Ancora Imparo

by Cate Masters
Translated from Italian, Ancora Imparo means I am still learning. Michelangelo was said to have spoken these words at age 87. An indication, perhaps, that humility is as much a part of the creative process as drive and an openness to new things.
Writing is perhaps more of a challenge than painting in that authors must construct words in a way that will evoke a reaction in a reader. Not merely detailed descriptions to build a vivid story world, but we must make readers invest themselves in the story enough that they care about the outcome, share the emotions of the characters and keep reading.
No small task. And I find each new story presents a new challenge. As a writer, I want to reach beyond what I’ve already done, always striving for that next level. Never do I want to feel completely satisfied with my work.
So I have a wish list. A writer’s bucket list, if you will. At some point, I want to further my writing education with these workshops.

Robert McKee’s Story Seminar. Not just for screenwriters, McKee’s seminar is geared toward every aspect of storytelling. Novelists find themselves sitting next to playwrights, filmmakers, producers, journalists and actors, sometimes very famous ones who recognize the importance of continuing to learn their craft. Since I can’t get there in person, for now I settle for YouTube snippets like the one below.



Zoetrope’s Short Story Workshop in Belize. Held at Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge, the editors of Zoetrope All-Story will lead the 2010 workshop, limited to 25 participants to allow for greater individual attention.

Hawaii Writers Conference. Honestly, this strikes me as less of an intensive writing workshop than a get-together with other writers, complete with concert this year by Norah Jones. But hey, it’s Hawaii, and I’ve always wanted to go. Research I conducted for Going with Gravity, my current release with The Wild Rose Press, revealed the complexities of the Hawaiian language. The meaning of the word Hawaii itself is such a gorgeous example – ‘Ha’ means ‘the breath of life’ and ‘wai’ means ‘fresh or living waters’ plus ‘i’ refers to ‘the divine in each of us.’ No wonder it’s such a beautiful inspiration! And inspiration is another essential component to writing. And I still have much to learn.

Cate Masters’ novels, novellas, short stories and flash fiction appear at epublishers The Wild Rose Press, Eternal Press, Wild Child Publishing/ Freya’s Bower and Shadowfire Press. Her flash and short stories appear at such web zines as Cezanne’s Carrot, The Battered Suitcase, A Long Story Short, Dark Sky Magazine, and The Harrow. Visit her online at www.catemasters.com, www.catemasters.blogspot.com or follow her on Facebook or on Twitter.