Yesterday was intense and as a result I’m somewhat low on sleep. Along with videos and story analysis, we had an assignment to write a science fiction or fantasy story based on the prompt she gave us.

I immediately had an idea for a science fiction story and worked on that. But SF is not easy for me at all. By 5:30 pm yesterday I had to make a choice. Do I continue on with the SF short story in which I was completely and utterly blocked? Or do I retreat to my happy place (maritime fantasy). I had about 1500 words but no story, no setting, and no real prospect for a story.

I walked and talked with Steve and he told me to move on to maritime fantasy. He said that I shouldn’t miss the deadline because my pride demanded I write SF. So at 6pm last night I started a new story was due this morning at 11 am. I wrote a romp titled “The Pirate Plague Ship Caper.” It was a lot of fun and it rolled through my fingers like a good story should. I finished it this morning and sent it in.

Today Kris Rusch will critique my first story along with four other people’s short stories. She’s a lovely reader and she noted things in the stories yesterday that I hadn’t noticed and didn’t realize were problems. But once she said them, I could see why I was confused or bored in certain portions of those stories. Also, apparently Kris Rusch is an expert in rabid raccoons and raccoon pack behavior. Who knew?

Today will be more videos, more story analysis, more techniques, and I am certain that we will get another assignment. It is intense, hard, and exhilarating. I’d really like to take this again in person, which I will be doing in 2022.

Once again, let me know if you have any questions or comments on the class and I’ll answer.

Be well, friends!