When I told friends I was going, some were surprised and said they didn't think I'd need to attend such a course. But my reasons for going weren't just about what I would learn on the day (and I learned a lot) but the opportunity to meet and be inspired by other likeminded writers.
The course ran from 10am until 4pm and the day simply disappeared. We barely had time to complete the agenda for the day but we managed to interview each another and undertake two writing exercises, all of which was very valuable. I spoke with two of the other attendees in our short breaks; one has done some amazing Tasmanian walks and is blogging and writing memoir, and the other completed the same online course I did last year with the Australian Writers Centre.
One question has always interested me and I had the opportunity to ask someone who knows. What is the difference between an essay, an article and a story? I have been writing 'articles' for the educational market for many years and the Australian Writers Centre refers to magazine writing as 'stories'. James told me that in his opinion, they are all the same.
Just making this discovery made the course worthwhile. The key is just to continue writing and not worry about the format. I just need to research and write what captures my heart and mind.
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