While writing a novel, I often tinker with ideas and resolve plot hiccups by attempting to sketch them out on paper. I lack the skills, though, to translate what's in my head onto the page.
So my pencils are sharpened, my school bag is packed. I start Sketch 1 tonight at our local community college. I am a beginner and I can’t wait.
When I was a classroom teacher, one of my favorite parts of the job was introducing a new skill, anything from long division to cursive writing. A buzz would go through the room as students played with the new idea, talked amongst themselves, tried it out, stumbled, and tried again. Then there’d be a ripple of excitement as one by one, they earned success.
Because even the smallest step is one not taken before, beginners are infused with the thrill of success. Lucky beginners. Lucky me.