Masters of Creative Writing

I received the best possible news I could've hoped for late November just been. I've been writing, mainly poetry, since I was about 8 years old. It's always been something I've just kind of 'done', it's always come naturally for me and has been a great emotional aid in my life, especially during tumultuous times.

At the age of about 17 I became aware that one of New Zealand's most eminent poets, Bill Manhire (at that time his profile was still building toward the colossal form it takes on the New Zealand literary landscape presently) had created and was running a creative writing program at Victoria University in Wellington. Since then the mana of the course has grown and grown.

It's been something that I have often dreamed of as a kind of ultimate goal. It was a dream that sat somewhere on the outskirts of what I really thought I was capable of achieving, somewhere on a shelf along with traveling to the moon to look back at the earth and owning my own home in New Zealand, i.e; totally unattainable.

But what do you know, isn't life funny? I applied, and I got in! Dumbstruck, flabbergasted, discombobulated and rapturous don't even begin to describe what I felt when I opened my gmail account and saw the subject line from the IIML, "We are pleased to offer you a place in our program....". Talk about dreams do come true.

I think one of the biggest lessons I've learned from the whole experience, which is maybe not so much a lesson as an insight, is that I really do doubt myself and my talents. I am not saying I am superbly talented, but I do tend to undervalue myself. As soon as I had overcome the fully body shakes and desire to vomit upon reading my acceptance e-mail, I got to thinking and here's what I thought, "Well, If I got in, it can't be that hard to get into after all." My inner critic coming out in full force just to remind me that no matter what happens, I'm not that great. Thanks me.

So anyway, me, myself and I had a bit of a korero and I put ol' critic back in her place, which is outside in the swamp at night with all the outside lights off. I'm really proud to have gotten in, and I feel extremely lucky and thankful that I am someone who has a life where such a luxury is even possible. To spend so much on a year of post-grad study, to be able to afford it, to have a whole year to focus on nothing but something creative. I realise that not many have such an opportunity.

Thanks life.

One of the coolest things about the MACREW is the the IIML (International Institute of Modern Letters) is located in Glen Schaeffer House, a building which hangs on the edge of Mt. Victoria like an eagle's nest on a rocky outcrop of the Grand Canyon. The room in which we will hold our sessions is a huge glass cube looking out over the whole of Wellington Central and the harbour. Oh the bliss!!