“JUST DO IT AGAIN!”

I’m so happy to be here with YOU!

Finally… I’m meeting you in person!

I can’t believe it’s been over two years!

In April of 2023, I started a two-month online class through the Highlights Foundation called “JUST DO IT!” led by the amazing Sarah Aronson and Chris Tebbetts. (To read more about this, check out my post: https://www.rondibooks.com/just-do-it/.) The goal of this course was to be part of a collaborative support group to finish our drafts. There were weekly meetings on Zoom that provided us with tools to do this, as well as inspirational talks by Chris and Sarah, and the occasional guest speaker. We were also encouraged to participate in daily word sprints by joining an accountability group. Needless to say, everyone in this group was determined to “get it done.”

And many of us did. I wrote 24,000 words. I didn’t finish my draft, but I made a lot of progress. I also amped up my writing practice, connected with kindred spirits, and wrote half a middle grade novel. But how was I going to finish the second half? The workshop was over. My daily support group and accountability team were gone. After speaking to other class members who felt the same way, we decided to keep going.

Luckily for us, Dale-Marie Bryan (a fellow “Just Do It!” participant and now my dearest friend) kept us on task. She organized morning writing sprints, afternoon writing sprints, once a month read-alouds and a goal-setting googledoc. The read-alouds not only helped us revise, it also enabled us to truly get to know each other’s work.

Chris and Sarah attended many of these sessions and often wrote and read right alongside us. They also offered more “Just Do It!” classes and continue to host inexpensive monthly online sprints. (For more information, message Chris on FB.) We also invited the next group of “Just Do It” graduates to join us for sprints and read-alouds. And after two years of meeting online on a regular basis, we have definitely bonded. So much so, that when Chris asked if any of us would like to attend a writing retreat at the Highlights campus, fourteen of us said ABSOLUTELY YES!

At first, I didn’t think I could go. It’s quite a shlepp from Colorado to Honesdale. But the stars aligned. I was already going to NY the week before for my niece’s bridal shower. After spending a few extra days visiting family and friends, I rented a car and drove to Pennsylvania.

Spending time at the Highlights campus is always magical. Just ask anyone who’s been there. With the idyllic wooded setting, the cozy cabins, and the delicious farm-to-table cuisine, you can’t go wrong. This was my third time. However, the other two workshops I attended were mostly with people I didn’t know. It took a few days to connect and build trust. Gathering with the “Just Do It!” crew was a totally different experience.

The minute I arrived, I felt like I was at a family reunion. Or a getaway with camp or college friends I hadn’t seen in a long time. There were hugs and exclamations of glee. And after the initial thrill of finally being together in-person, we immediately got to work. Because that’s what we do when we’re together – WE WORK ON OUR STORIES!

And there was more. Sarah offered inspirational talks and morning yoga. Author/illustrator Daria Peoples joined us and did an art exploration. Chris asked if we’d like to workshop our manuscripts “theater-style” in the evenings. This entailed printing out 500-1000 words of a manuscript that contained a great deal of dialogue. We made multiple copies, highlighted (pun intended) individual parts and passed out the “scripts.” After an initial reading, people were assigned a role and got up and acted out the scene. Wowwy kazowwy! We were able to see our work in a totally different way. Some scenes needed more movement, heightened action, deeper emotion. Others needed a bit more description or a transition or two. We were all mesmerized by this exercise. We gasped at the dramatic pieces and laughed hysterically at the humorous ones. What a great editing tool!

I have to say, except for bidding farewell to the ridiculous number of ticks that had recently burst onto the scene, it was sad to leave. Sort of. We were heading home, but we also knew we’d be seeing each other again online the following week. Because this “Just Do It!” community is unstoppable!