Hi guys :) these are the questions I asked myself before I joined a creative writing group at my local theatre a few weeks ago (quite an expensive writing course, to be precise). I was experiencing what I like to call a gust of fearlessness, underlaid with the terror that I would feel too scared again soon. As a result I Googled writing courses in my area, booked and paid for the first course I would be able to attend and ended up sipping coffee with a bunch of strangers in a secret room adjacent to The Round (the actual stage, where the plays are put on) trying to listen to a pasty, hippie looking guy who goes by the name of something something synonym for nuts Basil something on Twitter (not real username obviously) talk whilst trying to ignore classic Alan Ayckbourn being screamed by actors through the wall. Not a serene meditative writing zone really. We can’t even flush the loo because it’s in a tiny awkward room in the space between the stage and our hijacked conference room, and us creative writing rebels have to sneak out and try to defecate quietly in the presence of the Gods (of creative writing and screaming all the way to the back of the auditorium and through the following wall. Unlucky if you have trapped wind or anything.) Plus there is only like 12 of us in total and we’re lucky if all 12 show up on the night. There was supposed to be 13 but the elusive and mysterious Claire is a no-show. I don't have the answers to those questions. They will vary from day to day, context to context, person to person, culture to culture. Oh, and sometimes Dave ‘gets trapped in his house.’ I have yet to figure out if he means literally. I realize I am not painting a great picture. But I hope your getting an impression of a fun, yet challenging endeavour with a weird (and awesome!) level of intimacy between it’s participants. It’s been a few weeks, a few days really, and already we feel like a family of sorts. I’m going to be gutted when it’s over. What I’m trying to say - is do it if you’ve been thinking about it. Or even if your only just thinking about it now. It’ll be worth it. The awkwardness - which is sadly immortal - is outweighed, always, but moments of hilarity, and awesomeness that will live in your memory for all eternity. That was week 2 for me. I caused uproar with a skit in which an evil psychology teacher threatens to lock an animal care student in a storecupboard with her hamster Sigmund, a six year old stapler, and instructions on how to perform an ethical rat castration until she gets bored enough to attempt it. True story. (in my head.) I was pleased with what I’d written, but I was surprised by the reaction because I didn't think I was capable of sparking that. The awkwardness lingers, but my neurosis has gone down and I have proven to myself that I can cope with horrifying situations like reading out my to people I barely know (who are all at least 10 years older than me and are super cool and one has AN AGENT so I don't know wtf she’s doing there anyway. She just shrugs that away and walks it off in her awesome Simpsons thigh-high converse trainers.) I hope you guys do the same, because it really is totally worth it.
p.p.s sorry I haven't been chatting to my old friends as much as I used to, I am pretty busy at the moment, but I’m still thinking of you and behind you (not literally.)
