I know it’s difficult to think about, but in just a couple of weeks it’s time for the kids to go back to school!
But children and teens aren’t the only ones who need an education. Writers never graduate, and the best writers know when they need an infusion of craft-related learning to help inspire even greater heights of creativity and progress.Thanks to the Internet, there are lots of ways to find writer education without ever leaving the comfort of your office- or in my case my dining-room office space. I know, it’s sounds less than glamorous but it works! Writer webinars, online writing classes, and low residency graduate programs are all great resources when it comes to getting the education you need to keep up with current trends and continue developing your own writer voice and style. Whatever your writing goals for this fall, consider taking a class, reading a new book on craft, joining a critique group or attending a conference. I promise you’ll be glad you did.
So in honor of all this back-to-school business, I’ve selected two must-haves for your writer book shelf this fall. The winner will receive one copy of the following books:
- The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson
- Novel Metamorphosis by Darcy Pattison
All you have to do is leave a comment about a writer education experience you’ve had that you would recommend to others, or comment about your writer-education plans for this fall. It doesn’t have to be anything grandiose. Even just “I plan to read all of this year’s Newberry winners by December!” is a great goal full of learning potential. I’ll throw all of the comments in a hat and pick a winner! It’s that simple. All comments must be posted by Sunday, August 24, and I’ll announce the winner here one week from today!
So good luck and happy back-to-school goal setting!
Sensibility- Like flowers need fertilizer to be at their most beautiful, writers need an infusion of creativity and craft to produce their best work.
Sense- Set a goal to educate yourself this school year on the craft and business of writing.
Tell me about your writer-education experiences or your education goals!
I have wanted those books for a long time! What a great giveaway and idea for a post! I can’t wait to read about education experiences of others. I took ICL’s courses–magazine and novel–for writing for kids and enjoyed them very much. I learned quite a bit about writing, revision, and the market. Highly recommended classes if you can’t attend a university.
Thanks for stopping by Danielle! I love both of these books and plan on spending more time in them come September! I’ve got the ICL class on my radar for January…have wanted to do it for years but life always seems to get in the way!
May ask for it for Christmas! Did you feel the novel class was helpful, and in what way? (If you have time to answer:)
I found the novel course challenging and I love challenges! I had a 2 year old and a 6 month old at the time. Finding time to write was a huge chunk of the challenge. But so worth it! I had a professional writer help me with my plot, characterization, everything. It proved to me I could write a novel and also showed me the real work involved.
That’s awesome Danielle! And I know what it’s like to write while raising kids. It’s its own kind of challenge. Thanks so much!
One of the first writerly education experiences I had was a SCBWI Fall Conference… I’d never been to one before, but what an awesome opportunity to meet other authors and learn about the industry. Jay Asher was one of the speakers and he rocked! I’ll be forever grateful for this all-too-short weekend and the community it introduced me to.
Hi Joseph! Thanks so much for sharing. And yes, attending SCBWI conferences is one of the best ways I know of to get educated about kidlit and become part of such a wonderful, supportive community! Thanks for chiming in!
One of the best things I ever did was join SCBWI–not only did I find plenty of educational opportunities through conferences and continuing ed but I also found critique partners, which have, perhaps, given me the best feedback/education of all.
I wholeheartedly agree Erin! I don’t know where I’d be without all the resources of SCBWI! If you are a kidlit writer and haven’t joined, I strongly recommend it. Thanks for the comment Erin!
I just finished summer school with the Nerdy Chicks and I would do it again in a heartbeat! It was 4 weeks full of amazing advice from a number of authors including AC Gaughen, Tara Lazar, and Kelly Light. Sudipta and Kami ( the nerdy chicks ) are considering what to do for future web classes so be on the lookout for those awesome opportunities!
I am attending the Fall Scbwi-mi conference on Mackinac Island. Can’t wait!
Good for you Sheila! It looks like a great one, and I’m sure you’ll learn lots of amazing things!
That’s awesome Jodi! I had not heard about that group, so I’ll be sure to check it out!
My character The Monster had a tarot reading at my writing and yoga retreat! It was very accurate and helpful and I am not crazy!
Well now that’s thinking outside the box Lisa! LOL! You can find writer education just about everywhere if you’re always looking!