Morgan Campbell: A Writer on Sports and More

I took time off from writing — so I could Write

Posted by Morgan Campbell on July 5, 2013 · 1 Comment 

Yeah, it’s been a while but I’ve been busy writing — just not here.

In May I enrolled in a creative nonfiction class at Ryerson University here in Toronto, and for eight weeks my work for that course consumed all the time and energy I had to devote to away-from-the-day-job writing.

I guess I could have kept blogging, but then I would have had to sacrifice slumber. Sleep is at a premium these days, so I  put blogging on hold for a minute.

Some of you probably wants to know why a guy who writes true stories for a living would take a class about writing true stories.

Short answer to that question?

Why not?

Longer answer is that I felt like flexing a different set of writing muscles, and sharpening storytelling skills that I hope to apply to the day job… Eventually. And if that doesn’t happen I still have spent eight weeks developing a deeper understanding of myself and my craft, and getting to know a wonderful instructor, Beth Kaplan, along with an incredibly talented group of civilian storytellers (only two journalists in the whole class) whose development as writers impressed me every week.

I probably won’t publish the pieces I wrote for this course. They’re all works in progress, all deeply personal.

And I can’t say when I might be able to use some of these storytelling tools on the day job. Before I get into big features again I have to knock out a five-week stint on the digital desk, which means quick-hitting stories on everything from viral videos to workplace studies to the sale of Drake’s condo.

But I can tell you I’m eager to begin updating this blog more often, so stay tuned.

Follow Morgan Campbell on Twitter