For me, the most challenging form of writing is absolutely poetry. Sure, I can find words that rhyme. But making a cohesive ‘story’ out of them? Then adding in all the meter and rhythm and such? That’s a bit out of my novel-loving wheelhouse. Make it a hiaku? Still too much syllable counting. And freeform is just…weird 😅
I attended The Writer’s Sanctuary’s Ren Faire Conference a couple weeks ago. (Which was a wonderful experience by the way! If you’re a writer looking for good community and solid teachings I highly recommend them) Anyway, when they asked us to write a poem in honor of our guilds, I could have said “Sorry, that’s not my thing,” and let another Falcon take up the torch. After all, this conference was about having fun! But I didn’t.
Why? Because this conference was also about learning and growing, stepping out of your comfort zone a bit. Honing skills you don’t ‘need’ isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I still have no intention to ever become a poet. But I may want to write a story with a prophesy. What if I have kids one day and Doctor Seuss has disappeared from the shelves? Or if magic suddenly breaks through the veil and it’s all music based? I’ll need the skills then!
So I wrote this little ditty. And you know what? I enjoyed it!
Bottom line? Push yourself to look for learning opportunities in areas you’re not comfortable with. You never know when you might need the skills, or what you might end up loving.
Tell me, what challenges you?
Writer Rae Graham 