Hello everyone and as always thanks for stopping by. These are the co-hosts for October 2018’s Insecure Writers Support Group brought to you by Alex J. Cavanaugh and his team of co-hosts: Raimey Gallant, Natalie Aguirre, CV Grehan, Michelle Wallace.
Be sure to stop by and show them all a little love!
February 6 Question Besides writing what other creative outlets do you have?
I love writing speculative fiction and blogs. That can be said about most if not all of us.
But I also write online courses. I have for almost 20 years. I remember my manager at the time encouraging me to take online courses. This was back in dial-up modem days.
I flipped through the catalog and knew I could teach many of these classes. I took a yellow marker and highlighted every course that was NOT offered online (some were physical classroom, some online and some both). Then I took a black pen and crossed out every class I could not or did not want to teach (like under water basket weaving).
What was left were physical classroom courses I could teach and pitched the school. They took a chance and rolled the dice with me and that was the start of me becoming an online instructor.
I branched out on with my personal online courses with mixed results. I’ve recently brought these into the 21st century and transitioned from written content to videos. I’m currently in the editing stage. I’m super doper excited to have my beta people review selected segments and give me their feedback, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Question Does your writing expand beyond novels and blogs? If so, what are they? Thanks in advance for sharing.
Another IWSGer said she's creative with gardening, and I'm picking that hobby, too. I love gardening, though not as much as writing! You write online courses? How cool are you. :) Happy IWSG Day, Stephen! http://www.raimeygallant.com
ReplyDeleteRaimey, we do small gardens the kids need to know how to do this for many it's a forgotten past time.
DeleteI write a column for, and edit a monthly newsletter at work. I'm also called on to edit when my peers have critical things to write and want a solid eye. As for creative, I love to take a walk with my camera, and yes, I garden, too.
ReplyDeleteLiza, gardening is making a comeback good for you!
DeleteThat was a smart idea to pitch those classes. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alex!
DeleteThat sounds like a great outlet to have, and you're helping others too. Win-win!
ReplyDeleteNick, win-win is what makes life so much better.
DeleteYou write online courses! How many of us began writing fiction because we read a novel and thought, "I can write one of these." You did exactly that with online courses. I love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks CV I believe this is a common thread although manifested in different outlets for so many people.
DeleteThat's really cool. I didn't think about how *someone* had to be writing those online courses.
ReplyDeleteThanks Deb for stopping by. I'm trying to reciprocate but Google + is a pain and I'm not able to no matter what I try.
DeleteI haven't thought of my blog as being creative, but you're right that it is. Good thing because it takes up a lot of my time.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, the creativity is in the diversity of your guests. Well done.
DeleteIs that the project you started a while back? The Launching Pad?
ReplyDeleteDiane, I'll send you an email this weekend.
DeleteI used to develop online classes, but now I write a lot of publicity stuff and articles. It's a different kind of writing and I think it keeps me fresher in the fiction department.
ReplyDeleteLife evolves and we have to evolve with it. Good luck to you moving forward.
DeleteI write articles and books about writing - does that count?
ReplyDeletePatsy, sure does and I'm sure this helps aspiring writers.
DeleteMy writing consists of blogs and books. Don't have time for much more. Very smart figuring out what online classes were needed.
ReplyDeleteDiane, thanks for stopping by and yes often all it takes is that extra effort to separate you from the rest.
DeleteWhat sort of online courses do you write?
ReplyDeleteI don't personally consider my blog posts (which are mostly how-to posts) a creative outlet. It's more business than creative. But my blog as a whole could be said to be creative, like designing it, etc. Plus, it helps creatives. ;)
Chrys, thanks for your perspective. Balancing the creative and the business side is vital to being able to move forward. The business side supplies the resources to continue being creative.
DeleteMy creativity expands to more artistic pursuits like painting and jewelry making.
ReplyDeletePatricia, I like painting sure wish I had more time I just need to make more time.
DeleteHah! I well remember dial up. Also remember how long it would take for a program to load, walking away to put the time to good use, only to return and find the load had stopped due to an "error." Don't miss those days!
ReplyDeleteWriting-wise, I write and edit a newsletter for a food/wine group I belong to, and have been published in their national magazine. For some reason, I don't really consider it "writing." Otherwise, I've written some bad poetry, a few short stories, and am well in to the first draft of my first "serious" work, a paranormal/horror novel.
Lee, thanks for stopping by. A food/wine group would be fun for sure. Good luck with that.
DeleteOnline courses sound like a cool way to be creative! Good luck with your editing!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, thanks for stopping by!
DeleteThat is fantastic, writing online courses. Definitely creative. Good luck editing them!
ReplyDelete*Reads the part about dial-up. shudders. Takes a deep breath and moves on.*
Haha yeah we've sure come a long way from dial up.
DeleteFascinating. Sounds very creative to me. I wouldn't know where to start. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteBeverly, long time no see thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI agree with other sounds very creative and a very clever too. Happy IWSG!
ReplyDeleteThat's impressive, outside the box, creativity.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great outlet! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeletewww.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com