What I really want to do is teach writing

What I really want to do is teach writing; not because of the adage, those who can't teach, but because I see all of my five previous rambling and wandering years of seminary leading up to being a guide for people to be more creative, imaginative, and artful in their expressions of what is most vital in their lives. Even my thesis is aimed at liturgists who want to make worship more poetic and engaging. There are two experiences in seminary that stand out as high points of discernment, moments when everything prior to that moment clicked into focus and I said, Yes, this is what I am meant to do. The first was when I led a writing workshop as part of my ministry internship, and the second was when I taught a class on writing liturgy. For both the workshop and the class I followed some of the methods and exercises found in Writing Alone and With Others by Pat Schneider and the results were great. Participants were writing beyond their inhibitions and getting something valuable out of the experience, as far as I could tell. I received very positive feedback from a number of participants. I felt like I had found some magic formula for doing what I loved and having it mean something.

Reflecting later, I thought it would be a good idea to start leading writing workshops locally, but figured I would wait to get actual legitimate training. Pat Schneider began Amherst Writers & Artists to teach her method to workshop leaders who would then teach writing in their communities. This isn't for professors (though I doubt they would be turned away), but for those who want to work in their communities--in homes, jails, community centers--to teach writing to anyone with interest, because, in their estimation, a writer is anyone who writes. The method sets up a nonhierarchical structure in the workshop so that the teacher is on an equal footing with the students, and is a nonthreatening atmosphere so all are free to write and share what they please. A lot of it jives with the theories of William Stafford, who wrote a lot about the practice of teaching writing with a pacifist's outlook on the educational process. And one of the most assuring parts is that people can make a living at this! As I told my wife, if people in Richmond will pay for yoga, chances are good they'll pay for writing classes.

I've decided that I want to apply to the AWA training, but it looks like I need some more experience with the method, plus a serious amount of money, to even get my foot in the door. So if I decide to go ahead with this, I'll hold a few practice workshops this summer, and maybe one or two later this spring. Then if it feels like a good enough fit I'll start a class in the fall, probably free of charge or dirt cheap at first. Then, with some experience I can apply to the training and make a go at teaching writing for a living. We'll see how it goes.