The perfect writing course?
In the last couple of months I’ve been asked several times if I have plans to teach any writing workshops or set up online classes. I’ve been thinking about it.
I love to teach. (Here’s a post from my personal blog about my most recent teaching experience.) In my experience, the key to happiness and success, for student and teacher, is the right structure. I’ve been considering three potential teaching scenarios:
- a personalized, one-on-one single-month intensive, online
- an eight-week class for 8 – 12 students, online
- a one-week workshop here in Seattle for 10-12 participants, in person
None of them would be for beginners. In general, I prefer to teach writers who have already done their own learning (whether in a formal environment or self-taught). My favorite students are those who understand that writing is work, who have put in their hours, who have taken themselves as far as they can. Serious students who now need a final tempering, a keen eye and a firm hand to hone them to a brilliant edge.
This kind of study is intense and demanding. Its effects can be profound. It is not for wusses.
If you’ve been through something like this (as student or teacher), please talk to me. I’d love to get some input. If you like the sound of any of my scenarios, if you think one might be for you, do leave a comment, or email me at info at sterlingediting dot com.
This could be exciting!
Posted by: Nicola
I’m in, if you’ll have me. I love the idea of the residential week (no surprise there), but would be unable to do so in the moths of December or January, due to scheduling at my firm (thus, my low-residency MFA crisis).
Joseph
Cool! It would be lovely to work with you. It’s still just an idea at this stage, but I’ll certainly bear in mind your timing.
I think you know that I’m interested. the question for me is, where’s the line for beginner? I’ve been writing for several years, but I’m not published, Also, cost would be a factor.
I’ve received any/all of my coaching on-line, but I’m open to whatever is most effective.
My goal is to simply improve my craft.
Thanks for working on it.
Hey, Jeanne. A beginner is someone just…beginning. If you’ve been writing for several years and have had some coaching you have passed the beginner stage.
Having said that, I wouldn’t know whether you’re ready for my kind of teaching unless/until I read your work, and at this information-gathering stage, that would be premature :) I’m literally just thinking at this point–though I am thinking very seriously.
Cost is definitely something to bear in mind for all of us.
I would be interested as well. While I would love a short residential course it just wouldn’t be possible for me. What little time off I get from work is already dedicated to family stuff. Besides, I can’t afford to fly to the other side of the country and then pay for room and board for a couple of weeks.
An online course would probably be the next best thing. I’ve been thinking about signing up for Holly Lisle.s How To Think Sideways course but I’m not sure if it’s quite what I’m looking for. Maybe it’s just her marketing but it seems like more of ‘how to write using my method’ course than just a ‘how to write’ course.
I would love to get something more personalized too. While many of use tend to make the same mistakes I’ve noticed that each writer seems to have their own specific areas of difficulty. I think a coaching approach might be of more help than a general class since it allows the writer to target their specific problems rather than the general problems that get addressed in every writing book out there. Coaching would, by its nature, be more expensive though and I’m not sure I could afford it.
Is there a possibility of combining the two? Offering a class then selecting someone from the class and offer them the chance to continue a little further with coaching? Base the selection on a “competition” among class members maybe? You could then stagger the coaching and the classes so that you’re not buried.
Don’t know how well it would work but it’s a thought.
Laura, to some extent all my teaching is personalised. I like to teach, set exercises, and then help each student see how their own particular style–which becomes very clear after a couple of paragraphs of raw new work–could be improved, sharpened, burnished. I’m not a big fan of generic teaching matrices.
I’m not a big fan of competition in learning situations, either. My hope would be for students to learn from me and from their own response to my teaching, and, importantly, form a peer group from whom they would continue to receive mutual support and encouragement. Then, when a student has completed a new novel or story, s/he could choose for me (or Kelley) to assess it professionally.
Does that sound as though it might work for you?
I too would like to work with a course where someone recognizes “my” voice and helps me to develop it.
Yes it does. I personally would prefer that. I was just throwing out ideas for you since it sounded like you enjoy both types of teaching and were unsure which you wanted to do. I guess I misread that. Chalk it up to the cold. My head was a little out of it.
Laura, I think my post was open to misinterpretation. That’s my fault as a writer–I expected readers to read my mind. After all, I knew what I meant :)
Melisa, I think good teaching is all about helping students find what they’re good at, and toning that, as well as then exercising some of the weaker writing muscles.
I would definitely be interested, and would apply for a place, if you were to run an online course. A residential course would be awesome but out of the question for me financially. I work hard at writing, and have had several short stories published, but I am at a point where I really want help to improve and deepen my writing. So… I hope that you decide to take the plunge!
Georgina, I’m still thinking about it. Thanks for your input.
Hi. I would be interested in an online course. Like everyone else, an in-residence program would be cost prohibitive for me. The course sounds like just what I need. I’ve been writing for a long time and am about to self-publish a book of short stories. So honing my skills and going deeper is what I need! By the way, I love the look and feel of your Web site. Very inviting!
Cathy Jo, cool! I’ve just finished the first draft of my most recent novel. I’ll be spending the next few months deep in rewrite mode but I am still thinking about this teaching course. Clearly, online is what most people are looking for. Thanks for your input. And good luck with your book of short stories.
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