Creative writers among us?

[Ron Wilbanks]

On Dec 18, 2007 11:43 AM, Beth Agnew <Beth.Agnew at senecac.on.ca> wrote:


> My degree is in fiction writing, and I'm a veteran of the brutal
> workshop style classes that tear your work to shreds before your eyes,
> while you must sit close-mouthed and graciously accept the criticism.

I have been down that road before and it's a very painful one! One person 
imparticular, would just tear everyone's work apart, with what he called the 
"Dance of the Red Pen," and he was down right brutal about it. He would use 
so much red ink that my paper looked it had been at the scene of a homicide 
when he finished.

I can remember he would often go on tangents about the book he was writing 
on spritual beer, or his endless thirst for it.  We often found his writting 
very dry and lacking in emotions.  However, he was the one who made the 
recommendation on your final grades, so we had to follow his guidance.

I love to write short stories, and entered special writing contests where 
you are limited to 250 or 500 words.  What a challenge it is to convey your 
creative side in a set number of words. It really reminds me of Haiku, but 
allows you to use a lot more syllables than is possible in that distinctive 
form of Japanese poetry.

Happy Holidays!

Ron