What I Learned in Our Writing Class

Daisy Parker What I Learned When I signed up for this class, I wanted to learn ways to improve my writing. I wanted to write stories about the farm to enhance my Hamer Farm Presentations. I had know idea this class was going to change my life. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and run to the computer because it comes to me how I need to reword a certain sentence to make the story I’m writing stronger. Sometimes my husband says that he can see me drift off into another world, and he knows that I’m thinking about that story I’m working on. He’ll laugh and say “I can see those little wheels turning in your brain again.” My first children’s book was published in 2002. I’ve wanted to write more books, but I always put it off…too much school work, too many activities with my children, too much cooking and cleaning…excuses, excuses! This class taught me that it was time to take my writing seriously. Writing is very important to me, and it was up to me to make writing a priority in my life. At first I felt inadequate. Everyone in the class seemed like an expert and I was just a beginner, but I thought, I’ve got to start somewhere. I thanked God that I was put with the best so I could learn from the best. My stories probably seemed so simple to the class, but all the advice and the positive comments encouraged me to improve my stories as I revised them. I learned how to set up my own blog! I learned how to comment on the blog to help other writers with their stories, and where to find publishers when I’m ready to publish my stories. This information is worth its weight in gold! My writing is improving with each story. I think about every sentence and what words will make that sentence come to life for the reader. In this class, I’ve read some powerful books that have opened my eyes about writing. When I was reading Stephen King’s book On Writing he said on page 147, “If God gives you something you can do, why in God’s name wouldn’t you do it?” This sentence was a wake up call for me. I feel like God’s been tugging on my heart since 1998 to write this book to help children deal with death. I know the title, I can visualize the cover, and I know the message that’s needed. One day soon, this book will be published. Thanks to this class and all that I’ve learned, I ready to start my new life as a writer!