This looked like an interesting course for two reasons. Firstly, I like short-form writing. I think it’s vastly underrated, by Google at least. Good Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) practice may decree that the ideal blog post length is between 1760 and 2400 words, but I prefer to write for people rather than an algorithm. Besides, I think short-form writing requires more skill in some respects, because you don‘t have the room for redundant words or persiflage.
The second reason that the course appealed to me was that I thought I might learn a few things, and pick up some tips, about social media that I was not already aware of.
The course got off to a bad start for me. The first session commenced around the time we were dealing with the homecoming of a close relative from hospital. This was something of a debacle through no fault of our own, so I joined the session late and on a phone, neither of which was ideal.
However, the tutor’s (Homan’s) laid-back attitude and friendliness ensured that the group gelled together nicely.
Over the three sessions I experimented with poetry, and ultra-short videos (an example of which is below) and, of all things, Tik-Tok. I also learnt about one or two apps I hadn’t heard of before, which I may try out one of these days.
I feel that the writing I did on the course, and the photos and videos I took as part of it, are in the nature of potential pieces. By that I mean that my snippets could serve as the beginnings of longer items, while the photos and videos might serve as prompts.
The video below, for example, isn’t much in itself. However, it does have a humorous side. I decided to film our cat stalking his way through the grass, when a neighbour passed by on his bike. A few days prior to this I had ribbed him, saying he was always on his phone, and asking him if he didn’t have any real friends! Hence his comment to me captured in the video. Might the video and that brief background serve as the basis for a longer article? Perhaps.
Over time I intend to publish some of the work I did for the course, so look out for that. In the meantime, if the course comes up again at the City Lit, I recommend it.
Further reading
A newsletter for nonfiction writers. Click the picture below to find out more, grab a sample copy and to subscribe. It’s free!
