Classes and Workshops
Yep, I'm up way too late tonight. To much chocolate and sugar today - can we say I love this time of year! Anyway, playing around with my blog format, because what else am I gonna do. :-) And I got to thinking about my last blog post, I might have given you the impression that I didn't like writing classes and workshops.
Now, it's true that I've had my share of writing classes that didn't exactly encourage or inspire great writing, but I have also taken a whole bunch of classes that did. You could say that I'm a class junkie, because I am. Oh, how I love a good class or workshop. I've always found I write better on deadline (and not my own internal deadlines - those don't work at all) and I love to learn new things.
I was lucky enough to discover Charter Oak State College when I was looking to finish up my BA and I'd decided that I wanted to do it in writing, but alas there was not a single university within close driving distance where I lived that offered a writing program that excited me. Truthfully, I had my fill of literature classes and creative writing workshops from my previous colleges and I had no desire to return to them. I was so thrilled to discover their BA program that allowed me to design my own writing program all I had to do was find classes from accredited colleges and approved specialty schools to do it. So, I did.
In doing so, I rediscovered my joy for writing classes when you have a good teacher and other students that are focused on helping you get better. I've taken distance courses from Institute of Children's Literature and Long Ridge Writers Group in short story/articles and novels. I was thrilled to discover that you can take classes from the masters at UCLA Extension. Working screenwriters teach their courses and I can't gush enough about them. I also just recently started taking workshops from the various Romance Writers of America chapters that are offered online via message board or email loops.
Classes and workshops are great. When you find a place that helps build you up and improve your craft I highly recommend signing up for one. It can be an even bigger thrill to take a workshop/class from a writer that you read and admire (thank you RWA!).
Do you like writing classes and workshops? Know of any good ones?
Now, it's true that I've had my share of writing classes that didn't exactly encourage or inspire great writing, but I have also taken a whole bunch of classes that did. You could say that I'm a class junkie, because I am. Oh, how I love a good class or workshop. I've always found I write better on deadline (and not my own internal deadlines - those don't work at all) and I love to learn new things.
I was lucky enough to discover Charter Oak State College when I was looking to finish up my BA and I'd decided that I wanted to do it in writing, but alas there was not a single university within close driving distance where I lived that offered a writing program that excited me. Truthfully, I had my fill of literature classes and creative writing workshops from my previous colleges and I had no desire to return to them. I was so thrilled to discover their BA program that allowed me to design my own writing program all I had to do was find classes from accredited colleges and approved specialty schools to do it. So, I did.
In doing so, I rediscovered my joy for writing classes when you have a good teacher and other students that are focused on helping you get better. I've taken distance courses from Institute of Children's Literature and Long Ridge Writers Group in short story/articles and novels. I was thrilled to discover that you can take classes from the masters at UCLA Extension. Working screenwriters teach their courses and I can't gush enough about them. I also just recently started taking workshops from the various Romance Writers of America chapters that are offered online via message board or email loops.
Classes and workshops are great. When you find a place that helps build you up and improve your craft I highly recommend signing up for one. It can be an even bigger thrill to take a workshop/class from a writer that you read and admire (thank you RWA!).
Do you like writing classes and workshops? Know of any good ones?
I love learning, but I'm not real crazy about classes. Prob'ly a throw-back to when I struggled so much in school.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, my friend. I hope the big guy in the red suit is good to you.
~ Just Joany
Red Wagon Flights
Hey Joany,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and saying hi. My husband has the same feeling about classes after his many years in public school. The trick is to find a format that you enjoy. One of the neat things about most of the RWA classes and workshops is that you only participate as much as you want. They are also really cheap, ranging from free to about $30 for each class. I don't know if the SCBWI has anything similar, but it might be worth checking into.
Taking every day as a lesson, every new thing learned is a feather in my cap.
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