It’s time to get back to business and tell you guys where to get more help with your writing. You’ve heard enough about my adventures in New York, let’s get back to getting you published.
One of the things I did not feel I needed when I first started writing was writing classes. I was wrong. Since then, I’ve taken classes at The Writers Studio and the UCLA Extension, and my writing has improved a great deal. There are great benefits to taking a class and sharing your work like honest feedback and learning new writing techniques. They’re expensive, but even if you can only afford one a year, make the investment. You might even get your teacher to support you book, if you’ve got one There is a wonderful challenge to writing something you would have never thought of on your own.
I’ve only taken online classes. I work during the day and write after hours, so the World Wide Web was a God send. I was curious how online class rooms worked, and I was pleasantly surprised to find them very friendly places. The teacher asks a question, it appears on your screen and every one answers it. It’s a little awkward because there is always a delay in seeing everyone’s answers, but the conversation flows smoothly.
Most classes give you one assignment a week and I had to organize myself and set aside time to “go to school.” I was also online every Saturday at 7 p.m. for a mandatory live chat. The only thing that I did not like about online classes was not seeing the faces of people I’d grown to like. You can come out of a class with a publishable short story, or solid novel chapter.
I liked The Writers Studio, the assignments were interesting and it was fun to write in someone else’s style. But therein lies the reason I left their program. They teach you to examine, and write in the style of, established literary voices. But I was looking for a more traditional program. One that would teach me how to write better AS ME. I don’t lack voice or topics, I have that naturally. I needed someone to teach me how to redirect all the daydreams and cultivate my own style.
I found that at the UCLA extension. Those of you however who doubt their voice and want to practice using some really fun literary styles, should try The Writer’s Studio. You might find your voice in those exercises and run with it from there. It was fun writing in a voice I would never naturally write in. My crazed angry voice was in need of a good stretch, and writing about the bipolar disorder is not my usual topic, and it was good for me to grow creatively. More information about The Writers Studio.
My next post will be about the UCLA extension. Come back and learn a little more. In the meantime I continue to write into the wind, and wait for a reply about my book. Saw the Social network last night. Great movie. Zukerburg had a great idea, but he screwed his friends. But great movie, reminded me a little of my book. Haven’t heard from any agents yet. I re-read Confessions of an Internet Pornographer and it reads fantastically, although I did find a bad sentence that I missed. But I found only little edits, the book is awesome and very well written if I do say so myself. We’ll see. In the meantime, any Zoetropers out there can come read one of my short stories posted there, it’s entitled Nothing.
Bye!
Lucho
