voodoo_em
from England is reading All the books by Ira LevinMarch 6, 2013 - 3:04am
I just signed up for Lidia's class.
I'm excited already :)
Meredith_103
March 6, 2013 - 5:05am
I signed up for Lidia's class too. Very excited!!
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup
from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck WendigMarch 7, 2013 - 10:27pm
Oh you guys are going to LOVE IT. It's a fantastic class. I wish I could take it again.
Nik-- that explains sooo much.
Covewriter
from Nashville, Tennessee is reading & SonsMarch 9, 2013 - 6:53pm
I signed up for Richards and am looking forward to it . Anyone else?
SRead
from Colorado is reading StoriesMarch 15, 2013 - 9:10am
I'm in Richard's class, too, Cove.
Trying to get my story healthy enough to survive evisceration.
Renfield
from Hell is reading 20th Century GhostsMarch 19, 2013 - 4:25pm
FFUUU... Look at the jazz coming up. John Skipp two week workshop for only 150 simoleons?? Shit. God damn. Get off yer ass and get in that class.
I'd like to take that Jon Gingerich short story class too. Cool to see the higher rotation of the popular classes starting to happen.
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisMarch 19, 2013 - 8:08pm
Thanks Renfield.
We ain't messin' around.
Nine classes live, and I am damn proud of this slate.
Plus I've got some more cooking that I'm pretty excited about.
Good times.
OtisTheBulldog
from Somerville, MA is reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot DiazMarch 19, 2013 - 9:18pm
I'm in for Richard's class.
I'm also looking for someone's blood to sell to sign up for another class.
Good work, LR crew.
Richard
from St. Louis is reading various anthologiesMarch 19, 2013 - 9:42pm
sweet. i'm stoked for my class. we'll have fun, no worries, it won't be dry.
klahol
from Stockholm, Sweden is reading Black MoonMarch 20, 2013 - 1:31am
Signed up for Skipps class. Reaching for my six-shooter and furtively looking left and right in a mexican standoff. Oh, and I'm the ugly one.
Covewriter
from Nashville, Tennessee is reading & SonsMarch 20, 2013 - 8:23am
Looking forward to Richards class. Glad to see others I know will be in it too. I think I also really need Suzy's class, if I can somehow free up another $150.
NikKorpon
from Baltimore is reading Book and books and books andMarch 28, 2013 - 7:01am
Renee- How was the Faust class?
Who else is taking Rob's class with me?
marcusdunn
from ohio is reading character and viewpoint by orson scott cardApril 7, 2013 - 1:21pm
I'd like testimonials that are more helpful -- namely what people got OUT of the class. These are some descriptions that are more sensationalized that practical to me. So, I scratch my head and think about their usefulness to me. At the pricepoints of the class, making a WISE decision with my capital AND my time is my first thought. Otherwise, I could have gone elsewhere to take the class online.
Also...a 10 day class that is primarily lecture with no critique, assignments or imput of the author giving the class does me very little good. I might be able to find that information in several books that cost way less. I take these classes for ACCESS to the writer who can give me some insight and constructive criticism on making my writing better, more powerful and more evocative.
There are some of your class descriptions that are vague to genre. I truly do not want to take a class whose main bent if erotica or that type of writing. However one of the classes that I considered taking has a GUT feeling that it will be alot of this. So, I didn't pony up the cash or time commitment for it.
There are other that you have listed that are not yet scheduled that I am biting on the bit to take. I need them to help me NOW, not down the road. So, I have to piecemeal training from multiple sites to get this done.
Frustrating...expensive...yet none-the-less true.
md
---
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisApril 7, 2013 - 1:32pm
Marcus, I've given thought to expanding on testimonials--maybe even making past students accessible in some way, so they can speak to their experiences (we've had several people take multiple classes). Something to think about, definitely.
The 10-day format with the critique lotteries is designed to bring the class in at a lower price point and make it more accessible. If that format doesn't work for you, then it doesn't work for you; there are other options available. But due to the overwhelmingly positive response we got from Suzy's first 10-day dialogue intensive, it's a format we'll continue to explore.
Can you tell me which class you considered taking that you thought might be too much about erotica?
I'm open to expanding or rethinking class descriptions, if that's something people feel is lacking.
Finally, I don't know how to address your problem that classes aren't being offered to meet the demands of your schedule. We're booked at nearly a class a week through the summer, which is fairly aggressive.
Can you tell me who you want to study with that we don't have live yet? I can probably give you a better idea of where they're going to land, through the summer and into the fall.
Bill Tucker
from Austin, Texas is reading Grimm's Fairy Tales (1st Edition)April 10, 2013 - 11:31am
Hey Rob!
I've been thinking about taking the John Skipp class on May 9th but I'm going to be away that weekend. Never taken a class here, so I was curious if it was something I could start when I got back that Monday or if I needed to be around on the 9th.
Thanks!
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisApril 11, 2013 - 8:52am
Bill--I checked with Skipp and he says that's fine, and he can accomodate. Anyway, the classes are designed so that you don't have to be someplace at an appointed time (unless there's a conference call or something, but details like those are hammered out among instructors and students, in order to reach a workable consensus).
So, feel free to sign up! Skipp is incredibly excited and enthusiastic about teaching this. It's going to be a good time.
Bhyl
from The Deep South originally, Seattle now is reading Dan Brown's Inferno! (No, no, I'm just kidding)April 23, 2013 - 2:51pm
Just saw this thread...
Rob, I disagree with your stance on the minimum requirements (in response to a comment from Mess_Jess). If a class is billed as an intermediate or advanced class, the students have every right to expect to be with other intermediate or advanced students and not have to read / critique work that is clearly not. You could require that they take a basic class before an intermediate one, or that they submit a writing sample, etc. I totally get that you don't want to turn students (i.e. dollars) away, but in effect you are going to be turning students away if your "advanced" classes don't really end up being as advertised, because a disappointed student is unlikely to be a returning student.
I've only taken one LitReactor course so far, and while I did get some things out of it, I didn't feel like it was worth the $400. I live in Seattle where an in-person 6 week classes at Hugo House cost less than your 4 week online classes, with the instructor quality being equivalent. I did decide to give it another go and just signed up for David's upcoming class, so we'll see if this ends up being more value for the money.
Amanda Roberts-...
April 25, 2013 - 8:15pm
Please offer the Intro to Graphic Novel writing! This class is the reason I joined the mailing list because I really want to take it. I have almost a full outline for a complete 48 issue story, but actually starting with "Page 1 panel 1" is toally alien to me.
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisApril 26, 2013 - 7:15am
Bhyl, thanks for weighing in. It's something I'll consider, but I don't expect we'll make students submit writing samples to gain entry to classes. We're fostering a community of up-and-coming writers--enthusiasm and a willingness to learn go a long way. Best of luck in David's class, he's a fantastic teacher.
Amanda, we're hashing out the details on the graphic novel class and hope to have it back in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled.
Covewriter
from Nashville, Tennessee is reading & SonsApril 27, 2013 - 6:52pm
I've taken Richard's and Jon's classes and benefitted from both. For me, the best thing about a class is that it gives you a reason to work on a story to submit for feedback. It gives you guidelines and deadlines. I found myself writing more and engaging more with writing because of the classes. The other students make a difference. While Richard was extremely attentitive, I also benefitted from Otis and SiFiWriter Guy giving me feedback. I was skeptical that someone named SiFiWriter Guy would not be able to enjoy my story, but he was one of my best reviewers. Like actual workshops, the virtual workshops connect you to others. I think they are expensive, but the two-week courses are reasonable. just some thoughts for what it's worth if you thinking of taking a class. I will take another, but probably a two week one as the longer ones are too pricey for me T the moment.
big_old_dave
from Watford, about 20 miles outside London, Uk
April 28, 2013 - 4:40am
Just signed up for Taylor's course, looking forward to it. :)
cj
from Columbus,Ohio
April 29, 2013 - 3:05pm
Is Joshua Mohr's class coming up anytime soon?
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisApril 29, 2013 - 5:14pm
Josh should be back sometime this summer. Not sure when yet, but we're definitely planning on it.
Richard
from St. Louis is reading various anthologiesMay 9, 2013 - 11:28am
thanks for the kind words, Cove. there were a lot of great peer critiques in our class, and it really helps to get more than one opinion. so much talent here at LR.
Michael J. Riser
from CA, TX, Japan, back to CA is reading The Tyrant - Michael Cisco, The Devil Takes You Home - Gabino IglesiasMay 20, 2013 - 10:11am
I'm pretty sure I never participated in this discussion, so happy to add my two cents:
I took Craig's 200 Proof class which was fantastic. It did end up being worth the money, but... well, it was a lot of money, and no matter how many cool classes I see here, I can't justify further expense. Everything you're currently offering is too much cash for too little potential return.
Craig was a bit of a different story as I had a better idea about he and his work, and so that was definitely a draw. I wasn't disappointed. Craig was professional, insightful, and generous, and even though my group in the class was basically nonexistant as those people didn't show up at all or participate except for one guy (and even he basically stopped after I think the 2nd or 3rd week), several other classmates (Terry, Stacy, Bryan, and others) were awesome and gave me critiques and stuff. A little more forum interaction would have been cool, but I think a lot of us were fairly busy, and what we did do was pretty good. I've recently been compiling all the lectures from the class, all the responses to my work, and all the worthwhile forum discussion into an eBook for my own personal use. I love that the material remains online so you can get to it long after the class is over. That definitely helps with the money thing a little.
I would consider paying for another class if I really had a lot of respect for the person teaching it and if the subject matter matched exactly what I was looking for, but I'm only passingly familiar with a lot of the folks teaching here, and what some of the people I may know better are teaching doesn't match up with what I feel I need. Neither of those statements are judgments about your roster, nor a suggestion that you go out and get "big name" people. There are many "big name" writers I could give less than two shits about. But in the case of Craig, for instance, that was a hook for me. Donald Ray Pollock probably would be too, as Bryan mentioned. Neil Gaiman probably would, though I imagine he's entirely inaccessible these days.
Anyway, the biggest issue is money. If it was an absolutely match for me with the subject and the teacher, I might in theory consider another one if the price didn't seem crazy, but as of now, there aren't many such matches, and the available classes are generally at least double what I'd be willing to pay.
Please understand this isn't a quality judgment either, I'm honestly not even sure what the going rates are for this sort of thing elsewhere. I'm in school full time, so I don't have time to even think about it. I only know what money I'd be willing to part with, and what you guys have in the lineup right now is way too much for anything I think I could benefit from. I'd love to take Patrick's class, for instance, both because I think he's great and because it's a cool subject. But $250 is too much with the risk of having a group that doesn't pull through and not knowing just how much Patrick is able to give back individually. $200? Still too much. $150? I'd probably go for it, though the purestrings are still tight lately. $100? I'd do it without question.
This is just me. I'm not trying to suggest what may be realistic pricing options as I have no idea what those realities are. Just sort of chronicling what quickly fires through my head when I read through the LR emails and look at the front page.
Dwayne
from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updatedMay 20, 2013 - 10:51am
I'd like to be able to look at these on a calendar on the site, but that is just my two cents.
SRead
from Colorado is reading StoriesMay 20, 2013 - 12:45pm
Thanks for bringing Bree back for the query class! And thank you for scheduling it out far enough so that I can gather the funds over the course of a few paychecks. That makes it all the more do-able, and I can hardly wait to get started. I've been kicking myself since I missed it last time.
SamaLamaWama
from Dallas is reading Something Wicked This Way Comes May 24, 2013 - 7:33am
I just took Skipp's The Choreography of Violence and was totally blown away by how much I learned. Initially, I was worried about the cost. I've never taking a course through LitReactor. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I will take any class Skipp teaches because he's over the top brilliant. He's both encouraging and hard at the same time--the perfect balance of tough love. I would totally recommend him to anyone looking to amp up their action scenes. I wrote two kick ass Skipp approved action scenes in just under two weeks. I'm thrilled with the results. ~Sam
klahol
from Stockholm, Sweden is reading Black MoonMay 24, 2013 - 7:45am
I second that. Skipp is filled to the brim with awesomesauce. He spurred me to write a story i did not know I had in me. Rest of the class was great, too. He even listened to the students and adapted his curriculuum to fit what kind of stories the different students were working on. Kick ass in every respect.
Wendy Hammer
from Indiana is reading One Night in SixesMay 24, 2013 - 9:20am
I'll pipe in here with another recommendation for Skipp's class. He gives solid grounding in theory, examples, and best of all he is invested in the students. He was on top of it. He responded to everyone. He gave insightful critiques and encouragement. The assignments inspired me and I had a blast. Add all that to the opportunity to read, respond, and talk to other students, and it makes for two weeks filled with fun, challenge, and improvement.
Worth every penny.
Matt A.
May 28, 2013 - 12:42pm
Hey Rob, any idea what's being forecasted for the rest of the summer?
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisMay 28, 2013 - 1:10pm
I'm working on that right now! Summer is a beast, as it's hard to peg people down for more than a week at a time. But I've got a few things cooking that, hopefully, I'll be able to post soon.
voodoo_em
from England is reading All the books by Ira LevinJune 10, 2013 - 4:26am
@Rob ~ I'm just coming to the end of a fantastic class with Lidia Y, any chance you will be asking her back to do her age of immersion class (or another class) because oh yes, I want more :)
Mark Grover
June 11, 2013 - 1:31pm
Has anyone taken the horror workshop? I was debating on signing up for it!
Sound
from Azusa, CA is reading Greener Pastures by Michael WehuntJune 11, 2013 - 1:26pm
On the fence about taking Nik's archetype class. Has anyone taking it (I think it's been offered once before?), or is anyone taking the June 13 class?
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisJune 11, 2013 - 1:34pm
Sound--it's a brand new class. So no, we haven't offered it before.
Sound
from Azusa, CA is reading Greener Pastures by Michael WehuntJune 11, 2013 - 1:36pm
Ah, ok. Thanks, Rob.
avery of the dead
from Kentucky is reading Cipher SistersJune 11, 2013 - 2:01pm
Hey Sound! You're probably thinking of THIS CLASS, which he promoted here. :)
Sound
from Azusa, CA is reading Greener Pastures by Michael WehuntJune 11, 2013 - 2:22pm
Thanks, Avery. That's the one!
Anyway, I'm still interested in knowing who my classmates would be :). I definitely will take the e-book class with Joseph. Been wanting to learn how to format.
Mess_Jess
from Sydney, Australia, living in Toronto, Canada is reading Perfect by Rachael JoyceJune 11, 2013 - 2:37pm
@mark -- I did the horror workshop and it was a lot of fun. Our instructors were really, really detailed in their reviews of our work and quite engaging, and the lectures were informative. Though, I had different teachers, except John Langan who also did my class. I recently sold a story I drafted for this class.
NikKorpon
from Baltimore is reading Book and books and books andJune 11, 2013 - 5:08pm
Thank, Avery. That's the one. Might be doing that again at some point, though I'm not sure if it'll be in person or online. The scope of that class is much broader than the archetype class, though there is of course some overlap.
Sound- I'm not sure who has enrolled yet, so I'm not much of a help. But I'll be there so what else really matters. (Where the fuck did that sarcasm font go?)
voodoo_em
from England is reading All the books by Ira LevinJune 12, 2013 - 1:59am
I'd quite like to take Nik's class only I'm still kind of in the final week of Lidia's class and I wonder if I'm pushing it a little by jumping straight into another before ones really finished...and arghhh I only have one day to decide!!!
NikKorpon
from Baltimore is reading Book and books and books andJune 12, 2013 - 4:32am
I know what you mean, Em. I was really tempted to take Duane's class but it starts halfway through mine and thought it'd be pulling too thin. If only it was a week later!
Mark Grover
June 12, 2013 - 8:45am
Thanks for the info, mess-jess!!
voodoo_em
from England is reading All the books by Ira LevinJune 12, 2013 - 9:08am
@ Nik ~ I know right... but hey I signed up anyway :) I figured I'm pretty much finished with my peer reviews, just waiting on feedback from Lid, so why the hell not.
See you in the classroom.
NikKorpon
from Baltimore is reading Book and books and books andJune 12, 2013 - 10:31am
Excellent. Looking forward to it.
D.R.Parker
from Ogden, Utah is reading Finders KeepersJune 14, 2013 - 11:54pm
I've taken two classes so far. I really learned a bunch and had fun. I think the prices are fair. What I don't like is not know which classes are coming up down the road. I've looked at the list of classes offered here and see some others that I want to take. It would be cool if there was a yearly or at least seasonal schedule. I have a large family, so budgeting my time and money in advance is important.
Class Director
Rob
from New York City is reading at a fast enough pace it would be cumbersome to update thisJune 15, 2013 - 9:57am
D.R., I try to get classes up a month ahead of time, or more. Unfortunately, it's hard to plan any further than that--there's a lot of planning involved, as the instructors have to make sure their schedules are clear, and sometimes stuff comes up... for example, I have a couple of classes I had planned for July and August that got postponed because of scheduling issues. Which is why I'm a little hesitant to put things up too far in advance.
That said, come August and September, except to see Jack Ketchum teaching his horror class, Joshua Mohr on his plotlines class, and Suzy Vitello teaching her 10-day dialogue class. Those, I have pretty much locked down... but there's more in store, too. Think graphic novels, editiing, magazine submission process, setting up your novel framework... there's some cool stuff coming up.
Sound
from Azusa, CA is reading Greener Pastures by Michael WehuntJune 15, 2013 - 5:10pm
Can't wait for Jack Ketchum's class. I'm also looking forward to taking Craig's class, whenever it's available again.
Nathan Scalia
from Kansas is reading so many thingsJune 17, 2013 - 6:56pm
I was the last one in the door for the horror class. Here we go.
I just signed up for Lidia's class.
I'm excited already :)
I signed up for Lidia's class too. Very excited!!
Oh you guys are going to LOVE IT. It's a fantastic class. I wish I could take it again.
Nik-- that explains sooo much.
I signed up for Richards and am looking forward to it . Anyone else?
I'm in Richard's class, too, Cove.
Trying to get my story healthy enough to survive evisceration.
FFUUU... Look at the jazz coming up. John Skipp two week workshop for only 150 simoleons?? Shit. God damn. Get off yer ass and get in that class.
I'd like to take that Jon Gingerich short story class too. Cool to see the higher rotation of the popular classes starting to happen.
Thanks Renfield.
We ain't messin' around.
Nine classes live, and I am damn proud of this slate.
Plus I've got some more cooking that I'm pretty excited about.
Good times.
I'm in for Richard's class.
I'm also looking for someone's blood to sell to sign up for another class.
Good work, LR crew.
sweet. i'm stoked for my class. we'll have fun, no worries, it won't be dry.
Signed up for Skipps class. Reaching for my six-shooter and furtively looking left and right in a mexican standoff. Oh, and I'm the ugly one.
Looking forward to Richards class. Glad to see others I know will be in it too. I think I also really need Suzy's class, if I can somehow free up another $150.
Renee- How was the Faust class?
Who else is taking Rob's class with me?
I'd like testimonials that are more helpful -- namely what people got OUT of the class. These are some descriptions that are more sensationalized that practical to me. So, I scratch my head and think about their usefulness to me. At the pricepoints of the class, making a WISE decision with my capital AND my time is my first thought. Otherwise, I could have gone elsewhere to take the class online.
Also...a 10 day class that is primarily lecture with no critique, assignments or imput of the author giving the class does me very little good. I might be able to find that information in several books that cost way less. I take these classes for ACCESS to the writer who can give me some insight and constructive criticism on making my writing better, more powerful and more evocative.
There are some of your class descriptions that are vague to genre. I truly do not want to take a class whose main bent if erotica or that type of writing. However one of the classes that I considered taking has a GUT feeling that it will be alot of this. So, I didn't pony up the cash or time commitment for it.
There are other that you have listed that are not yet scheduled that I am biting on the bit to take. I need them to help me NOW, not down the road. So, I have to piecemeal training from multiple sites to get this done.
Frustrating...expensive...yet none-the-less true.
md
---
Marcus, I've given thought to expanding on testimonials--maybe even making past students accessible in some way, so they can speak to their experiences (we've had several people take multiple classes). Something to think about, definitely.
The 10-day format with the critique lotteries is designed to bring the class in at a lower price point and make it more accessible. If that format doesn't work for you, then it doesn't work for you; there are other options available. But due to the overwhelmingly positive response we got from Suzy's first 10-day dialogue intensive, it's a format we'll continue to explore.
Can you tell me which class you considered taking that you thought might be too much about erotica?
I'm open to expanding or rethinking class descriptions, if that's something people feel is lacking.
Finally, I don't know how to address your problem that classes aren't being offered to meet the demands of your schedule. We're booked at nearly a class a week through the summer, which is fairly aggressive.
Can you tell me who you want to study with that we don't have live yet? I can probably give you a better idea of where they're going to land, through the summer and into the fall.
Hey Rob!
I've been thinking about taking the John Skipp class on May 9th but I'm going to be away that weekend. Never taken a class here, so I was curious if it was something I could start when I got back that Monday or if I needed to be around on the 9th.
Thanks!
Bill--I checked with Skipp and he says that's fine, and he can accomodate. Anyway, the classes are designed so that you don't have to be someplace at an appointed time (unless there's a conference call or something, but details like those are hammered out among instructors and students, in order to reach a workable consensus).
So, feel free to sign up! Skipp is incredibly excited and enthusiastic about teaching this. It's going to be a good time.
Just saw this thread...
Rob, I disagree with your stance on the minimum requirements (in response to a comment from Mess_Jess). If a class is billed as an intermediate or advanced class, the students have every right to expect to be with other intermediate or advanced students and not have to read / critique work that is clearly not. You could require that they take a basic class before an intermediate one, or that they submit a writing sample, etc. I totally get that you don't want to turn students (i.e. dollars) away, but in effect you are going to be turning students away if your "advanced" classes don't really end up being as advertised, because a disappointed student is unlikely to be a returning student.
I've only taken one LitReactor course so far, and while I did get some things out of it, I didn't feel like it was worth the $400. I live in Seattle where an in-person 6 week classes at Hugo House cost less than your 4 week online classes, with the instructor quality being equivalent. I did decide to give it another go and just signed up for David's upcoming class, so we'll see if this ends up being more value for the money.
Please offer the Intro to Graphic Novel writing! This class is the reason I joined the mailing list because I really want to take it. I have almost a full outline for a complete 48 issue story, but actually starting with "Page 1 panel 1" is toally alien to me.
Bhyl, thanks for weighing in. It's something I'll consider, but I don't expect we'll make students submit writing samples to gain entry to classes. We're fostering a community of up-and-coming writers--enthusiasm and a willingness to learn go a long way. Best of luck in David's class, he's a fantastic teacher.
Amanda, we're hashing out the details on the graphic novel class and hope to have it back in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled.
I've taken Richard's and Jon's classes and benefitted from both. For me, the best thing about a class is that it gives you a reason to work on a story to submit for feedback. It gives you guidelines and deadlines. I found myself writing more and engaging more with writing because of the classes. The other students make a difference. While Richard was extremely attentitive, I also benefitted from Otis and SiFiWriter Guy giving me feedback. I was skeptical that someone named SiFiWriter Guy would not be able to enjoy my story, but he was one of my best reviewers. Like actual workshops, the virtual workshops connect you to others. I think they are expensive, but the two-week courses are reasonable. just some thoughts for what it's worth if you thinking of taking a class. I will take another, but probably a two week one as the longer ones are too pricey for me T the moment.
Just signed up for Taylor's course, looking forward to it. :)
Is Joshua Mohr's class coming up anytime soon?
Josh should be back sometime this summer. Not sure when yet, but we're definitely planning on it.
thanks for the kind words, Cove. there were a lot of great peer critiques in our class, and it really helps to get more than one opinion. so much talent here at LR.
I'm pretty sure I never participated in this discussion, so happy to add my two cents:
I took Craig's 200 Proof class which was fantastic. It did end up being worth the money, but... well, it was a lot of money, and no matter how many cool classes I see here, I can't justify further expense. Everything you're currently offering is too much cash for too little potential return.
Craig was a bit of a different story as I had a better idea about he and his work, and so that was definitely a draw. I wasn't disappointed. Craig was professional, insightful, and generous, and even though my group in the class was basically nonexistant as those people didn't show up at all or participate except for one guy (and even he basically stopped after I think the 2nd or 3rd week), several other classmates (Terry, Stacy, Bryan, and others) were awesome and gave me critiques and stuff. A little more forum interaction would have been cool, but I think a lot of us were fairly busy, and what we did do was pretty good. I've recently been compiling all the lectures from the class, all the responses to my work, and all the worthwhile forum discussion into an eBook for my own personal use. I love that the material remains online so you can get to it long after the class is over. That definitely helps with the money thing a little.
I would consider paying for another class if I really had a lot of respect for the person teaching it and if the subject matter matched exactly what I was looking for, but I'm only passingly familiar with a lot of the folks teaching here, and what some of the people I may know better are teaching doesn't match up with what I feel I need. Neither of those statements are judgments about your roster, nor a suggestion that you go out and get "big name" people. There are many "big name" writers I could give less than two shits about. But in the case of Craig, for instance, that was a hook for me. Donald Ray Pollock probably would be too, as Bryan mentioned. Neil Gaiman probably would, though I imagine he's entirely inaccessible these days.
Anyway, the biggest issue is money. If it was an absolutely match for me with the subject and the teacher, I might in theory consider another one if the price didn't seem crazy, but as of now, there aren't many such matches, and the available classes are generally at least double what I'd be willing to pay.
Please understand this isn't a quality judgment either, I'm honestly not even sure what the going rates are for this sort of thing elsewhere. I'm in school full time, so I don't have time to even think about it. I only know what money I'd be willing to part with, and what you guys have in the lineup right now is way too much for anything I think I could benefit from. I'd love to take Patrick's class, for instance, both because I think he's great and because it's a cool subject. But $250 is too much with the risk of having a group that doesn't pull through and not knowing just how much Patrick is able to give back individually. $200? Still too much. $150? I'd probably go for it, though the purestrings are still tight lately. $100? I'd do it without question.
This is just me. I'm not trying to suggest what may be realistic pricing options as I have no idea what those realities are. Just sort of chronicling what quickly fires through my head when I read through the LR emails and look at the front page.
I'd like to be able to look at these on a calendar on the site, but that is just my two cents.
Thanks for bringing Bree back for the query class! And thank you for scheduling it out far enough so that I can gather the funds over the course of a few paychecks. That makes it all the more do-able, and I can hardly wait to get started. I've been kicking myself since I missed it last time.
I just took Skipp's The Choreography of Violence and was totally blown away by how much I learned. Initially, I was worried about the cost. I've never taking a course through LitReactor. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I will take any class Skipp teaches because he's over the top brilliant. He's both encouraging and hard at the same time--the perfect balance of tough love. I would totally recommend him to anyone looking to amp up their action scenes. I wrote two kick ass Skipp approved action scenes in just under two weeks. I'm thrilled with the results. ~Sam
I second that. Skipp is filled to the brim with awesomesauce. He spurred me to write a story i did not know I had in me. Rest of the class was great, too. He even listened to the students and adapted his curriculuum to fit what kind of stories the different students were working on. Kick ass in every respect.
I'll pipe in here with another recommendation for Skipp's class. He gives solid grounding in theory, examples, and best of all he is invested in the students. He was on top of it. He responded to everyone. He gave insightful critiques and encouragement. The assignments inspired me and I had a blast. Add all that to the opportunity to read, respond, and talk to other students, and it makes for two weeks filled with fun, challenge, and improvement.
Worth every penny.
Hey Rob, any idea what's being forecasted for the rest of the summer?
I'm working on that right now! Summer is a beast, as it's hard to peg people down for more than a week at a time. But I've got a few things cooking that, hopefully, I'll be able to post soon.
@Rob ~ I'm just coming to the end of a fantastic class with Lidia Y, any chance you will be asking her back to do her age of immersion class (or another class) because oh yes, I want more :)
Has anyone taken the horror workshop? I was debating on signing up for it!
On the fence about taking Nik's archetype class. Has anyone taking it (I think it's been offered once before?), or is anyone taking the June 13 class?
Sound--it's a brand new class. So no, we haven't offered it before.
Ah, ok. Thanks, Rob.
Hey Sound! You're probably thinking of THIS CLASS, which he promoted here. :)
Thanks, Avery. That's the one!
Anyway, I'm still interested in knowing who my classmates would be :). I definitely will take the e-book class with Joseph. Been wanting to learn how to format.
@mark -- I did the horror workshop and it was a lot of fun. Our instructors were really, really detailed in their reviews of our work and quite engaging, and the lectures were informative. Though, I had different teachers, except John Langan who also did my class. I recently sold a story I drafted for this class.
Thank, Avery. That's the one. Might be doing that again at some point, though I'm not sure if it'll be in person or online. The scope of that class is much broader than the archetype class, though there is of course some overlap.
Sound- I'm not sure who has enrolled yet, so I'm not much of a help. But I'll be there so what else really matters. (Where the fuck did that sarcasm font go?)
I'd quite like to take Nik's class only I'm still kind of in the final week of Lidia's class and I wonder if I'm pushing it a little by jumping straight into another before ones really finished...and arghhh I only have one day to decide!!!
I know what you mean, Em. I was really tempted to take Duane's class but it starts halfway through mine and thought it'd be pulling too thin. If only it was a week later!
Thanks for the info, mess-jess!!
@ Nik ~ I know right... but hey I signed up anyway :) I figured I'm pretty much finished with my peer reviews, just waiting on feedback from Lid, so why the hell not.
See you in the classroom.
Excellent. Looking forward to it.
I've taken two classes so far. I really learned a bunch and had fun. I think the prices are fair. What I don't like is not know which classes are coming up down the road. I've looked at the list of classes offered here and see some others that I want to take. It would be cool if there was a yearly or at least seasonal schedule. I have a large family, so budgeting my time and money in advance is important.
D.R., I try to get classes up a month ahead of time, or more. Unfortunately, it's hard to plan any further than that--there's a lot of planning involved, as the instructors have to make sure their schedules are clear, and sometimes stuff comes up... for example, I have a couple of classes I had planned for July and August that got postponed because of scheduling issues. Which is why I'm a little hesitant to put things up too far in advance.
That said, come August and September, except to see Jack Ketchum teaching his horror class, Joshua Mohr on his plotlines class, and Suzy Vitello teaching her 10-day dialogue class. Those, I have pretty much locked down... but there's more in store, too. Think graphic novels, editiing, magazine submission process, setting up your novel framework... there's some cool stuff coming up.
Can't wait for Jack Ketchum's class. I'm also looking forward to taking Craig's class, whenever it's available again.
I was the last one in the door for the horror class. Here we go.