Creative Writing Classes

Something I feel worth mentioning is creative writing classes. I took my first creative writing class this quarter and I really enjoyed it and felt that I took a lot of important things away from the class. Today I was listening to a live blogtalkradio chat with several very accomplished urban fantasy authors. There was one point in their discussion where they addressed writing classes and, having just finished up my first writing class, it piqued my interest. I think the really big thing that they all seemed to emphasize is that writing classes don’t work for everyone. I really enjoyed mine and it helped me open up to new ideas and ways of writing, and how to make myself a better writer and what i means to be creative. I hope to share a lot of what I learned here on this blog because I know that there are far more avid writers than those who actually admit to it.

What I want to say about creative writing classes is that yes, what you learn from it all depends on the individual. However there is one thing that I think everyone finds useful: sharing your work in a group setting and having them critique you on it, face to face. It’s a little scary- everyone comes to class with a copy of what you wrote for the assignment over the weekend and you all sit down in your group of about ten, fifteen students, and they tell you what they would like to see more expansion on, what worked, what details they really enjoyed, and how to better improve your writing.

I know a lot of people aspire to become published authors- I am no different. Right now, it is just a dream of mine one that I don’t see coming to fruitioin anytime in the near future. But this has really helped me to look at critiques and edits in a different way. It’s definitely scary the first time people are talking about your writing because it’s something you put a lot of effort into and probably something that you put a lot of yourself into as well.

So if you decide to take a writing class, and you walk out of it feeling like you have learned nothing, at least take to heart that you have experienced what it is like to have a multitude of people read it and give their different opinions.