Hello, my friends and occasional relative!

I have re-engaged with self-directed learning this week, and have been watching and taking notes from the highly helpful Ellen Brock. I think I first bookmarked a video of hers ten years ago, and only now do I sit down to actually pay close attention! My intention is to do more formal study around the technical side of story construction, to see what I like, and what I can use to improve my writing whilst trying to avoid wrestling myself into a prescriptive strait-jacket.

So I decided to start with this video about what kind of writer I am. I’m a Leo. No, not really. But I found the definitions given and the examples useful, and am in the middle of note-taking a few videos on, and have been very encouraged by the things I’ve learned, the echoes of my own historical (and current) practice, and have already picked up tips to improve some of my habits. I’m currently very much an Intuitive Plotter, but may, with some further education, become more of an Intuitive/Methodological Plotter hybrid, with mild pantsing tendencies remaining – I’ll always go off script here and there, and then find ways to make it all work! If you don’t understand any of what I just said, count yourself as blessed.

There are new books to be bought, more videos to watch. I’ve bought and benefited from books on writing in the past, though the ones I had when young and insecure left me cold (I still have them – maybe they are due a re-read?), I now feel better equipped to learn without becoming a slave to any particular fashion. Some things you have to try though, to work out how it suits you. Writing quick fictions may be just the ticket in this case, allow me to try techniques A, B, and C and assess their efficacy, and my efficacy with them. That’ll need more practice, haha!

I studied literature many years ago, but the analysis and criticism of it, which included analysis of structure and form, but always with a view to interpreting and digesting what was before you, not to create something new yourself. So switching to learning how to write, rather than how to read, has been an interesting shift for me over this last ten to fifteen years. I’m hungrier for more learning about how to write now than I ever have been, having finished three novels. A bit cart before horse, but what can you do. Again, when younger I didn’t want to do it, argued it would be limiting to my unformed genius, a corrosive conformity that would ruin my untutored gift. (Yes, the preceding sentence has a heavy sarcasm filter applied.) That gift remained untutored and neglected for the best part of twenty wasted years. Don’t be that guy. He was lazy and looking for shortcuts. Thirty years later he (I) is (am) finally putting more work in to learn his (my) craft.

So my friends, I assume you are much more advanced than I, and unafraid to learn more about the execution of your arts, whatever they may be. When I was young I effectively wanted to be Hendrix without practice or learning. Eejit. Now I’m older I don’t want to be Hendrix, but I’m enjoying the practice, and embracing learning. I hope you do too.