October 9, 2008
When the student is ready…
Written by Shirley Karr in Jaunty PostWhen the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
Ever notice how you see different details when you watch a favorite movie again or re-read the same book? Same holds true for workshops. You can hear the same lesson over and over and each time you’ll get something new out of it depending on where you are and what you need.
Last weekend I attended a plotting retreat with five other writers, at a cabin several hours away. Since this was the first time leaving my baby overnight and with other things going on with my family, not to mention a transmission leak in my ‘65 Tempest, I wasn’t certain I’d be able to go until I actually pulled out of the driveway. Usually the drive to a retreat is a chance to get our chatting out of the way before writing, but this time I was alone, though I had company for the return trip.
So I’m cruising down the road, enjoying my car which I haven’t been able to drive in far too long because of the aforementioned leak that made it more of a cat perch in the garage than mode of transportation. I’ve got my favorite classic rock station blasting from the boom box on the seat beside me, when I realize the road I’m on and the highway I’m supposed to turn onto don’t actually intersect.
I missed a turn, about 20 miles ago. Should I turn back? I pull over and consult the map. The road I’m on is heading in the general direction I want to go and will … eventually … get me to my destination. I press on. There’s no radio reception here so I pop in a workshop tape. The road narrows then narrows again as we wind through the forest at the foot of Mt. Hood, surrounded by soaring evergreens dripping rainwater, a subdued background for brilliant pops of yellow, orange and flaming red fall foliage.
Above: the campground where I stopped to stretch my legs, since there were no fast food joints within 20 miles.
Below: The view when I got out of the car.
And I’m mesmerized by the workshop tape. Susan Mallery, on How to Write More. When the session was recorded live, I was sitting on the floor in front because it was SRO even before she started. But that was six years ago, and I’d forgotten much of the content. What I did remember was her method of increasing your page production. That’s what had captivated me because at that point I’d been working on the same manuscript for almost three years — a blazing fast pace compared to the four years to complete my first manuscript.
Because I’ve been struggling to produce pages since becoming a mom, I needed a refresher. This time I was captivated by an entirely different part of her presentation – her strong recommendation, and explanation of how — to have a schedule. A written plan of what you’re going to write (or revise or copyedit or propose, etc.) each work session, with time scheduled in for vacation, family emergencies, and play days for when you just don’t wanna. You have a plan with measurable, finite goals.
Before, just the idea of a written schedule gave me the heebie-jeebies. But Johnson & Johnson aren’t kidding when their ads say having a baby changes everything, because now I rely on schedules to keep my sanity, to track all the appointments for a toddler, husband and aging parents, as well as my own obligations. A major part of the lesson that I completely disregarded the first few times around is now the most helpful part for me. Amazing.
This idea might actually work. The baby’s sleep schedule recently changed slightly, giving me a tiny new window of free time most days, and now I have a plan to make the most of it. I was so excited I immediately listened to the tape again because hey, I had the time. I’ve never been so happy to have missed a turn.
I haven’t written the schedule yet (it’s just in my head so far) but as of today I’m 187 words ahead of my goal. Oh, and the retreat was productive, too. Plotted a really fun five-book series.
Have you ever had an experience like this? The new lesson learned, not the missed turn. Or either, I suppose. 
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Jessa Slade Says:
Yay for the road less traveled
And yay for the extra 187 words. I have too many lessons to contemplate. Just thinking about them scares me. Which is the lesson, I think; to write past the fear. Hmm, it’s too late to be philosophical.
Shana Says:
I am such a planner already, and I love workshops like that because they make me feel like I’m not completely OCD.
We all encounter bumps in the road, and it’s good to know that some of them work out for the best.
Kristan Higgins Says:
Good for you, Shirley! There are definitely times in life when we need to approach our tasks differently to get the job done. What’s worked in the past won’t always work. The great Sharon Sala once said to me, when I asked her for advice, “Prepare to change.” I thought that was pretty cool indeed.
Shirley Karr Says:
LOL, Shane!
That was exactly why it struck a chord with me, Kristan — the writing schedules and plans that worked before having a baby just don’t work now. I’ve been struggling to find new techniques to cope with the new situations.
And Jessa, late at night is the *perfect* time for being philosophical.