Creative writing courses?

frobisher

I'm thinking of taking a creative writing course. Anyone tried one and had good or bad experiences?

Any leads on a good course in Sth Dublin or in Dublin city?

Plastic Scouser

I went to a Creative Writing evening course at Ballsbridge College a little while back.

It was a 10 week course and really cheap (maybe 30euro for the course but I may have remembered that wrong).

I thought it was rubbish though!

The guy leading the course just talked an awful lot and gave us maybe 5 minutes at the end of each 1 & 1/2 hour lesson to do an exercise (like write about a memory you have for example). You'd only end up with a few lines of rubbish in such a short time (well I did anyway! ) and then next week he'd go on to waffle about something else.

He never came back to the stuff we'd written in these exercises later in the lesson or the next week (so they just remained a couple of useless sentences for me), and we never shared the stuff we'd written with the class for opinions or criticism.

A lot of the time he went on about books he'd read on the subject of Creative Writing, and this left me feeling like I should've just bought myself a few books and done the exercises in them at home.

So, I didn't have a very good experience at all I'm afraid, and didn't bother seeing the course to the end.

Sorry if this is not exactly the good advice on courses you were looking for but I thought I'd just share my experience with you.

I have heard advice to the effect of 'If you want to be a writer, then write' and having wasted my time and money (even if it was cheap!) on a course I'd agree - maybe get a couple of books on Creative Writing out of the library to start you off with some exercises, and use the 1 & 1/2 hours a week at home or in the library actually writing instead of listening to someone waffle on about it!

There's no substitute for getting stuck in....and I bet most of the best writers never had one Creative Writing lesson in their life anyway!

Good luck!

Ridire_Dubh

Not sure where you are in your education, but heard through the grape vine that UCD was planning on offering an MA in Creative Writing.

Blush_01

Trinity do one too.

I'm the Auditor of the English Literary Society in UCD. We hold weekly creative writing workshops. They're informal and are more of an idea factory than anything else. People do read, but we tend not to critique work, as some people are sensitive about their writing. If you're around UCD, call in when term re-opens. We start at 6 on a tuesday evening in J208 in the English Department, you're more than welcome to come along, it's completely free. If you don't like it, then that's fine. If you do, you're welcome to keep coming back. Keep in mind though, it's not a course, more a writing group.

In a way, I've been thinking recently about creative writing as a taught subject. I think that creative writing should be an organic thing, and a course in it just gives it a clinical element... then again, that's just my current opinion. It's liable to change.

jrey1981

Blush_01 wrote:

Trinity do one too.

I'm the Auditor of the English Literary Society in UCD. We hold weekly creative writing workshops. They're informal and are more of an idea factory than anything else. People do read, but we tend not to critique work, as some people are sensitive about their writing. If you're around UCD, call in when term re-opens. We start at 6 on a tuesday evening in J208 in the English Department, you're more than welcome to come along, it's completely free. If you don't like it, then that's fine. If you do, you're welcome to keep coming back. Keep in mind though, it's not a course, more a writing group.

In a way, I've been thinking recently about creative writing as a taught subject. I think that creative writing should be an organic thing, and a course in it just gives it a clinical element... then again, that's just my current opinion. It's liable to change.

Just happened upon this thread as I have been thinking about a course, but an informal workshop sounds like a good start...when does term re-open?

danbhala

check out http://www.thecreativewritersworkshop.com/

just some nice little workshops

Lothaar

It's pointless doing a course in creative writing. Reading and writing as much as you can will give you everything you need to write creatively. All you need is a firm grasp of the language and how to manipulate it, and plenty of inspiration.
You can't learn how to be inspired.

The 'ideas factory' thing in UCD sounds good.

Plastic Scouser

Lothaar wrote:

It's pointless doing a course in creative writing. Reading and writing as much as you can will give you everything you need to write creatively

Unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree with you. Like I said earlier on 'If you want to be a writer then write'!!

I think showing your writing to someone who's opinion you value can definitely help you to improve if they are willing to give you some constructive criticism, but I get the impression that a lot of creative writing classes don't really present this opportunity anyway.

Spending time at classes, when you could be at home writing your masterpiece just seems to be a way of putting off getting on with it!

(Or maybe that was just me! )

Blush_01

While I see your point, I raise you mine - do publishers watch you in your bedroom/study/livingroom the way they watch Creative Writing MA students? It's a well known fact that the publishers of big publishing firms will keep an eye on the students in Creative Writing MAs, in order to source new talent. It's a hell of a lot easier on your confidence to get a Masters qualification in Creative Writing and get work published than it is to do it on your own and paper your walls with rejection slips. I'd prefer to pay my €4,500 for a year of learning something and being able to concentrate on writing without feeling guilty or not sleeping and at the end of the day have a real prospect of getting work considered than to battle away and never have anything I write seen except on websites such as this one. I love Boards, but it's not a career, nor will it garner the kind of critique you need to improve your writing. If you write well, that's great. But at the end of the day, if you're the only person who thinks you write well - because everyone else who'd like your work never gets a chance to read it - then all that time you spent writing for yourself becomes a self-indulgent waste. Part of me thinks a Creative Writing course makes something organic into something clinical. But another part of me sees it as a magnificent opportunity - it's all about perspective.

jrey1981 - College re-opens at the end of this month/beginning of the next. We broke for three weeks on the 10th, so add 3 weeks to that, it's probably the first week in April. Tuesday evening, 6 pm. If you're interested, PM me beforehand and I'll give you my number so you can call me if you get lost. We're very informal, but the AGM will be at the beginning of the workshop that night, so don't worry about that bit, there'll be a workshop afterwards. It's just to elect a new committee for next year so the society can keep going. We're very lovely, really.

jrey1981

thanks Blush, I will keep that in mind - I am just finishing a piece of non-fiction writing at the moment, so beginning of April should be good for me.

I think your points are valid about an MA in Creative Writing are valid, and read something the other day about the highly regarded one at the Uni of East Anglia in the UK (if I remember correctly), saying that one of its big selling points is that publishers and agents visit to check out the students and their work.

However I also think it would be a valuable opportunity to think about the actual technique of telling a story, in terms of structure, different dramatic elements, etc. If I thought long enough, I could probably figure out some of those things for myself, but arguably ideas would come alot easier in a learning environment where you can listen to and contribute ideas with like-minded and knowledgeable people.

Plastic Scouser

Blush_01 wrote:

do publishers watch you in your bedroom/study/livingroom the way they watch Creative Writing MA students? It's a well known fact that the publishers of big publishing firms will keep an eye on the students in Creative Writing MAs, in order to source new talent. It's a hell of a lot easier on your confidence to get a Masters qualification in Creative Writing and get work published than it is to do it on your own and paper your walls with rejection slips. I'd prefer to pay my €4,500 for a year of learning something

I think we're talking about different things here as I do agree that there is an awful lot to gain from studying for a Masters in Creative Writing.

However, from the original post I got the impression (maybe wrongly, as we weren't given a lot of information to go on!:) ) that the OP was looking for a less formal qualification/course in Creative Writing - and it is these evening classes etc. that I think are pretty useless compared to getting on and writing.

I am certain that a Masters degree in Creative Writing would benefit any would-be writer enormously, however this is impossible for a lot of people i.e. it is expensive & usually requires you to have an undergraduate degree, as well as quite a lot of time to put into it (which may not be possible if you have to work full-time & have a family etc.).

Also, again I don't know where the OP is at with their writing but if someone is just starting out, looking for inspiration, or haven't written an awful lot yet and wanted to start and get a feel for it, they might be tempted to go to one of the less formal courses (and certainly a Masters wouldn't be appropriate for them anyway).

Apologies for the rambling anyway! I suppose what I'm really saying is a Masters is a different kettle of fish entirely - I'm sure a Masters is great but most of the Creative Writing courses out there are not at this level, are not aimed at people who are in formal education, and are imo nowhere near as useful!

Blush_01

That I agree with. I like our workshops because they cost nothing and the only things we promise are:

Free refreshments
A listening ear
Fun
The possibility of new perspectives on the ordinary

We don't critique work in workshops, because some people are sensitive about their writing, but we do read our raw pieces aloud if we feel so inclined - it's a great way to judge how an audience will accept the piece, and can give you a direction on how to further it in seeing what people do and don't respond to.

I'm more than willing to critique any piece people want critiqued after the workshop, but in an informal way. I know it's just my opinion, but we're a small group and don't have the resources or extroverted personalities for a weekly critique workshop.

God, I sound so pretentious, but I'm honestly not!

madser77

hey Blush, I'm gonna ask a completely obtuse question here so please bear with me ... is attendance at your workshops restricted to on-campus students? I graduated about seven years ago, your thread brings back lovely memories of being in a creative environment ...

Blush_01

Not as far as I'm concerned!

If we were having events we were charging into we wouldn't limit ourselves to on-campus students, I don't see why we should limit a creative environment by posing restrictions like that on it! Maybe I'm just a big free-lovin' hippy at heart. (No offence meant to hippies, that's a light-hearted jest.)

Hell, you're all welcome, just let me know so I know how many extra cups to snaffle!

billo41

Hell, you're all welcome, just let me know so I know how many extra cups to snaffle![/QUOTE]

Blush - is there an age limit?

Vinnie69

I interested;)

Blush_01

No age limit, however most people in attendance are 17 or 18 and over. If anyone much younger than that wants to attend, please do e-mail me first, as some workshops may not be suitable (although that's rare) because I could get into trouble if a 10 year old turned up for an erotic workshop etc. There's definitely no upper limit anyway.

metaoblivia

I think Creative Writing courses or workshops, formal or informal, are wonderful. I'm an MFA Creative Writing student at a university in the States, and I think the more opinions and feedback you can get on your work the better off you'll be, whether you're working with professional or aspiring writers. Someone's bound to have a different take on your work.
If you can find a workshop group to join, I think you'd find it helpful and possibly even insightful.

jrey1981

Blush_01 wrote:

No age limit, however most people in attendance are 17 or 18 and over. If anyone much younger than that wants to attend, please do e-mail me first, as some workshops may not be suitable (although that's rare) because I could get into trouble if a 10 year old turned up for an erotic workshop etc. There's definitely no upper limit anyway.

Has this started yet?

Am in mid 20s, so wondering if anyone that kind of age will be there or if it is kind of for younger students...?

Blush_01

First one was this week, cake workshop next week instead of this week. (I had to find some way to make people come to the AGM!!!)

6pm, tuesday evening, J208 in the Newman Building in Belfield.

We're predominantly early 20s, so you'll fit right in. A sense of humour is vital! (It doesn't have to be a good one, mine has never been in full working order as far as I know anyway!)

The_Minister

A course probably won't do much, but I found Stephen King's "On Writing" to be quite useful. Get it from the library.

The_Minister

Blush! They aren't members! *sputters indignantly* we need to increase our membership! What about the cost of the refreshments! *sinks to knees crying*

Blush_01

Firespinner, are you being a cantankerous old trout again? The excessive amount of money the refreshments will cost won't break us! Are you sure you're not Dallan in disguise? Activity is work more than money. Believe me on this one.

Schuhart

I don't think courses per se do much for you. Some kind of writer's circle is useful, if you give and get decent feedback from the other participants. One of the important things is to put work into reviewing other people's work.

I'm in an online group called critters.org, which is aimed at people interested in writing SF/fantasy/horror. I find the experience useful and you learn a lot from the crits of other participants, even if they are just amateurs like myself. It is equally important to crit pieces yourself. In any event, the rules of the group require you to keep up a certain quota of reviewing other people's stories, or you can't post your own. But its useful to do it anyway, as it gives you a picture of what else is out there and it helps you to spot common mistakes that you make yourself.

As I said, critters is aimed at people interested in specific genres, but I don't doubt there's groups out there catering for all tastes. The caveat to watch out for is the groups where you just post to an open board - that counts as publication, which screws you when you want to submit the story to a magazine. But, in any case, I think those open boards are pretty pointless, because they're full people sticking up stories in the despirate hope of getting feedback, but no-one is reviewing.