Writing-World

Writing, just like any other career, involves serving an apprenticeship: a period in which you are expected to hone your writing skills and learn the craft. But just how should you go about it? The best way, as with any other apprenticeship, is to learn from those who are already practising the craft -- i.e. other writers. There are a variety of ways in which you can learn from your fellow writers: Books Free Online Courses Writing Newsletters Writing Groups/Circles/Forums Paid Courses (distance learning, evening classes, day classes, summer schools, campus based MFA's, distance learning MFA's.) But how do you choose which one is right for you? The answer depends on three questions you need to ask yourself: What do you need or want to know? How much time can you commit to learning the craft? How much money are you willing to spend to learn the craft? What do you need to know? If you're an absolute beginner, the answer is obviously everything! There are many specialist courses aimed at the complete beginner; they are, of course, comprehensive, expensive and time-consuming. But they might be worth the investment if you are serious about changing your career. However, you might not have the time nor the money to embark upon a comprehensive writing course, in which case you should choose an appropriate short course that meets your immediate needs, such as one on how to write a query letter, or how to write grammatically correct English. Alternatively, why not buy a book to learn your craft? There are lots of them out there and they cover all the basics a beginner needs to know. Moira, for example, has just released her popular online course "How to Write for Magazines" as a book. So, before you spend money on a course, see if there are any books out there that could steer you in the right direction. How much time do you have available? How much time can you realistically put into your course? Do you have the time and dedication to complete a distance learning course? Will you be committed enough to set your own deadlines for assignments or to meet those set by the course provider? Can you commit to attending an evening class every week for the duration of the course? Do you want to study in your holidays? Or do you want something you can study when you can find the time? How much money are you willing to spend? Finally, you need to consider how much money you are willing to pay for your course. Can you afford to take a paying course or do you want to start out with something cheaper or even free? If you are on a tight budget, do not despair: there is a lot of free writing information out there. I learned most of the basics right here at Writing-World.com. Don't ignore writing sites in your quest to learn the craft, they are full of useful information, you just need the perseverance to track it down. Plus there are thousands of free courses available on-line that can start you off in the right direction. Obviously, courses you need to pay for do have advantages over free courses.