Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
My company has decided to have two four-day weeks in August. It will give maintenance a chance to do a few large jobs in a couple of departments. The four days we work will be extended days, so the hourly workers shouldn’t be hit by lost time. Salaried workers are salaried, so it won’t affect them either. So why is my nose out of joint? I’ll tell you why my nose is out of joint. My nose is out of joint because one of those four-day weeks is when I’m taking a week’s vacation to go to California and they’re making me use five days vacation for it!
I spent virtually all day in another department, doing a job that’s supposed to be split by one other person and me. The other person had a BIG conference call this afternoon. I was informed that he’d be unavailable because of this big conference call ten minutes before it started. This was after I’d already lost my lunch period because this person was unavailable to come out and assist with what turned out to be a big job. And this was after he pulled the same stunt yesterday. I’ve gotten no work done for any other department this week, and I’m so behind in some areas I don’t know where to begin.
Writing class tonight was more of the same. My favorite quote of the night is “Self-fulfilling prophecies usually are.” Huh? So when does a self-fulfilling prophecy not self-fulfill? If they don’t self-fulfill, then they aren’t a self-fulfilling prophecy, are they? Even I, who never progressed beyond basic logic, know that much.
I have been informed that I cannot start my story where I want to, that it’s a set-up to the story and I need to start later. Set-up should not be part of the story, I’m told. Now, tonight I’m informed that a story must start at some life-altering juncture for the main character. Which is exactly what I’d done. Oh, I was also told I could not start a scene with conversation, which I had done. And, since the first line of conversation was not by the main character, I was told I’d stepped out of viewpoint.
I know how to write. I know enough about writing to know that I don’t want to write something that is aimed at the lowest common denominator. I’m sorry if the average person cannot handle compound sentences and has to have a life-or-death situation on the first page of their novel or they won’t read it. I guess I’m not writing for the average reader. Perhaps I’m not writing for any readers at all. But regardless of whether or not I ever publish, whether or not I’m ever read by anyone but friends, I intend to be proud of what I write. And there is no way I can follow her rules and be proud of what results.
I endured two more hours of how to write tonight. At the end, Teacher nearly forgot to collect our assignment for the week. In the ensuing confusion, while everyone else was pulling out their pages and leaving them on her desk, I simply walked out. I did not turn in my assignment. I am not going back for the final two weeks.
It’s the first thing I did today that I feel good about.
Power to the Writers!
Hoo Ahh!
You go girl.
Good for you. I hope your last writing assignment is telling what you just wrote here. I would have liked to do the same in a couple of the classes I was forced to take for my degree. Damn, I’m jealous, that must have felt great.
I never have understood writing classes where the teacher tells a person what she can and can’t do. Stories are the writer’s creation… it’s like telling someone how they should raise their child. You have to do it a certain way because that’s the way it’s "supposed" to be. Case in point – I’d written a story spec for a screenplay where the character at the end doesn’t end up with anyone. My professor voided that idea. Hated it. Would fail me if I did it that way. He said "she has to end up with someone." I asked "why?" He responded with "because she does." I asked "Why?" He responded with "because she does. That’s how it works." Nevermind that the whole premise of the thing was about a woman standing on her own. It has to fit the formula. It has to be the way everything else is, you know, contrived and predictable.
Kudos for walking out. That takes more guts than I’ve ever had- that in itself is breaking the mold of student and mentor… an achievement in itself!
Wohooooo …..I actually am not suprised you have quit.
Now breathe in the sunshine and write as you so beautifully do!!
For some reason I had images of you being a Genie in a bottle, sitting on comfy pillow and writing what you were told. Now the top has been removed and you are free to write as we all love.Way to go!!
ck
xoxo
You sure stepped out of her view.
Write on!
HOO-HA!
i tip my water bottle to you!
let her figure out Your story. hehehe
~~~
ps. that vacation bit really stinks!
Hurrah!!! After reading some bad news this morning I’m delighted to read some GREAT news, i.e. that you walked out and won’t return to steel trap mind teacher. What did she ever write, I wonder.
but it’s a pity about your job. hopefully you’ll get to walk out on that, too.
hugs from thubten
Way to go. You showed more guts than I ever could have (quitting a class?! Yikes!) and I can bet that if you and she had published books, you would have sold more copies than her. One cannot write inside a box.
And, about that vacation time, I’ve got some pointy shoes that might do a trick or two…