Thoughts on Meeting my Writing Coach

Yesterday was the day I have fantasized about and wanted to occur since I was 15 years old. Finally, I would meet with a writing coach. Being riddled with all sorts of anxious second thoughts, was making me a nervous wreck. Every excuse I could think of  to cancel the meeting came to mind.  I am the Queen of backpedaling. Yesterday for about 2 hours I was in rare form. Lance Armstrong had nothing on me. I took a xanax at 9 a.m. and another at noon. Our meeting was scheduled for 1 p.m. I was really hoping I didn't fall out of my chair while we were talking. My heart wasn't pounding out of my chest or stuck in my throat the way it usually is before an anxiety attack occurs.  However, I was a long, long way from being comfortable in my own skin. Filled with self doubt I wondered, " How bad did I want to know the truth?"  What if he looked at me and said, "Lady, I can't help you!"  Could I handle that kind of criticism?  Probably not. At least not without throwing up.

I arrived at Denny's first. I ordered coffee and ice water. Thank goodness for the water because the last thing I needed was another cup of coffee. I waited about 10 minutes then Ed arrives. He couldn't have been nicer. He put me at ease. He told me he had read my blog and his favorite blog was "Intertwined".  His exact words were, "That's not a blog, that is a story" YES!!!  This is my favorite piece of work so far.  It is also the most controversial.  He went on to say that my work needs to be edited. He proceeded to go line by line and tell me different ways I could make the story better. What he would leave in and what he would take out. I agreed with most of what he said. However, there is one line I am leaving in.  I liked those words.

After the meeting was over we agreed to meet again the first Thursday in March. February has too much going on in my personal life to stop for a writing class. I look forward to the next meeting. In the mean time I have 'homework'. I am to work on editing my blogs.  Ed gave me specific things to look for, things to change and some words that need to omitted. It is going to be a challenge, but one I look forward to very much. 

I can now check off  item number 11 on my Bucket List. I have met with a writing coach and lived to tell the story.