hello intro!

[metaphorsblush]

Name (A first name, or pen name will do):  Kio
Age:  20 years
Writing Experience: As soon as I was old enough to bang pots, my mother placed a pen in my hand. I haven't let go of it since.
Preferred Genres: (Poetry? Fantasy short stories? Non-Fiction?) Originally, fictional short stories but in the past year or so I've focused mainly on poetry.

Comments

[dragonlaire]

Welcome.

I never heard of the Writer's Studio, but I took a look at their site. The internet is full of scams directed toward aspiring writers, so be careful. This, however, doesn't seem to be one of them; it appears to be a genuine writing course. I recognized none of the alumni, but getting your work published in the "Paris Review" is an impressive accomplishment. Julia Glass is a talented, best-selling novelist; her recommendation is a credible endorsement. The tuition isn't any bargain, but it seems to be consistent with other legitimate writing courses.

The real question, in my opinion, is how much benefit you can reasonably expect to derive from the investment. Seminars and writing conferences can be very valuable for beginning writers just for their networking possibilities. And some of them, like Clarion, are very expensive indeed but probably worth the cost. How much improvement in writing quality can be attributed to attendance at these functions is another issue. Writing courses taken in college or university toward degree requirements are all very well and good; you have to take them; private classes are another matter entirely.

In my limited experience, the writers who benefit most from these classes are those with reasonable portfolios of work; they're looking for fine tuning, rather than starting from scratch. If you're in New York City, consider some of the creative writing classes at the New School. They were excellent before the emphasis was changed from adult to conventional education, and the New School for Social Research became The New School University.They may still be worthwhile. The advice I was given I'll share with you: Attend a seminar or two if you can, but put most of your time and efforts into your own writing. Produce a certain volume of work then consider paying for advice and further improvement.