I spent virtually all day in another department, doing a job that's supposed to be split by one other person and me. The other person had a BIG conference call this afternoon. I was informed that he'd be unavailable because of this big conference call ten minutes before it started. This was after I'd already lost my lunch period because this person was unavailable to come out and assist with what turned out to be a big job. And this was after he pulled the same stunt yesterday. I've gotten no work done for any other department this week, and I'm so behind in some areas I don't know where to begin.
Writing class tonight was more of the same. My favorite quote of the night is "Self-fulfilling prophecies usually are." Huh? So when does a self-fulfilling prophecy not self-fulfill? If they don't self-fulfill, then they aren't a self-fulfilling prophecy, are they? Even I, who never progressed beyond basic logic, know that much.
I have been informed that I cannot start my story where I want to, that it's a set-up to the story and I need to start later. Set-up should not be part of the story, I'm told. Now, tonight I'm informed that a story must start at some life-altering juncture for the main character. Which is exactly what I'd done. Oh, I was also told I could not start a scene with conversation, which I had done. And, since the first line of conversation was not by the main character, I was told I'd stepped out of viewpoint.
I know how to write. I know enough about writing to know that I don't want to write something that is aimed at the lowest common denominator. I'm sorry if the average person cannot handle compound sentences and has to have a life-or-death situation on the first page of their novel or they won't read it. I guess I'm not writing for the average reader. Perhaps I'm not writing for any readers at all. But regardless of whether or not I ever publish, whether or not I'm ever read by anyone but friends, I intend to be proud of what I write. And there is no way I can follow her rules and be proud of what results.
I endured two more hours of how to write tonight. At the end, Teacher nearly forgot to collect our assignment for the week. In the ensuing confusion, while everyone else was pulling out their pages and leaving them on her desk, I simply walked out. I did not turn in my assignment. I am not going back for the final two weeks.
It's the first thing I did today that I feel good about.