Golden Tickets

Season 10 of American Idol kicked off last night. For those who truly do have some talent, and might just need some direction and a few good connections to make it happen, the show is a huge opportunity.

What I wouldn’t give for American WRITER. I’m watching these guys and girls who are “goin’ to Hollywood!” and I know how they feel. I felt that way when I sold my first article, and with every publication since. To be recognized for the one thing that you love to do, your dream, is a heady feeling.

Throughout these past 10 seasons of Idol, there have been those few voices that gave me goose bumps, made me hold my breath, even brought tears to my eyes. For writers…and lovers of the craft, it’s the same way with words. It's that line in the middle of a story that stops us, makes us think, won’t let us forget. That’s why I write. That’s what drives me. To get that one feeling, that one thought across. That’s what it’s all about.

I'm at the point with my writing where I've gotten that "Golden Ticket" to Hollywood. Now what? Will I continue to push out a few essays a month and be satisfied with the few pieces I sell, the small checks that come in the mail? Or do I realize that I have an opportunity now to use my success to propel myself forward, to push myself to tackle new formats, different genres, bigger publications.

I earned my BA in Writing at Webster University in 2005. How I'd love to go back for my MFA in Creative Writing. Speaking of college, one of my old professors, Steve Lattimore, described the best stories as those where the writer “puts the protagonist up in a tree, throws rocks at him, and then gets him down.” Steve is speaking at St. Louis Writer’s Guild next weekend. I took his Creative Fiction Writing class, and had the privilege of getting my work torn to shreds by him.

This is one speaker worth your time. Truly. His workshop, “Missed Opportunities and Misunderstandings in Writing Fiction” is Saturday, Feb. 5, 10:00 am – Noon at the Kirkwood Community Center. A golden ticket to this event is free to STLWG members, and just $5 for non-members. See you there!