Ancora Imparo: A Journey Toward Excellence

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. I could sure use a writing getaway this month to keep up with my NaNoWriMo word count!

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.



One Story’s Sirenland. Held in Positano, Italy, overlooking the Tirreno Sea. Ahhhh. John Steinbeck’s quoted on the Sirenland site as saying: “Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” Dreaming’s the necessary first step in writing. To open the flow to the dream, ten writers work with La Sirenuse writing instructors in “intense” workshops. Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love made me yearn for genuine Italian cuisine, and even the La Sponda restaurant’s described as having “a magical atmosphere.” Almost sounds like a week in heaven.



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

Hawaii Writers Conference. Honestly, the conference strikes me as less of an intensive writing workshop than a get-together with other writers, complete with concert this year by Norah Jones. The six-day retreat sounds more down-to-business. 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.

Photos: Sirenland web site, Zoetrope Short Story Workshop web site; video from YouTube

Cate Masters writes fantasy/dark fantasy, historical, contemporary and speculative fiction, described by reviewers as “so compelling I I did not want to put it down,” “such romantic tales that really touch your soul,” “filled with action scenes which made it a riveting story,” and “the author weaves a great tale with a creative way of using words that makes the story refreshing to read.” Visit Cate online at www.catemasters.com, www.catemasters.blogspot.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.