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About to finish up my second quarter at our local community college, one of the classes I've been immersed in for the last 10 weeks is a Creative Non-Fiction Writing class. It's stretched me in many ways; never before have I had the desire or requirement to write over a page on reality, without it being essay format.
In Creative Non-Fiction, my writing is supposed to be personal. It's supposed to reveal me, as the author, and my perspective on whatever subject I may be addressing. It's supposed to not just focus on the "facts, please," but on the emotions, without ever crossing the line to purely making something up. This has overwhelmed me.
My first assignment was to write a memoir - and I have never written anything so difficult. Not because I don't have special memories, not because I can't write well about them, but because the entire class is assigned to read and provide feedback on all turned-in assignments. This frightened me.
Why would I want a roomful of people to know a special memory of mine? Why would I give them that information? They don't know or particularly care about me - how can I share something so priceless with people who have no understanding of its value?
This was sharing of myself I was unwilling to give. Was it wrong? Where do I hold back from sharing myself when I should be giving everything?
five minute friday: Writing for five minutes on a theme. Skip the edits. Skip the considerations. Just write. And post.
3 comments:
I think there are pieces of our life not meant to be shared because they remain more sacred that way. I struggle with how much or how little to say when I blog sometimes, sending it out there to a bunch of strangers. But I hope and pray that what I do share serves Him! Your FMF neighbor #41
Five minute Friday---what a great idea! And I think, as challenging as the class may be, I can see how it has paid off in your writing, for I can truly feel the emotions you're expressing here. Being vulnerable is so hard, but rarely have I chosen to be vulnerable and regretted it.
Being vulnerable is scary, and I think we have to be wise about how much we share with people, but the times I have opened up have been really positive and definitely opened the way to a deeper connection.
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