WRITING CLASSES - GUEST BLOG

Writing Classes Can Transform Your Craft

I'm always shocked whenever I come across fellow writers and authors who don't take writing classes. Why? Well, enrolling in writing classes is one of the best ways writers of all ages and experience levels can improve their skills. And you don't have to be a student at a university or college in order to sign up for writing classes. Whether you know it or not, there are writing classes all around you; you just need to know where to find them. If you have the time, taking a writing class can be extremely beneficial. Should you be interested in improving your writing, here are three different "classes" you should definitely enroll in.

Meetups

Have you ever visited Meetup.com? If you're a professional writer, you definitely should! Every day, thousands of freelance writers and published authors log on to this popular website to seek out different writing groups and clubs they can join. Many of these writing Meetup groups also feature interesting, helpful classes that members are encouraged to take advantage of. Although no writing Meetup group is the same, many of the groups feature writing exercises, editing sessions, revising practices, one-on-one feedback meetings, and brainstorming sessions. Sure, meeting with a group of individuals you've never met before may feel strange at first, but over time you'll realize you're a part of a fellowship of writers that can assist you in creating amazing work!

Mentor sessions

If meeting with a large group of people doesn't suit you, then maybe you should try meeting one-on-one with a few mentors. In the early years of my career, I meet publishers, editors, authors, illustrators, poets, and freelance writers that I deeply respected. Over time, I recruited many of them to be my writing mentors, and through the years they've been an absolute blessing to me. Whenever I'd start a new book or short story, I'd ask them to share their honest feedback with me regarding my early rough drafts. Most all of them gave me useful, articulate advice that helped me hone and develop my writing skills. Do yourself a favor and find 2-5 different mentors you can turn to whenever you start a new writing project. They'll probably be extremely flattered and more than willing to help you if you ask them nicely.

Writing classes online

I used to be pretty hesitant about taking writing classes online, but once I enrolled in an online fiction-writing class two years ago, I was blown away by how thorough and helpful it turned out to be. Online classes aren't only featured at online colleges and universities; in fact, you can take online writing classes from a number of respectable educational websites. The best news of all is that many of these online writing classes are free of charge, so you won't have to worry about going broke while taking them. Lastly, online writing classes adhere to all lifestyles, schedules, and ages, so no matter where you are in your life, online writing classes will definitely work for you.

If you plan on becoming the best writer you can be, you should focus on pushing yourself forward. Seize these three class options and you'll see your writing improve in strides.

Patricia Garza is an education blogger and freelance writer for oedb.org. She is passionate about all things education related and regularly writes about regionally accredited online schools. Patricia uses her knowledge of the online education world to help students and graduates make the most of their degree experience. You can reach her in the comments below. http://oedb.org/library/choosing-a-school/online-college-accreditation