A day ago, I spent two-and-a-half hours pulling weeds from the front lawn. They never seem to disappear! If only the number of words I write multiples as fast as the weeds.
Writing Update:
Currently, I’m halfway through the free writing workshop offered by Writer’s of the Future. I find what was the most effective about it is how it guides my learning through personal essays on Hubbard’s own writing journey, making it seem like I am embarking on the journey of learning craft with a companion rather than just me treading forward alone. The assignments are brief but both interesting and practical.
In terms of grammar, I’m taking a course with Proof Reading Academy and searching up grammar rules on my own through sources such as Reedsy, ProWritingAid, Grammarly, and double-checking whenever I was unsure even if it was something I had just learned or read recently. I think it has improved my grammar significantly, but I still catch myself using unnecessary words that might reduce the clarity of my writing. I guess that might also be a style thing.
My one-year Masterclass past expired last month, but I finished 8 (or so) of their writing classes, including N.K. Jemisin’s new Masterclass (which is amazing). It taught me not only about writing and world building but also about the world and the difficulties of being a writer.
A while back, I registered for a Gotham Writers SFF workshop, and I’m now halfway through. So far I’ve met some amazing people and learned a lot too, from both the critiques I’ve received and the weekly lessons. I chose the online option without the live classes, and though it makes it more difficult to connect with both my classmates and instructor, it allows me the flexibility I need to balance my time since my weekly schedule is always changing.
Since I’ve officially completed the Humber School for Writers Creative Writing Certificate program, I have a novella length piece I’m hoping to turn into a full-length novel. I would consider it a mixture of fiction and family memoir—not completely fiction but not completely nonfiction either.
Submission update:
Since the beginning of 2021, I have received about 130 rejections and received maybe 4 acceptances.
Eye Hope Canada:
I was asked to write a piece for Eye Hope Canada’s book project Resilience late last year, and the final product is out now! All profits made from the book will go to Childhood Cancer Canada, so if you get a chance, you can purchase Resilience here!
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