I’m back.
I think. Mostly. Or at least kind of.
January was a hectic, busy, overwhelming month where I took NOT ONE, BUT TWO Odyssey online writing classes (because I’m an overzealous glutton for work?). I learned a lot. I spent at least 15 hours a week on the classes (some weeks more). I wrote 24k words in total–and these weren’t first draft words, but were at least semi-edited and ready for classmates/teacher critique.
I also did all the normal things of life, like, you know, my actual paying job, parenting 3 kids, care-partnering with Gary, cooking at least some of the time (we survived on more frozen food than usual), and cleaning a bit (um, the house did suffer).
By the end of the month, I was pretty damned exhausted. I took the last 4 weeks off from any expectation of writing–I looked at a few things once or twice, but accomplished mostly nothing except rejuvenation. And that’s okay!!!!
So, Sarah, what did you think of the Odyssey online classes?
I learned a lot and I’m still absorbing everything. I would NOT recommend taking two at the same time (SO MUCH), but also? I’m glad I did, because the two classes were so very different–the teachers were quite different, the “style” of the classes were different–if I’d only taken one, I might have a completely different picture of the classes writ large. I’m proud of myself for working as hard as I did.
What were your classes about?
One focused on “emotional truth”–depicting realistic, evocative, compelling emotional stories in writing. The other focused on “realistic descriptions”–using descriptive text to establish character, mood, POV, etc.
I went in thinking the topics would be quite different, but actually felt an amazing level of congruity in what I learned. I’m ready to put some of this thinking and some of these techniques to work.
Would you recommend the Odyssey classes?
ABSOLUTELY. You’ll get as much out of them as you put in.
What are you going to do now?
I’m getting back to long-overdue edits for Rising Wolf, adapting SMASH for an adult market, and getting back to Marked. Edits first. Must finish or my editor may hunt me down.
Will you be around more on this blog and social media?
Uh, I’m not sure who’s asking, because I’m not 100% convinced anyone missed my presence, but YES, I’m gonna try really hard to be present. 🙂
Woot.
Sarah E. Stevens 