Friday, January 27, 2012

A Star Is (Possibly) Born

It's only taken three years but today is the big day. Yours truly signed up for a writing class through a continuing education class. It's called, "Memoirs for Memories". Seems to me I could have come up with a better one, "Take Their Money And Run" sounds good. Anyway, there are fourteen folks signed up for the class. The way I figure it'll be thirteen old dames and moi. Geesh! Fears abound thinking about it. I've been around these 'old bags' before; talk, talk, talk----yap, yap, yap. I'd be forced to listen to stories about raising children and buying clothes and jewelry and, 'Oh MY Gosh'--knitting for grandchildren. But I'm projecting, aren't I?
In case you've never guessed, I have never had writing instruction. Nope, it's true. In writing, even though I veer away from it, I try to have only two rules of thumb: (1) pretend I'm telling a story to a group of people and (2) avoid getting wordy. If I can get the point across using four words instead of fourteen then do it.
One of my dear friends from Spring, Texas or is it The Woodlands wants us to join forces? Anyway, he wants to collaborate on a book about growing up in the old homestead of Boone, Iowa. A different set of eyes, dontcha' know. There have been a couple of books written about our hometown. So far, none have made it on the NY Times best seller list. unlike the others ours would be funny and interesting and full of juicy gossip.
In a few minutes I'll take off for the college. It's located in Niceville, Florida so what could go wrong? I'll anxiously await the professor's take on what I put on pen and paper. If she thinks I have no talent then that's okay. I'm sure she won't put it in those words but I can take constructive criticism. Besides, I've been in a position before when I've had to tell more than one person to 'shove it up their ---'!

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