Now What? The Sixth Week of Class

For those of you who have been following the six weeks of my UCLA Extension course “Courage & Craft” on this blog, and for my students who were there in person - now what? 

That’s what everyone wrote about in class yesterday: they’ve been doing homework and exercises in class every week, started writing projects and been serious about their writing for six weeks and now what? When will they write, what time of day and how many days a week? What will they read? They don’t have to figure out their writing time for the rest of their lives, just for six more weeks, the same amount of time they've been in class. You might try this too. All you have to do is plan six weeks.

But maybe this time of year, with all the holidays coming up, is not a realistic time to get serious about your writing schedule.  It’s important to realize this too.  You need to be practical and find a plan that you can follow through. A plan that’s disciplined but not so overly ambitious that you’ll just end up quitting.

We also discussed marketing in class yesterday.  Check out Writers Market, the book or the website, and find publishers and magazines/newspapers to send your work to when you feel ready. (And be sure to go to their websites to get the most current information.) And remember: a lot of good writers don’t get published because they simply haven’t taken the time to market their own work.

Comments

[Rebecca Laffar-Smith]

It can be really hard to stick to forward plans, especially this time of year when holidays and children are on the horizon. I find it hard to stick to a schedule at the best of times but your idea of having a plan for just 'the next six weeks' sounds like a great idea. If we can commit to six weeks we can commit to six more!

[Barbara]

Rebecca - Exactly! (And if you need to you can start those six weeks on January 1st.)

[Lisa Manterfield]

What? You mean just because I have finished essays in neat files that editors won't just call me wanting to publish them? Oh no! I think that like many writers (yourself included, I know) I strongly dislike the marketing aspect. My writers group came up with an idea to help. This week I submitted an essay to them that I really like but don't know where to send. They will each give me a couple of possible market ideas and in return I will pledge to submit to every one of them until my essay finds a home. Somehow being accountable to someone else makes it easier to write the letters and get them in the mail. I'll report back on the progress.

[Barbara]

Lisa - That first sentence made me laugh out loud. I love the idea your group has come up with. Keep me in the loop - I'll post about it.

[lorenstephens]

Check out Writer's Relief. They have a newsflash which lists literary journals looking for articles, essays, ficction, poems, etc. You don't have to be a member to access newsflash. I am a member, however, and when I write an essay on their schedule, they submit to 29 publications. Not cheap but they prepare all the cover letters, labels, etc. I have had some success with them, and it forces me to write when I would rather get a manicure or go running. Anyway, check out their website through google and see what you think. Best, Loren Stephens

[Barbara]

Loren - I checked it out and signed up for their newsflash. Thanks for the tip.

[Jo]

i haven't done your 6 wk class from here yet ~ i have saved each wks assignements & background because i am going to do it.

i'm just having a tough time lately having been sick for over 2 months now with an infection that just keeps moving from place to place instead of going away!

i've also been such a bundle of nerves & panick attacks since i found out the wk before last that my social security disability hearing has been scheduled for 12/11!

my motor skills have been cumbersome lately and typing has been very difficult because i have to pay more attention to what i'm typing as i type it because i can't trust my head & hands to get things out in plain correct english!

i'm exhausted to tears & frustrated and focusing on any one thing just seems impossible lately. so very hard. my girlfriend & i were talking about it last week and she said that i'm "just drifting right now" and i felt like charlie brown because i yelled "that's it!" in response!

but that creative, inspired feeling started creeping up on me yesterday so i know i'll get back to my writing soon ~ i always do. that's how i know it's what i'm supposed to do - every path i take eventually leads me right back to writing.

[Barbara]

Jo - Just take notes during the rough times. Physical stuff, panic attacks - it's all material. Take notes.

[Leonan]

Congrats! You could use a lot of this material to aconhr a book. Just think, most of the work would already be done! I do think that there would be a pretty big audience for your story, and not just for addicts or their partners. You've got a great story of healing in marriage that many people could benefit from.