I'm so glad to be writing again. Thank you for your emails and well wishes. Now, back in the writing saddle.
This week let's talk about writing classes and the available choices. Local colleges, online courses, and self study are options to fit just about any schedule. To lower the cost of a college course, consider auditing the class, especially if you already have a degree in another field. Often the cost to audit is much lower than the cost of credited classes. Classes will differ from school to school. Try to make an appointment with the instructor, before signing up, if you can.
Online classes can be pricey, too. Make sure you can research the instructors credentials. And find out if there is a refund offered for early outs, in case the course doesn't live up to your expectations.
Writer's Digest offers Writer's Digest University, a new webpage on this day. But check out Gotham Writer's Workshop, too. Don't underestimate the value of professional feedback. If your writing is improving, you'll reap future monetary benefits from the course.
Self-study requires the same commitment as community or online classes, maybe more. The disadvantage is lack of feedback. Look to your writing group for thoughts about whether your writing is getting better as a result of a self study course.
The Teaching Company offers excellent home writing courses to purchase on CD. Before you gasp with an anxiety attack, watch for a potential course to go on sale. From my experience, these are true sales prices and not markdowns of discontinued items. My personal library from The Teaching Company includes, Building Great Sentences taught by Professor Brooks Landon, and Masterpieces of Short Fiction taught by Professor Michael Krasny.
Books may be the cheapest of all self-study courses. Most libraries offer used books for sale. Look to buy used college textbooks. Do the reading and writing exercises. Or, flip through the pages of On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner. Buy it as a study guide, if you like what you see.
Reading is the best teacher of all, in my humble opinion. As writers, we can glean a wealth of information from a universe bursting with books. The trick is learning to read like a writer.
Lastly, some authors, like Nicholas Sparks, offer writing tips on their personal websites. Mr. Sparks has a section for teachers and one for writers. Surf your favorite authors, and bookmark these sites as you come across them.
Don't rule out writing classes as a way to improve your craft. If funds are limited, start with the least expensive option or a combination of the above preferences. Feel free to share the pros and cons of your writing class experiences.
Next time...submission options. Any questions?
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