What is the best online fiction writing course?
November 24, 2015 8:47 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for maximum one-on-one coaching from an accomplished writer and teacher. It must be online. Expense is no object.
Best answer: Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth, I took a correspondence course from Writer's Digest and got a truckload of great instruction from noted horror novelist and anthologist, J. N. Williamson. It looks like WD has gone in the direction of online, which is good, but also workshopping your novel, which I am not a fan of, and you don't seem to be looking for.
Perhaps this one on one option from The Gotham Writers is what you're looking for?
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 9:56 AM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Perhaps this one on one option from The Gotham Writers is what you're looking for?
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 9:56 AM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Gotham used to offer one-on-one sessions (both online and in person) when I worked for them years ago. People also used to post adds offering this sort of service in the back of Poets and Writers Magazine, too. But quality, obviously, has everything to do with the teacher and nothing to do with the organization. If money's really no object, see if any of the authors you like are teaching at MFA programs -- write them directly and make them an offer. A lot of people would consider doing this sort of thing on the side, I bet.
posted by thursdaystoo at 10:25 AM on November 24, 2015
posted by thursdaystoo at 10:25 AM on November 24, 2015
Best answer: I've taken Mary Robinette Kowal's short story workshop - she does some thing with structure that totally carry over into novels and were super helpful. The only downside is that her classes are offered whenever she has free time, which can be seldom, and they're *very* popular - getting on the waitlist is about the only way to do it.
I've also heard good things about Cat Rambo's classes, so check those out. Both of these are firmly within the science fiction world generally, which shouldn't be a dealbreaker, although if you're writing literary fiction they might be somewhat less helpful. And both, as far as I know, are small-group classes, so it's not entirely one-on-one, although Mary certainly does crit your homework herself (and she's sharp as hell.)
posted by restless_nomad at 10:31 AM on November 24, 2015
I've also heard good things about Cat Rambo's classes, so check those out. Both of these are firmly within the science fiction world generally, which shouldn't be a dealbreaker, although if you're writing literary fiction they might be somewhat less helpful. And both, as far as I know, are small-group classes, so it's not entirely one-on-one, although Mary certainly does crit your homework herself (and she's sharp as hell.)
posted by restless_nomad at 10:31 AM on November 24, 2015
Best answer: I can highly recommend LA Writers' Lab, run by Al Watt. He has a variety of workshops, but also does one-on-one. (I have expereince working with him in the context of a novel.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:53 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 1:53 PM on November 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Disclaimer: I have not paid for coaching or classes from StoryWonk (frankly, my writing is so crappy it's not worth paying money to get another human to read it) , but I've read Lani's books and listened to all of hers and Alistair's podcasts and I think they know their stuff.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:22 PM on November 24, 2015
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:22 PM on November 24, 2015
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posted by BlahLaLa at 9:18 AM on November 24, 2015