Saturday, May 19, 2012

Helen Hunt - One Thing I've Learnt


One Thing I’ve Learnt …

I’ve been writing for seven years now, and teaching writing for nearly a year, and one thing I’ve learnt is that you never stop learning.

One of the most satisfying things about teaching writing is that I learn as much from my students as, I hope, they learn from me. Every time a student asks a question about writing it makes me examine how and why I write as I do. Every time I do a critique of a story for a student I learn something that I know will help me in my own writing.

I’ve also learnt that I love teaching. Explaining to others how short stories work, and how to write them well, is a joy. And when a student ‘gets it’, and I realise I’ve been able to help them achieve that eureka moment, it makes it all worthwhile. Recently, one of my students sold her first story and I think I was almost as excited as she was.

Learning as you go is one of the best things about writing, and as I continue to write, and try new and different styles of writing, I hope to keep learning, improving and being able to share that with others through teaching.

12 comments:

Liz Harris said...

I agree with everything you wrote, Helen.

They make me think back to that lovely film, The King and I, and to the introduction to Getting to Know You '...by your pupils you'll be taught...'

Liz X

Unknown said...

Ditto what Liz said and I love that film!!

lx

Philip C James said...

These days a remake would probably be entitled THE KING AND MYSELF.

Teaching writing must be almost as satisfying as writing?

Unknown said...

Philip - you always make me smile!
lx

HelenMWalters said...

Thanks, everyone. Yes, teaching writing is fabulous. I feel very lucky.

Sue Guiney said...

I think that teaching is one of those things that if the bug bites you, you stay bitten -- much like writing. I'm so happy for you that you found this other outlet for your creativity!

Unknown said...

Sue - i second that!
lx

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Great post Helen.

Karen said...

I think it's so true that you never stop learning. When I look back at stuff I wrote a few years ago I can see how far I've come, and will probably feel the same if I'm lucky enough to still be writing years from now!

Annieye said...

I have recently signed up and attended two of Helen's courses - The Hop On Hop Off online course was brilliant and well worth the very reasonable cost. It especially suits those students who are working elsewhere and find it difficult to attend classes.

Helen's workshops are a must if you live anywhere within reasonable travelling distance of Northampton. I spent a lovely Saturday in the company of other writers, and Helen's teaching style is just right.

You are so right, Helen, in that you never stop learning when writing, but I think that's what makes us writers because it seems to me that true writers never stop striving for perfection. I suspect, in our own heads, we don't ever reach it.

Diane Fordham said...

I am sure you are an inspiration to many people Helen :-)

Unknown said...

Annie - I think that is the case and it's probably a good thing although at times dispiriting...

Diane - Helen is an inspiration to me!

lx