Class complete: Writing on my own terms

I am a writer. Plain and simple. I have endless ideas, thoughts, dreams and fantasies that I can and will put to paper. I have drive, ambition and a natural tendency to make my writing aspirations come to life.

I have completed my first ever on-line writing class.

I was a sort of pseudo-journalist back in high school for our newspaper. I wrote some columns and covered many of our school’s stories. Shortly thereafter, despite having dreams of becoming a journalist, I somehow ended up on a different path. I have no regrets, but the passion to write has been reborn.

This class was the first step toward writing on my own accord. I am writing without the direction or influence of any teacher or manager. I am writing on my own terms. I am writing because it is what my inner being is driving me to do.

I am only in my early 30’s. I have a very strong career with a healthy salary; with plenty of challenges to keep me interested and motivated. I have a great house and a loving wife. We hope kids will be in our near future.

So, then, why would I be spending a huge chunk of my valuable free time writing? Because I can. And it is what I am supposed to do.

I am an avid runner and marathoner. I am fortunate enough to have pushed myself to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Between running and writing, these are my passions. This is a very poignant change that has occured for me over the past couple of years. Career has taken an intriguing slip in the priorities.

My next two goals are to submit for two upcoming contests, both of which are sponsored by Writer’s Journal magazine:

1. Write to win! contest – 1,500 word limit – Starting with the phrase “He reached for…” – Deadline, April 20, 2007.

2. Short story contest – 2,000 word limit – Deadline: May 30, 2007

In addition, I am contemplating taking a Creative Writing course online that begins on March 21. However, I do need to carefully balance these plans with my work, running and personal activities. I don’t wish to overload myself into frustration, grief and failure.

See more progress on: write a book and have it published

Building confidence in writing

I am continuing to build confidence in my writing. I simply need to spend more time writing. We are now in the last week of the online writing class. I am contemplating taking another one to keep me writing.

I found a Creative Writing course that starts today and I could sign up for it. I think I will hold out until March 21st, when it starts up again.

The characters in my story are Kate Sanderson, Logan Kinkade and Dr. Randall Prowphett. I plan to keep free writing about these characters.

I may take a crack at some non-fiction or personal essay for the upcoming Boston Marathon.

See more progress on: write a book and have it published

Free writing thoughts: Writing development and fiction

I am in the middle of a lesson in my on-line class and I decided to pause for a moment to reflect on what I am learning. The overall purpose of this class is to get me to consistenly write -- every day. I don't care if it is for 5 minutes or 5 hours. I want to keep writing. I want to grow and build my innate talent of creating real feelings and imagery with words.

I have learned some techniques to free write creatively. One thing is for certain that I have learned about myself: I don't have any problem getting words onto paper when I am writing about my personal experiences or thoughts. It just comes so natural to me. There are no pauses or moments of painful debate about what I am writing. It's simple to keep going.

Maybe this is an indication that I am in relatively strong touch with my emotional interior. For years, on and off, I have found myself writing journal entries. Unfortunately, many of these journal entries have been scattered among random notebooks, diaries and MS word documents across several computers since the early 1990's. So it is difficult to see my writing from a journaling perspective develop and change over time.

Another thing that is for certain that I have learned: Writing excellent fictional pieces is and will be difficult. That's where I get stumped.

I completed reading my first novel in quite a while a couple of weeks back entitled Human Capital, by Stephen Amidon. I found by accident in a discount bookstore while spending the holiday season in Pittsburgh. It is an excellent piece of fiction. The characters are brilliantly developed. The plot is intriguing. The symbolistic use of imagery in the upscale communities of Fairfield County, Connecticut to advance the characters' lives is compelling.

Having lived in this area for a few years, I had a special interest in Amidon's creation of the affluent setting. This is the type of fiction I dream to write. It is about the human condition. It is about people struggling to gain wealth, or simply protect great wealth, largely at the expense of their family and personal relationships. It is about the natural desire to be perceived as successful, and the fulfillment that some people take in having a reputation for success -- regardless of what it does to their family life. It is real. It is poignant.

Another reason I enjoy the book so much is the point of view choice that Amidon so effectively mastered throughout the story. My lessons in class tell me that it is third person, multiple POV. Amidon uses four major characters' stream of consciousness to push the story forward: Drew Hagel, Shannon Hagel, Carrie Manning and David Warfield. In each chapter, one of these four characters' viewpoints serve as the lens of the reader.

I started my second novel this year: Immoral by Brian Freeman. Mr. Freeman gained loads of critical acclaim for this, his first, novel. I am only four or so chapters in to the book so far. The story is a suspenseful "whodunnit" with a detective as the main character. The characater development so far is strong and the plot is enjoyable.

However, I am learning that that I am more interested in Amidon's type of fiction, which focuses on real people issues and their humans flaws to seek what they think will make them happy, only to find it can destroy them. Not that murder isn't real or intriguing. Nonetheless, there is something acutely provocative about people who appear to have it all on the surface, and then make life-altering decisions to try to reach even greater degree of supposed love, happiness and success, only to drive their lives into a dark hole of despair, crime or death. Somehow, it is really fascinating to me.