Since I am committed to taking my art seriously, I need a schedule. I need to make space for writing in my daily life. I need to make space for learning more about my art. I am both a student and a professional. I need to be both learning and doing.
I have decided to put myself through writing school, and I’m excited about it!
I wrote my own syllabus, selected my own books, and am creating my own assignments.
It looks something like this:
Writing School Syllabus
Student will:
- Understand and be able to identify the necessary parts of story
- Be well read in several of the top novels of all time
- Commit to daily writing/blogging assignments
- Understand what makes a strong novel and recognize strong character development and detail
- Learn to line edit – look at a sentence and alter, revise, expand and cut until it snaps properly into place
- Study what the life of a writer looks like and develop a personal writing plan, including vision casting, goals, a writing schedule and action steps.
Text Books:
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Additional Reading:
Classic Novels
Assignments:
- Note-taking for books
- Blog posts (3 per week minimum)
- Journaling with/to God
- Various writing exercises
Length of Duration:
Not sure exactly. 1 year? 2 years? 5 years? This will reveal itself as Writing School unfolds. Perhaps other classes will be necessary. Perhaps new text books will emerge. Novel reading should certainly always continue, as should writing consistently. Time will tell.
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I recently watched the movie Julie and Julia. One of the things that stuck out to me about Julie’s life is that she made time for her art, even while maintaining her other life commitments. She didn’t quit her job, she didn’t feel the need to run away from her husband and start a new life, she didn’t wait for a book deal to begin documenting her journey. She just started, right in the chaos of her already busy life. She got creative with the time she had and made space for a passion. It wasn’t easy. There were hiccups along the way. But she was committed. She was serious about her art. This is the kind of intention I want to practice as well.
If you could put yourself through school for something that you are passionate about, what would it look like? Could you create your own syllabus and your own space in your life to allow yourself to pursue it?
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Good question sometime I’ve been thinking about lately, but haven’t narrowed down yet. Hope to at some point though!
Julie and Julia is inspiring on many levels!
I’ve recently been scheduling out needed time for things too- you’ve got to or it won’t happen! 
Good luck with Writing School! 
That looks like a great syllabus! I would take that class! I’ve heard really good things about most of those books from writing professors. If you want another book (like you don’t have enough already!) On Writing by Stephen King is really good practical advice for writing, especially fiction.
I’d love to hear what classic novels you will be reading.
If you need a cheerleader or classmate, just let me know!
Yep, I liked all three parts.
Mandy,
I have a few of the titles in your writing book pile there. Ann Lamott is one of my favorites. 
Glad to connect with you here. I’m an artist also and a writer and an avid journaler. It’s nice to meet you! You have a beautiful family.
I would like to personally invite you to #JournalChat on Twitter. It’s a chat I host/moderate for all things journaling! You’re welcome to stop by and share the benefits and ask questions about journaling. The chat is every Thursday, 2 EST/11 PST for one hour. Here’s a link for more info: http://journalwriter.blogspot.com/p/journalchat-on-twitter-intro.html
Be refreshed,
Dawn Herring
@JournalChat and @journalwriter7 on Twitter
You’ve got me thinking, Mandy…
Love it! Thanks for the great series.
Oh Mandy, I am so impressed with this!! I think you are on to something! Anything
worthwhile takes work and sacrifice, and if you find that something didn’t go quite as you imagined it, just get right back on track or alter the plan. Which I think you already know how to do, since you’ve built in some freedom into your syllabus!!
For me…..I’d love to take a drawing class! I feel like that’s the basics of so much Art that I am drawn too (huh, a pun, here
). I want to look over someone’s shoulder and I want to hear the instuctor tell me about tips, shortcuts! I want something hands-on and interactive. I know that if this is meant to be for me, I will be lead to a class.
Good Luck and keep on reading and writing
Thanks everyone. I would love to hear, down the road, in what direction these thoughts stir your hearts!
Eden, thanks for the reminder that getting back on track or altering the plan is always a viable option!
These are good questions! My dream would be to create my own DIY MFA program. First though, I’m creating my own little art residency for the summer!
I wanted to suggest two writing books: a second Nathalie Goldberg book: “Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life” and “If You Want To Write” by Brenda Ueland. Both are inspiring! But really, it’s probably even better to just keep reading all the great authors and see the art in how they all string words together differently.
Cheers!
I would put myself through Music school. This is such a creative idea and it has inspired me to be more intentional in someway with learning to create music. I play the guitar but I want desperately to learn the piano, drums, banjo and so many others. So maybe I will put myself through school as well.
Thanks,
Will Deeds
Alone in my world, I think I’m alone in my thoughts and desires as well. Then I read that others want to “go to school” too and make up their own syllabus and schedule and hand themselves the degree the world cannot offer or validate. Thanks, Mandy…..your light is shining into one more window and the “messy canvas” is an open door finally for me. Blessings!
Insides jumping. Tears forming. Inspired.
Yay! Run with it. Can’t wait to hear about what is about to unfold in your life.
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