This post originally appeared on The Writer’s ABC Checklist on 12/12/12.
Have you considered taking a writing class, but not been sure if that option was right for you? Today, [guest blogger] Kate Willson outlines the pros and cons.
Writing Classes: Are They Worth the Investment?
Throughout my years of working as a freelance writer, I’ve seen countless authors, bloggers, and professional writers jump into heated discussions and debates over whether or not writing is a natural gift, or if it is something that must be honed and developed through years of hard work and intrinsic learning.
I doubt we’ll ever see an end to this age-old debate, but nevertheless, I strongly believe that it can’t hurt to learn more about the art of writing from time to time. That said, I’ve found that writing classes have tremendously helped a great deal of my writing colleagues and acquaintances. If you’re looking to improve your writing work, enrolling in a writing class might be a viable option to consider. Here are some of the pros and cons of enrolling in writing classes.
Pro: Time set aside for writing
When I was a young writer, I used to bemoan the fact that I never had time to write for fun since my newspaper job took up most of my creative energy. With writing classes, however, you’ll have a designated amount of time set aside to do your personal writing. If you have been putting off writing a book, poem, or short story, you’ll finally have a time to do so in your writing classes! Most of the writing classes you’ll take require you to spend a lot of time writing solely for fun, so you’ll not only be practicing your craft, you’ll also be knocking out those side projects you’ve been putting off for much too long.
Pro: Practice makes better
No, practice doesn’t make perfect; it does, however, make better. One of the greatest pros of enrolling in writing classes is the opportunity to stretch your writing bones and improve your craft. Each and every day you spend learning about writing, you’re not only learning more about the ins and outs of professional writing, you’re also improving your body of work. So, if anything, writing classes give you the opportunity to spend practicing your writing skills. And as all seasoned writers know, practice is essential to becoming better.
Read the rest of the post on The Writer’s ABC Checklist.