(I hope you all got that SpongeBob reference. Don’t worry, I’ll explain later.)
Another semester finished. I only have one more to go, which is a little hard to accept, but I’m starting to feel ready. When I posted in January about all of the writing I would be doing this semester (read the post here), I was a little scared. I’m proud to say that I’ve done every single thing I wasn’t sure I could, and successfully if I do say so myself.
My creative writing portfolio now includes three 8-10 page stories that I am so completely proud of. Though I complained about rewriting and doing edits (read the post that’s much more positive than it sounds here), it was the best thing I could have done for those stories. I’ve never thought of myself as a short story writer, but this class made me feel like one. I got great feedback, honed my skills, and learned more than I thought I would.
My screenplay ended up being a 97-page apocalyptic family drama that I sincerely enjoyed writing. Though the assignment was a difficult one, especially in a semester in which I felt as though I was writing every single existing genre, the late nights and long days were worth it. I haven’t been so proud of myself for a long time.
But the biggest thing was this magazine. I already posted about it here, and I won’t restate what I’ve said, but it was perhaps the most rewarding project I’ve ever been assigned. The end result is something I never would have thought I could have produced, and despite the roadblocks along the way, I wouldn’t change anything about it.
So, to revisit the title (and I hope this doesn’t lessen your view of me)…in one episode, SpongeBob is supposed to be writing an essay (10 words – I wish my essays were like this) so that Mrs. Puff can allow him to graduate boating school. She gives him seven words to start off with: “What I learned in boating school is…blankity…blankity…blank!” Mine’s going to be more than ten words, but here it is.
What I learned at Baylor this semester is:
- school is hard, but don’t give up (you will sleep again someday, I promise)
- feedback and criticism only make your writing better
- you can do whatever you put your mind to