I’m another 2,000 words into this short story. I have yet to make an editorial run through it, but that will happen before too long. I like what I’ve done so far, but here is where the ice starts to get thin, maybe I’m not a very discerning reader.
How do I remedy this problem? I suppose, there is good news in all this. I like to read. I like to read a lot. If given the opportunity to read or watch TV I’d chose read every time.
But then, if given the choice between reading and eating a bowl of ice cream I’m not sure which way I’d go so perhaps that’s not a very good litmus test. Oh Rocky Road, well now you’re talking.
I guess I’ve been reading and writing long enough that I’ve probably become, at the very least, skillful enough to pass some bar of mediocracy, but its difficult to actually grade yourself. So, I’ve been thinking that I’m going to need to find my way into a community of other writers and readers who are willing to give feedback.
How does one go about this? I haven’t the faintest. I’ve checked MeetUp and a couple of other social web sites. Sure enough these groups exist. I’ve even joined The Boulder Writer’s Workshop. Most of their scheduled events look more like lectures than an open space and time to exchange writing or get feedback.
Then there is the option of going to school. I imagine I could apply to CU and take a series of night classes in creative writing. Its likely that for each story I’m going to write anyway there would be some feedback from the instructor and maybe more from the class at large. It is just as likely that I’d be wasting my time, working on exercises that do little or nothing to improve my writing or receiving pointless criticisms that could erode any aptitude I might actually posses.
I suppose it can never hurt to try, so I’ll probably do both and then look for other options to ice that cake.
FeetForBrains 