finally taking a writing class

[DarlingNikki]

starting on Wednesday next week. I'm ready to be read and critiqued and criticised and humbled and all that. But I'm petrified at the possibility of having to read my work aloud. I've been reading "Writing with Power" by Peter Elbow and he says reading aloud helps you claim and take responsibility for your words, which makes you a better writer. It sounds good, but I think if I have to read I'll get sick. I'm pretty shy and nervous in real life as it is, let alone with me tenative little attempts at writing.

If you've taken a writing class, did you read out loud? If it was hard for you at first, did it get easier? Did you find it helped your writing skills?

(btw, it is a nonfiction writing class)

 

[Guest]

Hey, Nikki, good to see you and that exquisitely beautiful nipple.

I'm like you in public only I think I've had longer to develop a hard shell to present (still it cracks on occasion). However, reading anything aloud makes it different, I love to do that w/fave pieces (even my own, but mostly in private).

I can assure you (been there) everyone will feel somewhat like you to varying degrees (though I never actually saw anyone lilterally upchuk their words, haha).

All of you will be wary, and hopefully kind to each other (but not too kind that good critique will be difficult). The best thing about these meetings/classes/workshops is getting together in person with other writers and talking about writing.

Try not to think about your apprehensions, put them in a suitcase and leave it at the door when you get to your meeting place. You might even forget to retrieve it when you leave.

Please let me know how it goes, either here or in a PM.

with regards, Perdita

 

[MathGirl]

(btw, it is a nonfiction writing class)

Dear DN,
I've never taken a writing class. Too busy with math and science to take more than the required liberal arts. I'm afraid it shows in my writing.

It's a nonfiction writing class? That sounds like the safest and least intimidating kind of class to take. It will let you get used to having your stuff read out loud and criticized, but you won't have to bare your soul as you would in fiction writing. Good choice.
MG

 

[oggbashan]

starting on Wednesday next week. I'm ready to be read and critiqued and criticised and humbled and all that. But I'm petrified at the possibility of having to read my work aloud. I've been reading "Writing with Power" by Peter Elbow and he says reading aloud helps you claim and take responsibility for your words, which makes you a better writer. It sounds good, but I think if I have to read I'll get sick. I'm pretty shy and nervous in real life as it is, let alone with me tenative little attempts at writing.

If you've taken a writing class, did you read out loud? If it was hard for you at first, did it get easier? Did you find it helped your writing skills?

(btw, it is a nonfiction writing class)

I think you will find most of the others feel like you do, even if they won't admit it.

I have read my own work out loud and given presentations on it.
If you know your subject it gets easier. Read very slowly, so slowly that you think you are crawling because beginners tend to read too fast and speed up as they go. Practise spoken punctuation. How long do you pause for a comma or for a full stop (period)?

Time yourself reading a piece of text. How much or how little can you read in three minutes? Record yourself on tape.

Non-fiction should be easier to read out loud than fiction because you do not have to invent different voices for the characters.

It might help your writing skills if you write sentences that are too long, or do not break text into paragraphs. Otherwise it depends. A speech or presentation is very different from a written text.

Og

 

[Quasimodem]

Many years ago, I took a course from a fully qualified ‘professor’ who let us read our piece, then read one of his (embarrassingly dreadful) stories, to demonstrate why we would never be good writers unless we wrote like him.

Of the thirty starters, after twelve weeks, there were only three pupils left in his class. I and two others, who made a pledge five weeks into the course, that since the professor already had our money, we would be sure to stay to the end, to force him to - at least - make an appearance each week, and earn his money.

What we learned in that course, despite his credentials, was how to write under adversity.


The very best Creative Writing Course in which I ever took part, was facilitated by a actress, who was also a playwright of some local note, but academically considered a bit of a flake.

She not only read each person’s story, but invested the reading with a goodly amount of drama, which the writer probably would have been unable to give his/her piece. At least, I would be unable.

She was especially good at teaching character motivation, and manipulating plot to heighten drama. She had thirty-six students the first night, and thirty-eight the finally night. (Two joined at the encouragement of friends on the second and third nights.)

The next semester, because of demand, she also ran an ‘advanced’ course. Her thirty-eight previous students were given priority status, since we had taken what eventually became known as her beginner’s course. All thirty-eight registered, and stayed the limit.

Those twenty-four weeks were the most fun, not to mention most instructive, I have spent learning the craft of writing. (I know, Writing can be an Art, but the most that can be taught, is the Craft, the Art comes from elsewhere.)

I have also taken courses where stories were exchanged, and each student read another student’s story. In this situation, we wrote under a pen name (As I remember, mine was Schaeffer Felt-Tip) and as the story was criticised, even the writer felt free to suggest problems of which s/he had just become aware. This, was the next best method of handling the problem.

A beginner, reading his own work, in public to an unknown, competitive audience, is probably, in my estimation the worst of all possible situations. If that is what your instructor has in mind, I would advise suggesting one of these alternatives, although by your description, it sounds like he has pretty fixed opinions on the subject.

Still, is it a writing course, or a public speaking course?

I would definitely advise taking any course offered, but check out how long you have to make a graceful egress with pocketbook intact. If your instructor grates on the first night, your instructor will only grate worse by the last night.

Unfortunately, there are some teachers out there who can’t, and shouldn’t, teach.

Good luck, and I hope you get an instructor like Lorenna.



BTW: All the courses I took were called "creative" and included fiction or non-fiction, depending upon the writer's bent.

 

[Just_John1]

Been there a long long time ago

Why does it seem that everything I write recently makes me feel old...

Had a writing course in college where we had to get up and read poetry we wrote. Some of it was great and some was atrocious (sp?). The best thing about it was that it became very apparent very quickly that all of us in the room were in the same situation. I learned alot from the comments that were given and it became a very helpful friendly environment.

Doesn't change the fact that the first time I had to read my stuff my body made sounds I've never heard before and did things that make me shudder to this day. The first time is the worst. The only thing worse than that is having someone else read your work aloud to the class. Anyone have a rock I can hide under? Have fun with it. and follow the adivce of one of our friends here... "don't take life so seriously, it permanent no how" or something to that effect.

JJ1

 

[wildsweetone]

Hi Nikki

I've thought about joining a writing course myself but never quite had the time to fit one in (yet).

From a slightly different perspective, reading out loud tends to help our own 'ear' to pick different things from our work. Personally I find it very difficult to distance myself enough from my writing to be able to pick anything useful up when I read it out loud. So, at the instigation of another author, I downloaded the ReadPlease program (free online).

Perhaps getting used to hearing another person read your work, will get you used to 'listening' to your own words out loud. From that step, move on to reading your own work out loud. Maybe try out these things before your Wednesday class...?

Good luck and above all else, enjoy yourself.

 

[DarlingNikki]

I don't know yet if I'll have to read aloud or not. From the class description, it seems I might not. Hopefully. Maybe next class when I'm more confident. Anyway, thanks for the responses.

 

[Croctden]

Reading in front of others

I have you beat, I have a slight stutter. Despite of this (actually beccause I forced myself to) I've gotten some experience at fudging it that work for me. Here are my suggestions in no particular order

A: Start out with a few jokes, this is not for them, but you. It will put you a flow, as though your wrapping with them.

B: Read in a slight accent, not enough to be noticeable, but enough to make you focus on pronoucing your words.

C: Don't wear any underware. I'm being completely serious, not making a joke on the old "picture them in their underware" line. You'll be so focused on what's missing you won't worry about your reading, which is what causes flubs.

D: This is not mine, but it sounds good. Keep a worrybead in your had that you can work your nerves out on.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I've been in several fiction writing classes, and that was great. The best was a writer's camp for teenagers that I went to when I was 16. I was on a literary high for weeks afterwards. Grown-ups discussing literature, their stories, and my stories, with me, treating me as a grown-up, as someone worth listening to and showing respect, as a fellow-author, and not just a little kid who likes to write fairy-tales.

I've also been in a non-fiction writing class, but it was DEFINITELY not for me, so I dropped out after only two classes.

 

[Alex756]

Buy a tape recorder I know *gasp* tape! but we have DVDs and CDs and this and that and all....

I read everything I write out loud, let me tell you last semester I think my husband was ready to go insane if he had to hear one more thing on a priori knowledge, but it helps you pick up pacing things -- and to know what's wrong. I still submit/turn in writting with things wrong, becasue I just don't know how to fix them sometimes

But I find reading aloud most helpful when writing dialog, you can find out if it -sounds- right. And listening to it after you read it out loud gives you an idea of its timing and effect.

Alex756

I've had a few writing classes, all non fiction requirements except a creative writing basically requirement, gotta love being a liberal arts student. I never had to read anything out loud in any of those classes. However, I think getting used to reading out loud has helped when I have to speak to groups.

 

[MathGirl]

Pubic speaking

I don't know about reading something you've written to a group, but I've done quite a bit of lecturing and reading of scientific papers at symposia and meetings. The best advice I ever got was, "make sure you know a lot more about the subject than anyone in the audience." If you keep that in mind, it gives you a lot of confidence.
MG