The table at the entrance of my quaint local cafe was always overflowing with flyers. On this particular day, last August, I can only assume it was kismet that made me offer it a second glance. That’s how I saw the call for Writing on the Wall’s What’s Your Story? class for unemployed creatives. “Everybody has a story to tell,” the flyer cried. Yes! I do! Within an hour, I was registered.
I went in with no expectations and an open mind. We were asked to think about what we hoped to achieve with this course. I think a lot of us were looking for something similar: Confidence. Our class ranged from poets to businessmen; from the young to the wiser; the published to the undiscovered. This eclectic mix meant I knew there was would be plenty to learn from each other. The comfort and trust we developed as a team allowed all of us to open up and be vulnerable with our stories.
It has been over six months and a new confidence has fuelled me. No, I don’t think I'm the most eloquent, brilliant writer-mind to emerge from society (yet). But thanks to What’s Your Story?, I'm now keen to share everything I write, no matter how rough or random, and eager for feedback to continually improve my skills. I used to put so much pressure on myself, believing I had to be perfect the first time around. I have now found the sheer beauty in making mistakes and learning from them; watching something clumsy and confusing evolve into a fluid and engaging story.
An organisation that offers a free creative writing course every year is cause for celebration and inspiration. It comes from a place of passion and understanding that being a creative mind is not a gift we can stifle, and one that deserves to be encouraged and nurtured. I’ll admit, the pressures of this so-called Real World, and especially unemployment, had burdened me for a long time. This course and the support offered from WoW has shown me how to be true to my authentic creative self and what drives my personal passion. I have set writing goals for myself I wouldn't have dreamed of half a year ago; for example, I have promised myself I will enter WoW’s Pulp Idol contest next year!
As a group, we have been spoiled with the compassionate, versatile minds of Sarah MacLennan, Mandy Coe, Curtis Watt, Maurice Bessman, and Colin Watts who have taught us all how to engage our creativity. It’s far from a “Don’t Do That, Do This” classroom experience. Rather, they exquisitely work with an individual’s strength to bring out what each student has to offer to the world. And that’s the heart of What’s Your Story?: Every person who lives and breathes has a unique story to write that no on else is capable of telling. Writing On the Wall knows this and they have offered this encouraging platform to give voice and confidence to those who maybe weren't so sure of themselves. I will miss this class dearly, but I am so grateful for the indispensable connections I have made and the newer, stronger voice I have found.
Janelle Ralph
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