Untitled & stuff
Jan. 13th, 2016 06:34 pmI have this one extremely ambitious student in my non-fiction workshop.
And now? I’m 100% committed to this class and to this student. I have to give 100% because they specifically came here to write. I need to help them do that. They came here to improve, to workshop and to receive feedback. My job is to inspire. I want to leave a lasting impression on these students, you know? The thing about writing courses is (artistic expression that is taught)...the teacher really makes or break that spark, that fire, that sense of magic, you know? As an instructor, my job is to provide the structure (rules) without putting out the fire. I mean, the entire idea is for me to provide a space where writers can get the support they need -- where they can act on their inspiration.
Truth is, we’re all helping each other. Being an instructor gives me accountability. It is motivation for me to keep working on my own writing even when I think it’s trash, it won’t go anywhere, no one will publish it. But bottom line is, it makes me feel good to lead an environment where we are all getting work done, we’re all improving, and we’re all one step closer to presenting our work to the world.
I feel like everyone is born with ambition. Like, tons of it. As you go through life, little bits and pieces of ambition get chipped off. It could be from failure, or discouragement from others...or a million other things. I want to be that person that refilled the well, you know? When it runs empty, someone needs to refill. Ambition is good for the world. It washes away complacency. But, it's a group effort.