Continued learning

by Cassie Shiels

Our ANWA sister, Carol Anne Olsen Malone, posted an article the other day that changed how I see stories and movies. It was one of those things where you went "Oh" and now everything is different. I am writing differently, reading differently and looking at movies differently. Here is the article in case you want to check it out too.

There were a lot of great points in this article but the one that really has sat with me and changed me in the world of storytelling is the Yes/but as well as the No/and point. I find myself evaluating a scene and looking for it to be a yes/but or a no/and event. Of course every scene can't be this way but its starting to be super fun looking for the pattern. I am also trying to put these into my own writing and it is making a change for the good.

So the point to all of this is continue learning. Like a lot of us, I don't have all the money in the world to attend all the classes and conferences that I want, but sometimes a book or even a short article can truly improve our writing. So look for it where you can. I know that some things hit people differently. I have read many articles and I think good points but that's it. Those are good reminders but sometimes we get to read something that changes us forever more.

Tiny tidbits can increase our learning and improve our writing, so if you can't make it to a class or conference don't fret about not being able to learn the craft. There are other ways to learn.