The Visitor
This is an in class writing assignment done as part of the Christian Writers Workshop. This was the first session of the Fall season and the two facilitators performed a "skit" at the beginning of the class. The purpose of the skit was to showcase a creative way to answer potential questions about how the workshop would operate over the next few weeks.
After class introductions, we were given an in class writing assignment: Tell me about the visitor to our class.
DRAFT I WROTE IN CLASS
Linda was excited. Nervous, but excited. She loves to write and when she heard about CWW starting for the Fall seasons he knew she had to go. But being new to a class was never easy. Who would be there? What would it be like? What would she need to bring? So many questions, no good answers.
She figured the best way to go about it would be to be as prepared as possible. She would bring her service cat along to help calm her nerves. She felt most comfortable in her patriotic gear (I mean who doesn't?) so she would dress to the nines in red, white and blue. It was a writing workshop so she would need a notepad and pencils for sure. Maybe a few extra just in case. She also didn't want to be embarrassed by not knowing any words that might come up so she would definitely bring her dinosaur book (Thesaurus) distant cousin of the brontosaurus she assumed.
In all her excitement to arrive at the class on time, she ended up parking in the wrong spot and had to take the long route into the church. She ended up being 10 minutes late and the door was locked. That didn't stop her from knocking though, and she kept knocking until they let her in.
She was ready to write and she was welcomed with open arms (and an open microphone) upon entering the classroom.
REVISED DRAFT
Linda was excited. Nervous, but excited.
She loved writing and wanted to get better. She had been looking for a group to help her learn as well as provide support and encouragement.
When she read about the Fall session of Christian Writers Workshop in Waco Today, she knew this was the opportunity she had been waiting for.
But being new to a class was never easy. Who would be there? Experienced writers who were already published? Or would it be people new to writing, like her? What would it be like? Would she feel welcome? Or like an outsider? What would she need to bring? What if she was the only one in the group that wasn't prepared?
So many questions, no good answers. But the words have been welling up inside of her and they need to come out. So despite the questions and the worry, she knew she had to go.
She figured the best way to go about it would be to be as prepared as possible. Better to be over-prepared than under right? First things first, she would bring her stuffed, emotional support cat. She always felt better with that cat under her arm.
The first day of class was September 11th, so she also felt it appropriate to dress as patriotically as possible. Maybe being dressed from head to toe in red, white and blue might seem a little eccentric to some, but weren't most writers a little eccentric anyway? Either way, if there was opportunity to chat with others in the class, she was sure her outfit would be a great conversation starter.
As she was packing up her backpack, she threw in a few extra notepads and a whole pouch of her favorite pens and pencils...and her Bible as well. It was a Christian Writers Workshop so she figured having her Bible with her couldn't hurt!
She also didn't want to be embarrassed by not knowing any words that might come up so she would definitely bring her word dinosaur book. She knew that her thesaurus wasn't a "word dinosaur book" but she enjoyed making people smile when she made her little joke about it being a distant cousin of a brontosaurs.
When she arrived at the church for class, she realized that in all her excitement in putting her patriotic outfit together and packing up her backpack to make sure she was prepared as possible, she was 10 minutes late!
She tried the door but it was locked. She felt a twinge of opportunity. She was so nervous to do something new. What if everyone laughed at her? What if what she wrote sounded stupid and silly? What if everyone else was published except for her? She could quietly just turn around and leave and no one would ever know.
Instead, she knocked. And as the door slowly opened, her writing journey began.
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