If at first you don't succeed... by Sheila Johnson

I am coming to the end of a year studying the MA course in Creative and Critical Writing at my local University of Gloucestershire. I will be leaving (hopefully)with a certificate. But what have I learnt? Loads.

Much of our studying has, of course, been online at home, as this picture suggests. Although my study isn't anywhere near as tidy as this one but much more like the one below.

However, I would say that I have, to some extent, achieved what I set out to do, write better. 

In the penultimate week, for example, producing, in our class workshop, what I deemed to be my final submission for one of my assignments, I was told by my lecturer that my writing was - 'disconnected and superficial' Hard words to hear at that late stage. I have never prayed so hard for God to turn things around. After all, he is the Creator and the supreme Author. Thankfully, he did. 

I decided instead, to re-submit an earlier piece of character memoir which my lecturer then said he had really enjoyed reading and that it was my strongest piece yet. I think that's the main lesson I have learnt - if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. 

Recently, I was listening to an online talk by the prolific writer, Jeffrey Archer. He says that he edits each of his manuscripts at least 14 times. When recounting this to a journalist, the journalist, instead of commending him, to Archer's surprise, said 'Only 14, it should be at least double that!' We cannot edit too much it would seem. I have certainly written and rewritten my work many, many times. Practice may not make perfect but it can certainly make the finished product a whole lot better.

Sheila Johnson lives in Cheltenham and is a qualified journalist who has written for a number of publications both local and national. She has also written two books under her pen name Sheila Donald, Alpha Male and Waireka. Her website can be found at www.journojohnson.com