Don't worry. Keep writing.

Today I had the pleasure of attending part one of three of a writing conference organized by the Indiana Partnership for Young Writers. When our writing coach asked me earlier in the year if I would be interested in attending to hear an influential and respected speaker, Katie Wood Ray, I jumped at the opportunity. Since I myself enjoy the art of writing so very much, I'm eager to sharpen my skills as a teacher of writing.

One of my favorite activities during today's session was time given by our presenter for all attendees to write in their notebooks. This is something that we ask students to do on a regular basis so of course it makes sense that we too must practice what we ourselves request of our students. As Katie Wood Ray put it while making reference to a rock climbing wall in the gym, we wouldn't try to teach a child how to climb it without trying it ourselves. We must practice what we preach as teachers.



I'll tell you that I was pretty excited about some free writing time. Armed with my new writer's notebook given at registration and a budding idea in my head (and two more writing times in the next conference days...hooray!), I was ready to begin brainstorming and drafting as my idea grew. As she finished giving her instructions, however, a sense of minor panic came over me. You see, our presenter told us that she or one of the other professionals would be meeting with us at some point to confer about our writing as we do with our own students in writer's workshop. It was one thing to write it in my notebook, but it was a whole other realm to think of sharing my diamond in the rough with someone who might criticize, judge, or dislike the piece.

I began realizing, though, how silly it is that so many of us are self-conscious about one form of communication over another. I answer the phone and talk to my friends without a second thought on a daily basis. I send emails to my family, friends, and colleagues. I jot a quick note in a card to someone dear, and I write on my friends facebook walls. Why should I really care whether someone highly values the work in this writer's notebook. After all, I've read books before that I have put down after the first chapter because I wasn't able to get hooked. It didn't necessarily label the author as a bad writer. I suppose it could, but it's probably more likely that it wasn't my style. For me, writing is a way to express myself and share my my ideas. It's a manner through which I can let my thoughts escape and perhaps be an inspiration, entertainment, or food for thought for a reader even if only for a short few moments. Blogging is one mode of writing which I have become very comfortable with, but my heads spins with the numerous genres, topics, and opportunities for writers. What do you like to write about? Why do you write? Where/what do you look to for inspiration? Comment and let me know if you'd like to share with a fellow (yes amateur) writer. Don't worry. Keep writing.