Working with a Skillshare workshop

Working with a Skillshare workshop

Sep 05, 2021

I recently joined a Skillshare workshop, “Write Tiny, Beautiful Things: The 28-Day Flash Fiction & Poetry Challenge" where in two classes, I will create one flash fiction piece and one poetry composition illustrated with Instagram photos. The workshop begins Monday, September 6, and runs until Monday, October 4, yet I was able to access the workshop earlier. 

The first of the two classes I’m taking will be "Fast Flash Fiction: Write Tiny, Beautiful Things" with writer and teacher Kathy Fish. The second will be "Instagram Poetry: Create Personal, Visual Vignettes for Self-Expression" with poet and performer Alison Malee. 

Lately, I haven’t done much writing in terms of creating a long-term project such as a novel or novella, or even a project that would require a briefer time span like a short story. Mostly to maintain my creativity, I’ve been penning answers to writing prompts, some of which I posted on my Instagram, and here and here on my blog

However, recently, I’ve been doing a lot of editing of past works as well as critiquing other authors’ works; training myself on how to increase my writing, publishing, and business skills; and self-promotion. I get that marketing is important for a writer to do. It’s not that I can’t market as an ability; it’s the time and energy devoted to it. I would love to hire a marketing manager to assist me with this, but it’s all a matter of what can be done. 

I have written and published flash fiction before, so this genre isn’t new to me. One is called “Blind Insight,” published in February 2017 on author, speaker, and editor Morgen Bailey’s website as a “Flash Fiction Friday” feature.

Here’s an excerpt from “Blind Insight”:

A man who had been wealthy and blind from birth saw the world much more clearly than how some people with sight could see, for he sought only people’s inner beauty, heart, and mind. He sought out beauty beyond the physical aesthetic. He sought out the godly spirit in humans wherever he went.

And he found it. 

What’s new to me regarding this workshop, however, is the poetry with Instagram. I’ve written poetry (“A Symphony of Silence” is available for purchase on Amazon Kindle and other online bookstores), but not illustrating them with Instagram posts.

Seeking a creativity boost, I decided to enroll in the workshop. We'll see where this workshop and revitalized creativity will take me. “Fast Flash Fiction: Write Tiny, Beautiful Things” is "a creative boost for anyone who finds themselves blocked or in a rut,” Kathy Fish said in the introduction video. So far, in taking this class, I really believe that! I read some excellent flash fiction (one which was funny and made me laugh), and now I’m working on ideas that I could use for my class project. 

To access the workshop, click here. (Please note that I receive no compensation for promoting this).  

Teresa Edmond-Sargeant is an award-winning journalist and author. She released her first collection of short stories "Inner Demons" in October 2020. She is the author of the short story ebooks "Eve the First,""For My Sister," and "Sammy's Butterflies" "A Symphony of Silence" is her second poetry collection. Her latest short story “Healing” is published on Short Fiction Break.

Enjoy this post?

Buy teresaesargeant a coffee

More from teresaesargeant