thinking at the end of December. Usually I toss my list away, but this year I want to encourage us all to add one more item to it. Let’s resolve to make 2016 the year we get more training.
I can hear the screams already. Who has the time, money, or energy to take classes? How can I be true to my own creative vision if I’m letting someone else micromanage my style?
In truth, training is essential. We wouldn’t patronize a restaurant that hired untrained chefs, so why should we expect an agent to represent a novel from an untrained writer?
Not everyone has the resources or inclination to pursue an MFA, but there are other options. Tri-Valley Writers is committed to offering workshops. If a one-day commitment is all you can do, make the most of these opportunities. If you have more time in your schedule, explore classes offered through local senior centers, community education centers, or the junior colleges. There are online programs as well. If nothing else, create your own study group using one of the many wonderful writing books on the market.
The key is to recognize there is always more to learn. Putting yourself in a structured setting, where you are accountable to an instructor and the other students, will help break down the walls we all put up when pushed out of our comfort zone. Forcing yourself to write on assignment will give you the strength to sacrifice some of your favorite habits and techniques, the ones that are actually preventing you from succeeding. Let 2016 be the year you invest in your writing.