The Magic

The first Creative Writing Class is done and dusted, and I'm thrilled with the outcome. I had one moment of panic when I glanced at my watch around 8 pm and I was already 3/4 of the way through my outline and only 1/2 way through the class. But groups are interesting things - living organisms that flow and develop on their own schedule. Everyone came in, found their nametags, crowded around the table, looked around at each other. I encouraged people to help themselves to food and hot drinks, but the initial stiff formality people feel kept everyone in place. I introduced myself and gave an overview of the class, and we went around the table for introductions. The group is an interesting mix of backgrounds and varied writing interests are represented. About 25 minutes into the 2 hour class, the thaw came. Someone began handing around snacks, spontaneous laughter was heard, and people began to feel more comfortable. I love that moment of transition in any new group, where it ceases to become a large number of strangers and instead becomes individuals getting to know each other.

Around the 8:00 mark, when I was cursing myself mentally for not having jammed more into my first class outline, another transition occurred. People began to share honestly and bravely about their fears, joys, worries and procrastinations as they relate to writing. The courage of people to look unflinchingly at themselves is beyond inspiring - it changes the temperature in the room, warms everything up, creates the soil in which we can bloom and grow. That moment where we take conversation beyond the surface and down into the deeper things; that moment is the one that defines us and allows us to access the courage for personal change and forward momentum.

I can hardly wait to see what will happen with this group of writers. I see my job as fanning the flame of belief in each person, keeping it burning, urging them to walk bravely forward in their pursuit of truth and honesty through the written word. I have seen the magic of writing in my own life and want to nudge each person toward this rewarding awakening. I told a friend recently that I could never be without writing again. It gives too much to my life and I wasted too many years not doing it regularly, and pining over the fact that I wasn't writing. Never again. It's a discipline, and must be approached as a discipline, but the magic comes when you sit down to do it. I have had many scary days gazing at the blank page, but as long as I'm sitting there, staring, the words eventually come, and create a satisfaction deeper than anything I've ever found, outside of my faith, my family and my friends.