Re: Ruthie? Question re writing course

[Guest guest]

> Ruthie,

>

> I've deleted your mail now, but I think you mentioned that you took

a

> writing class at some point in your life/career? If so, were they

> helpful? Where did you go?

>

> I am always writing something, but keep wondering if it would help

to

> make me more structured (plus a better writer) if I did a course of

> some variety.

>

> Karina

It was a creative writing course run by my local college of further

education, Hendon College, but I am sure most local authorities run

them if you ask. The teacher was a lovely kind man, whose claim to

fame was having sold several short stories to " Morning Story " on

Radio 4. He may not have been a high flying writer but he knew what

was good and what wasn't. The format of the classes went like this:

everyone wrote a piece, fiction, non fiction, poetry, whatever, and

read it out to the class, who then proceeded to criticise it. Not

for the delicate of ego! But it did me no end of good as I had

started the course thinking my writing was the best thing since

sliced bread, and to hear all the very frank comments certainly

brought me down to earth, and made me think long and hard about how

to hone my style.

Ruthie