I am a writer who never took a writing class. I know...I know. And I call myself a writer? Yes, I do. I may not have majored in a writing degree, but I did major in History. If you didn't know it, history majors write till their fingers wither and disintegrate; in my case I have tough fingers!
All I did to obtain that wonderful little certificate, called a degree, from a big university was to write, write, write. And if that were not enough, write some more.
My first big job reaffirmed this notion. Soon after I was hired, I was handed a large stack of papers to research and in two weeks I was responsible for writing a federal grant. Yikes! I was told later that I was hired because I was a history major and it told my supervisor two things: I could write and I could research what I wrote.
Of course, there is that part of me that wanted to actually take a writing
class. Just to see...maybe I was missing out on some fundamental that would make me a better writer.
My schedule is pretty full, thank the gods for the internet and online classes! I have been taking writing workshops from Writer's Digest and just signed up for Screenwriting at Gotham Writer's Workshop. Do I like them? You bet I do!
My advice to the newbie writer, or even someone who just wants to "brush up" on their skills....go for it.
