Masterclass with Fiona McIntosh
This time last week I was arriving in Adelaide and making my way to the hotel. I'd survived the drive, Melbourne airport and the flight, and I was looking forward to what I'd hoped would be an inspiring and worthwhile experience. It was a whole lot more.The Commercial Fiction Masterclass with Fiona McIntosh has been a life changing experience. So much so, it's hard to put into words. What I can say, is that it's cemented to me how much I want to be a published author. And that with a lot of hard work, I can achieve this goal.It's also made me realise that I don't want to just publish one or two books. I want to do this for a very long time. I want to publish ten books, twenty books! I may be getting a little ahead of myself, but that's just how empowering Fiona is. And it's how inspired, dedicated and determined I feel. I'm bottling this feeling and keeping in on my desk to inhale each day I sit down to write.Masterclass is difficult to wrap up in a blog post. It's so much more than a writing course.We covered everything from the writing process; shape, rhythm, structure, character, dialogue, drama, conflict, through to the subtleties of great storytelling. Fiona taught us about the importance of writing daily, and creating a writing contract with yourself. We learned about the publishing process, writing synopses, and pitching.But that brief run down doesn't capture the essence of the five days with Fiona.Fiona is more brilliant than I ever imagined. Her enthusiasm for writing and storytelling is infectious. Her knowledge and experience, vast. But it's her warmth, her humour, her grace, and her commitment to supporting and nurturing emerging writers that really shines.I like to think that sometimes things happen for a reason. And this is exactly how I feel about Masterclass.For this shy, little introvert, it was a gigantic leap out of my comfort zone. Travelling alone for the very first time, the guilt associated with leaving my family behind, and the fear that I would walk in and be exposed as a fraud. They were all real fears I had to confront. And I did it.I learned so much more than I ever thought I could and I shared it with sixteen other like-minded inspiring writers. My tribe. After sharing such an amazing experience we now have each others backs. And I can't wait to celebrate their successes along the way.Masterclass has changed me. It has changed my writing, the type of writer I am, and the person I am. All in a positive way. And it happened for a reason. Hopefully that reason being, to prepare me for a future in writing. If you are interested to know more about Fiona McIntosh's Commercial Fiction Masterclass, you can do so on her website.