Posted by MYETX
aMULEts #4: The Runaway Mule Creative Writing Class
When I got my degree in Creative Writing in 2007, I believed I was on my way toward a career in teaching. Like any story worth telling, however, there were unexpected twists and turns.
Last night, at the first Runaway Mule Creative Writing class, I said that, when you break fiction writing down to its core, only two things are absolutely required. One is a character. You can have more than one, but you have to have at least one. It can be a he or a she. Human or animal. Even a talking car. But you’ve got to have one. The second thing: that character has to want or need something. That need creates tension, and there is the beginning of your story.
As I told the class, it works the same for nonfiction writing. I’m proof of it. I’m the character in this story, and I was, I thought, well on my way to this supposed teaching career. But something came up. An obstacle in the way. I needed a back-up plan. And out of that need came The Runaway Mule, my culture boutique in historic downtown Nacogdoches. We opened up in 2010 and have built the Mule into a real creative force to be reckoned with. We are a focal point for artists, writers, jewelry makers and other craftspeople from all over the area. As we near the completion of our second year, and as we settle into our new and improved location on Church Street, we’re adding to the scope of what we’re about.
Yes, we’re still about the best t-shirts in East Texas. Our 2012 Earthquake Season shirt has been a huge hit, with people coming from near and far to pick it up. The perfect shirt for the summer of 2012. The I’m Your Blueberry shirt was a huge hit again at this year’s Blueberry Festival.
Our jewelry has long been a strong point of the Mule, and we have begun to offer workshops in that area. Our first workshop drew a great crowd, and all left wanting more. More workshops have already been scheduled.
This week, we will add Mule Tales to our inventory. An anthology of local writers and writers with local ties, the collection features a novella by the great Joe R. Lansdale, great works by John A. McDermott, Christine Butterworth-McDermott and many more. I’m proud of the book and the generous support that all of the writers have given.
And finally, last night, I was able to accomplish a personal goal which completes a small part of the bigger story and opens up a whole new chapter. The Runaway Mule Creative Writing class. I was teaching writers what I’ve learned in my journey thus far. Putting my experience to work helping others. Was I nervous, walking into my first creative writing class as the teacher? I’m more nervous as a student. And I’m still learning all the time.
At the end of the first class, which meets again in another week, I was asked if I would be holding more classes in the future. I said that I hopefully would be, but that the next class would likely be going over much of the same information. That’s okay, I was told by one of the writers. I think I’d like to come back and sit in again.
We talked last night about trusting your characters and letting them lead you through the story. Thanks for trusting me and allowing me to do the things I do. Not planning out every detail. Allowing the story to surprise you. Those are really good things.
