I’ve been taking a ton of fiction writing classes, some in-person and most online. Two weeks ago, I was at a thriller fantasy class (yes, a mashup of two genres).
I successfully wrote three stories. Not one of them was a thriller. Not one. (At one point, I said, “Genre, shmenre” in the class.)
I “failed,” and still learned a ton from that class.
Now, I’m taking an online craft workshop about voice (how writers write to change how the readers feel about the character), and it’s whupping my tush. So, so hard. I’m doing the homework and realizing a little about how much more I need to learn. Yes, I’m learning a lot in that class, too.
I’m in the Chaos part of the Satir Change model for my fiction learning. I am firmly in Chaos, where my performance is uneven. And, I’m excited about being in Chaos with my writing. I feel as if I’m poised at the start of something fun and cool.
But, there are at least two kinds of Chaos: where I choose to change; and unexpected imposed change.
Chosen Change vs Imposed Change
I drove to an appointment yesterday and encountered a detour. I got lost and was promptly in Chaos.
That’s because Boston has two seasons for roads: Winter and Roadwork. My normal route was in Roadwork and I missed the detour sign because another driver had pulled out in front of it. (Boston drivers.) But I’d left enough time to get to my appointment. I wasn’t worried, even though I was in an unknown part of the world.
If I’d stayed lost for another few minutes, I would have pulled up Waze or Maps or something, to find my way out of twisty narrow roads. (Yes, driving felt like the old Adventure game.)
I can’t do anything about change someone else imposed, such as detours. I have to live with it and use my resilience to adapt. (See How Can You Reframe Resilience As Bouncing Forward to the Next Decision?)
When I choose to change, I can be excited. When the world imposes change? Well, who knows what I’ll feel. I often feel, “I’ll figure out how to deal with this.”
But sometimes, even if we choose change, Chaos feels like it’s “Too Much for Me Right Now.” That’s when we need to make Chaos feel better. And for me, that’s all about finding the Transforming Idea.
My Options for Making the Chaos of Learning Feel Better
When I find the Transforming Idea faster, I can make my Chaos feel better:
- Practice more. Do the thing that has me in Chaos.
- Learn more. Do I need to learn something specific that will allow me to move out of Chaos faster?
- Sleep on it and then practice the next day. Sometimes, practice and then sleep allow me to realize what my Transforming Idea is.
Do you do something different? Let me know.
Transform Chaos to Excitement
Because I choose to improve my skills with learning—which means Chaos—I’m more adaptable about my choices. External changes, such as detours? I don’t have as much flexibility as I want. But detours don’t last forever.
And I want my new skills to last forever—or set the stage for even more learning. Which makes me excited about learning these new skills.
My dear adaptable readers, that’s the question this week: How can we make the chaos of learning feel better?