Heading Back to School

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It's all good.

Actually it's great.

And yet I feel intimidated as hell.

Starting this Friday, I am back in school. I am starting an MFA program with an 8 day residency intensive. I will be surrounded by literary writers.

I am am just a little old business writer. Oh, the feelings of inadequacy!

So here is what I have decided. I am going to soak in the feelings and embrace the role of learner. I WILL raise my hand to share my poems even though I fear being laughed at or, worse yet, pitied. "Oh, that poor little old business writer, she is so behind everyone else. Must be hard."

Phooey - Yes, I know they won't likely think that, but I will think they think that. And if I think they think that then they might as well think that because when I think that it is real. Follow?

Embrace...soak...be INTO the not knowing. That's my plan.

My back up plan is to appear obtuse and act like people don't get me. I'm guessing they'd see right through that so I better stick with jumping in with both feet.

Submitted by Lisa Haneberg, Management Craft blog, and little old business writer.

Comments

[patti digh]

Lisa - ah, you are jumping into water I've looked at longingly from shore. There is a wonderful MFA program near me - and every year, I download their application...and every year, I see that they only accept 10% of the applicants and decide that I couldn't possibly make it. Like you, I'm making the transition from business writing - and in my first writing class, taken this past spring - I found myself constantly apologizing for my business past, feeling like I couldn't possibly make the transition from that, feeling that the other people were really the artists and I was the imposter writer...so I understand, I think, how you feel! The difference? You applied, you got in, you're going! Have fun with it, enjoy the words, play. Congratulations!