Isn’t It About Time YOU Graduated, Writer?

It’s that time of year when graduates are marching forth, ready to show off their hard-earned knowledge and take on the world. Whether they’re leaving kindergarten or college, it’s the same. Excitement bounces on the breeze, just like all those colorful “Congratulations, Graduate!” balloons.

Don’t you wish writers could graduate? That we had a special day when we marched forth, all excited to take on the writing world?

You know what? We have something better. Because writers can graduate any and every day. All a writer has to do is find the right class and sign up.

Take WOW!Women on Writing. If you’re a faithful WOW! follower, you know there’s a plethora (See how I used a big writing word? Don’t you feel smarter already?) of writing classes offered here. Of course, I’m a little biased when it comes to our writing classes because I know how wonderful and responsive the instructors are.

But maybe you’re looking for a class that we don’t offer. Maybe your budget or time is stretched thin right now. There are many writing classes available—and honestly, it’s as simple as typing “writing classes” into your favorite search engine. From authors who supplement their income by offering weekend retreats to publishing giants who serve up a smorgasbord of webinars and boutique services, you can find a course that will fit both your pocketbook and time constraints.

But writer beware. Taking online classes requires homework before you pay your tuition.

Do a little research on your instructor. You want a teacher who’s published and qualified in the writing field she/he is teaching. (Seems like a no-brainer, I know. But I recently noticed a critique service where an author was assigned to give feedback in a field she wasn’t published in. It may not matter if your instructor is published in fantasy YA and you write science fiction YA. But if you’re signed up for a picture book class and the teacher is published in adult fiction, you might want to keep looking.)

Check about refund policies before you send in that check. Life happens, and if your life happens to take a crazy turn before a class starts, you want to be able to get your money back.

Finally, zip around the web to see if anyone’s talking about the class. That’s the great thing about writers. They write about everything—and dish on the details.

If your budget can’t manage tuition right now, search “free writing classes.” Instruction on the cheap—and in everything from advertising copy to westerns—is just a click away. You may not reap quite the same benefits as you would from a paying class, but you could still complete that free class and feel like you’re ready to take on the writing world.

So ditch the excuses and sign up today. And get your own “Congratulations, Graduate” balloon!

~Cathy C. Hall