Writing Classes

[O2]

I was thinking about taking a creative writing class this winter at the local community college. Since I've written only erotica if they ask for a sample of my work (so I won't be placed in a beginning class ) should I give them one of my Lit stories?

I could write something non-erotic, I guess.

 

[sr71plt]

Yes, writing something nonerotic or only mildly erotic would be best.

 

[Desiremakesmeweak]

I'm pretty sure I've read some of your stuff here and I thought it was among the top handful of really well-written stories that I liked...

You don't 'need' creative writing classes -?!

On the other hand I can only imagine what might be the situation if you said that you wrote avidly-appreciated erotic stories.

But then, what do the other people there get up to that only the NSA knows about?

 

[O2]

Thank you for the compliment. I feel I could do better initially with more knowledge of grammar and punctuation.

I should learn to type also, this hunt and peck stuff gets tiring.

I'm pretty sure I've read some of your stuff here and I thought it was among the top handful of really well-written stories that I liked...

You don't 'need' creative writing classes -?!

On the other hand I can only imagine what might be the situation if you said that you wrote avidly-appreciated erotic stories.

But then, what do the other people there get up to that only the NSA knows about?

 

[sr71plt]

I feel I could do better initially with more knowledge of grammar and punctuation.

I should learn to type also, this hunt and peck stuff gets tiring.

Ah, then you shouldn't really be looking for a creative writing class, which is more about writing content. You should be looking for basic English classes (and typing classes).

 

[lovecraft68]

Back in High school they offered creative writing which I did well in and also offered "Developmental" writing which I bombed in.

That is still my case 30 years later as many people tell me I can tell a great story, but technically I have a lot of issues.

Maybe I should bite the bullet and see if the community college near my house has a course like that.

I just question my ability to sit in one spot and listen to someone for a two hour class.

 

[PennLady]

Back in High school they offered creative writing which I did well in and also offered "Developmental" writing which I bombed in.

That is still my case 30 years later as many people tell me I can tell a great story, but technically I have a lot of issues.

Maybe I should bite the bullet and see if the community college near my house has a course like that.

I just question my ability to sit in one spot and listen to someone for a two hour class.

There's plenty of stuff online, and you could do that at your own pace. See, I'd do better in a classroom setting, but some people prefer doing it more on their own.

 

[lovecraft68]

There's plenty of stuff online, and you could do that at your own pace. See, I'd do better in a classroom setting, but some people prefer doing it more on their own.

Catch 22. In person my attention span probably could not handle it but online I would have too many distractions around me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Hemingway believed it and I agree, nothing works so well as a word limit. It forces you to toss excess overboard, and to use the right word.

 

[TxRad]

The best way to learn to write is to write.

You already have a good start.

 

[lovecraft68]

Wow, apparently I don't need classes! Just today, not too long ago I saw this on my home page

New Favorite On August 04, 2013 you were added to charlesdickens's favorite authors list.

If he's happy with my writing then I am all set!

Man hat's off to him, reading erotica at his age? Gives new meaning to the term boner

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Catch 22. In person my attention span probably could not handle it but online I would have too many distractions around me.

Ditto.

I eat one piece of the elephant at a time.

 

[SusanJillParker]

I have a BS degree in English with creative writing and literature minors from Northeastern University in Boston. Northeastern only required English majors to take 5 writing courses. I took 32, all that had but for business and technical writing.

What I learned is that no one can teach you how to write. Either you can write or you can't. Teachers can teach you the mechanics which you can get from borrowing library books on plot, viewpoint, dialogue, description, and imagery but either you want to write or you don't. No one can make you sit there hour after hour and day after day writing.

Writing is a lifelong apprenticeship. There are only two ways to master the craft. Read all that you can and write every day.

I write seven days a week from 5am until noon. I look forward to writing. I never stare at a blank page but whenever stuck on a story, I take it to be with me to allow my brain to percolate the thoughts. Without fail, my writing is inspired the next day.

When I first started writing seriously 25 years ago, my window of inspiration, the best writing, was only open for a few minutes. Now it's open hours at a time.

Good luck.

 

[SusanJillParker]

By the way, do not take a writing workshop until you've mastered writing and have developed a thick skin.

The classes are usually more demoralizing than they are helpful, at least, all the classes that I took in Cambridge Massachusetts were.

What I learned from them was most people who thought they can write can't. You're better off locking yourself in your room to write, write, and write.

One last point. When I write, I don't read anything other than what I write. Reading turns off my creativity. When I read, I don't write.

 

[sr71plt]

In post #4, the OP clarified that improvement was sought in grammar and punctuation. One can learn to do that better by taking classes in it. It doesn't require all that much special talent to learn.

 

[lovecraft68]

In post #4, the OP clarified that improvement was sought in grammar and punctuation. One can learn to do that better by taking classes in it. It doesn't require all that much special talent to learn.

But the creative aspect can't be taught. A person can tell a story or they can't. A person can be a master of crossing the T's and dotting the I's but write boring uninspired stuff that reads like stereo instructions.


Maybe that was "susan's" point.

 

[sr71plt]

Let's try this one more time. The OP clarified in post #4 that the improvement needed was grammar and punctuation. Creative writing is irrelevant to the clarified question. Grammar and punctuation CAN be improved with classroom classes. It's not that much of a talent issue.

 

[O2]

Yes, grammar and punctuation are my pitfalls, especially that little comma guy.

I am going to re-read Eats, Shoots & Leaves. I tend to learn more by doing. That means sending things to be edited and corrected until my brain registers it all.

I've tried Mavis Beacon teaches typing and another online program. I too get easily distracted and move on to more fun pursuits. I'll try it again.

Thank you all for the feedback.


John

 

[sr71plt]

Eats, Shoots and Leaves is a fun book and good for what it covers, but it's haphazard. The same thing with The Transitive Vampire.

If you want more comprehensive help, I suggest

The American Heritage Book of English Usage. (clear/concise/comprehensive)

Eugene Ehrlich, Punctuation, Capitalization, and Spelling (from the Schaum's Theory and Problems Outline Series)

David Daniels and Barbara Daniels, English Grammar (from the HarperCollins College Outline series)

The latter two are workbooks that give basic guidance as well as examples and exercises. When I was charge with bringing up the basic grammar/punctuation skills of foreign correspondents worldwide in a news agency, I tracked these workbooks down, and we saw improvement.

 

[O2]

Eats, Shoots and Leaves is a fun book and good for what it covers, but it's haphazard. The same thing with The Transitive Vampire.

If you want more comprehensive help, I suggest

The American Heritage Book of English Usage. (clear/concise/comprehensive)

Eugene Ehrlich, Punctuation, Capitalization, and Spelling (from the Schaum's Theory and Problems Outline Series)

David Daniels and Barbara Daniels, English Grammar (from the HarperCollins College Outline series)

The latter two are workbooks that give basic guidance as well as examples and exercises. When I was charge with bringing up the basic grammar/punctuation skills of foreign correspondents worldwide in a news agency, I tracked these workbooks down, and we saw improvement.

Thank you, sir.

 

[horrorotica]

I have a BS degree in English with creative writing and literature minors from Northeastern University in Boston. Northeastern only required English majors to take 5 writing courses. I took 32, all that had but for business and technical writing.

What I learned is that no one can teach you how to write. Either you can write or you can't. Teachers can teach you the mechanics which you can get from borrowing library books on plot, viewpoint, dialogue, description, and imagery but either you want to write or you don't. No one can make you sit there hour after hour and day after day writing.

Writing is a lifelong apprenticeship. There are only two ways to master the craft. Read all that you can and write every day.

I write seven days a week from 5am until noon. I look forward to writing. I never stare at a blank page but whenever stuck on a story, I take it to be with me to allow my brain to percolate the thoughts. Without fail, my writing is inspired the next day.

When I first started writing seriously 25 years ago, my window of inspiration, the best writing, was only open for a few minutes. Now it's open hours at a time.

Good luck.

I think you're right. There are heaps of good books out there that can teach all the technical aspects of writing but in order to learn the craft of writing the best thing to do is keep writing and writing. Can I suggest that an alternative to attending a class is once you have something you think is of a good standard then get a manuscript appraisal from an editor done for a few hundred dollars. That is better than any writing course in my opinion.

I can suggest a good book that's worth looking at: Story Engineering by Larry Brooks.

 

[sr71plt]

ONCE AGAIN, ah yes, but that's irrelevant to what the question was clarified to be--grammar and punctuation. Which you CAN learn from heaps of good books and/or attending basic grammar classes. Your suggestion, as was Freddie's, is just irrelevant to the question as clarified.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream Paul McCartney

The above is what Raymond Chandler called real life. Its how cops like statements. Cops don't like stories. That is, they don't want testimony that's organized and coherent and cohesive and makes a point.

 

[oggbashan]

I agree with sr71plt. Creative Writing is about telling stories. Those can be told even if the writer has poor grammar.

A Creative Writing class is more about producing stories and damn the technicalities. Those can be sorted out in the editing process.

You don't need a Creative Writing class. You need a class in basic English grammar. In the UK, there are a range of simple books available for school pupils that teach basic grammar - because it isn't taught well at schools even in English Classes. Those books set out basic grammatical constructions and then have self-tests on what you have just read.

I ought to revisit them because my grammar isn't as good as it should be.