I’ve decided that I have spent way too much talking about agents, publishers, and reality. I want to talk about something fun, online writing classes.
If anyone has been researching writing programs, let me recommend my favorite online writing program, The UCLA Extension. As its name implies, it is the online attachment of the University of California at Los Angeles’ writing program.
In a prior post, I talked about the Writer’s Studio in NYC. In that online program, students are taught to understand and imitate the qualitative style of other writers. The UCLA Extension however, focuses on improving YOUR style, not fitting you into someone else’s. I prefer this approach because it uses exercises and peer criticism to strengthen and find the weaknesses in your own voice.
Now I know what you’re all thinking:
1 - I don’t need a writing class. I’m a badass writer already. Actually, you do need writing classes. I thought the same thing, but when Marcella Landers edited my novel my lack of formal training was evident. Since then I’ve tried to take at least one writing class a year. Once your ego heals, you’ll see the benefit of classes.
2 – It’s too expensive. They are expensive, but even one class a year is better than none at all. If you are serious about the craft, start a writing budget. When you publish you book you’ll need one anyway. Part of your yearly budget should include a writing class of some kind. The cool thing about online classes is that you save on gas, babysitters and travel time. Their intro to fiction class is $419, before 6/13, and then it goes up to around $450.
3 – I don’t want to be forced to write something I’m not interested in! Well, for one thing, you will get better by being forced to write stories you may not naturally think about. Get out of your comfort zone. Romance writers are forced to write horror. Si Fi writers are forced to search in unopened sections of their mind to write about garden variety problems, on good old mother earth. That kind of mind bending can be very uncomfortable, but it opens up new possibilities. I don’t write really deep emotional stuff like cancer or death and dying. It was hard for me to write that kind of material, but it was actually fun thinking in a totally different way.
4 – I hate criticism. Being able to use criticism is very important for writers, for any artist. Other writers will find your flaws, not to make fun of you but to point them out so you can fix them. Or they’ll tell you what you are doing right so you can do it better. One woman told me to stop using “, and” when connecting my sentences. She said if I made them into two separate sentences my writing would flow better and be stronger. She was right. I am now very careful when I use “, and” and that technique alone has strengthened my voice and the flow of my prose. Critiquing other writers also makes you improve, because it teaches to edit your own work. Take your pride and put it on the shelf. That’s where it will eventually go when you start looking for an agent or you self-publish. Go and write as someone who has just lost a love, or someone about to commit a crime. Be brave!
It’s worth the investment, which is what it is, not so much an expense as an investment. Good luck!
Love,
Lucho
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