My life currently revolves around notebooks and pens. Luckily I received enough of both for my birthday that I could open my own stationery shop. Back in August I signed up with the Open University to do a course in creative writing and it’s by far the best decision I have ever made.
I am loving it. And that’s not something I have been able to say about any other academic course I have taken in my life. I am working slightly less hours at work, allowing me to have Fridays off to focus on my studies. But as with any higher education course, there is way more reading to do than hours in the day. I am spending most my evenings scribbling away in my notebook, absorbing every word in my textbook and, luckily for me, making time to read books. But this time, really read them. Imagining the techniques the author has used to develop their story, their characters and the setting. It’s like I’ve been told all the secrets about their craft and I can now imagine how they’ve transformed all those wonderful ideas and embryonic thoughts into written words.
So things are a little quieter around here. My first assignment is due tomorrow and many a hobby has been put on the back burner, including this little space of mine. As I’m not posting as regularly, although still aiming for three times a week, I’ve dropped my sponsorship prices slightly. However, the packages are staying the same, so you’ll still get all the benefits you did previously.
So think of me this evening, frantically trying to finish my first official piece of creative writing. It involves recollections of my swimming days, raw jelly and ‘poo evacuations’. Perhaps I’ll let you read it one day, then again the word poo may have put you right off.