Thinking of jumping into a class next year. Those of you who have taken Craig's class, what do you guys think of it?
Also, what class is your favorite and why?
It's good. All about fundamentals; dialogue, fascistic grammar correction, scene building. The kind of class that you can take repeatedly and it'll be rewarding at any level of technical ability. Assignments are more exercise oriented than story oriented.
I was very satisfied with it. Craig has some excellent ideas that I find agreeable with the way I try to write, and while that obviously will vary from person to person, for me the course delivered a steady stream of very small but structurally important transformations. I feel like I'm the same storyteller I was but with the ability to tell a more compelling story. It helped to fix weak spots and build a better arsenal to draw from. Craig's feedback was also great, and I feel like the things I wrote for the class were quite strong. Actually, the last story I did has since become my first piece of fiction accepted for publication (should go up at Solarcide next week).
If you've read Craig's stuff and find a kindship with it, then defnitely take the class if it sounds good to you. He's really just a generally cool and very intelligent guy with some good fundamental craft advice. I can pretty much guarantee you'll enjoy the class if you take it.
Hey Sound,
I took the class back in the original Cult days, and still consider it a turning point in my development as a writer. Like Renfield said, it focuses on the advanced "nuts and bolts" mechanics of what makes an effective story (he brought up concepts I'd never even considered), and Craig has some great ideas on just about any other topic you can think to throw his way. I'd recommend it for sure.
Let me know if you have any other questions,
-Chris-
The class will change the way you write. You will be a better writer for it.
How much you get out of it is directly proportionate to how much you put in, though. You HAVE to ask questions. You have to start forum discussions. You have to be the kid in the class that stands up and asks everything. If you are shy at all, you won't get as much out of it.
Craig is kind and brilliant. He'll try to answer every question you have. The rest of the class has to be challenged, though. You have to keep talking and talking until you get everyone involved. 1/3rd of the class will drop out, 1/3rd won't be the talky type. That means you 1/3rd who will naturally talk and you'll have to draw out that other 1/3rd.
The class is worth it.
Yeah, I'm thinking of taking it next year. Finally got some extra cash to put down for it. Does he personally critique any of the finished pieces you work on during class?
He does a run through of 2 of your stories (4 total for the class). They are short pieces (not full stories) meant to demonstrate the lessons he's teaching. He only critiques based on the lessons (not full critiques).
He's supposed to do show a rewrite of one of his pieces, but he's been busy and hasn't got to that. Hopefully he'll have that done for the next class.
He is as active in the forum as you make him be. After every lesson, he opens a thread to discuss the topic and he goes in and answers all the questions he can.
Wow, sounds great. Can't wait to do it next time.
I would defintely echo what everyone above said. The only drag on the class, if there is one, is participation by some. However, there are ways around that and people in the class were very good about making sure people who needed and wanted feedback got it. I also couldn't ask for anything more in terms of what Craig Clevenger gave. He is very generous with his time and experience.
The one thing I would say is that you need to be prepared timewise for the class. Before the class I asked Craig about preparing for it and he basically said "clear the deck timewise." It's true and I got a bit bogged down about 3 weeks in.
Yup. People are always the draw-back. That's why you have to be super-extra-active in the forum. Pull them into conversations, make them talk, ask them specific questions about their approach to the lesson, etc. If you address each person individually, they'll be more likely to respond.
I think you can learn the lesson much better by sharing your experience with the lesson with other people. For each essay, I wrote a page or more of how I applied it and how I saw it in other movies/books/etc. being used.
Writing about what you are learning will make those lessons personal. They'll become yours.
It must be tough when you already have a small group of 16 (at least that was the limit last I checked). Are most of the people familiar faces here in the forum?
Yeah, I'm interested in doing this class next year. I've heard Litreactor members' anecdotes about how this class pretty much took their writing to the next level. I know how to write a story, what I need to learn is how to polish it.
You get a mixture of people. I was in the class with Bryan and with Michael Riser. I'm not a huge poster on the forums (something I am dedicated to changing ASAP), but I recognized a few people from the forums by just being a lurker. Hopefully my comment about the "drag" doesn't dissuade you from taking the class. Like I said and Bryan said, people will participate and if you need something in terms of feedback or answers, you will get it. The resources are there and there are plenty of people involved in the class who are active. It really is a great class and you will learn things that let you attack writing in totally different ways.
Wow, after reading these testimonials I hope someday I manage to find a spot in the class. I realize space is limited.
I have been looking for the best class to take after Christmas too. Got some extra cash (my company had a good year and is sharing the wealth) and can now take a class. This post has sealed it for me. I'm signing up.
The Gingrich one on short fiction looks good too. Anyone take a class with him?
^I was considering that one, too.
Let me know what you decide. I think I might do it. Would be nice for a person I sort of know through these posts to be in the same class
Sure thing. Gingerich's class has the advantage of being cheaper than Craig's, but I'm still kinda leaning towards the latter.
@Covewriter - I'm considering Jon's class, too. I really like his essays - I find he explains really important concepts in an easily understood manner.
It's a great class. Changed the way I looked at dialogue. Also sold my first story afterwards from a piece of fiction I worked on in Craig's class.
To some degree any class you take is going to be somewhat dependent upon your classmates, and that's as true here as anywhere. I got lucky on several levels with this one despite being initially unlucky. I got a third review from Craig thanks to a lottery because of people who dropped out or never showed up to begin with, and I had great classmates who commented on a lot of my stuff even though they weren't part of my group (since my group was almost nonexistent due to no-shows). I tried to return the favor as best I could, and the stuff my classmates were doing was pretty awesome, a pleasure to read.
I didn't find it to be that big a time sink. Read lecture, write story, weekly. It would be different if I was working full time, etc., and this was right before I went back to college, so I didn't have that conflict either... so obviously one's mileage may vary, but I found the pace just about perfect. I think as long as you dedicate solid time a few evenings a week you'll be fine (depending on how fast a writer you are and how much you feel you need to edit/rewrite each piece).
If you can afford it, take it. And I mean that in TIME more than money. Read each essay/lecture and take notes. Re-read those notes and make lists with as many examples of the lesson as you can think of and of thoughts that those notes inspire. Share what you come up with on the forum. Generate discussion.
You'll learn more that way, and the lessons will be yours (not something you were told). You'll own it and it will become instinctual. (well, if you learn the way I do)
I'm just finishing up 200 Proof and it's worth every penny and minute you spend with it. You WILL look at the way you treat dialogue differently. It's going to jump off your page. And you'll have even sharper tools to revise your draft after this class. There is a marked noteable difference in your product, I promise that.
Craig is really generous with his time, too. When he reviews your work, it's obvious how much thought and time he put into it. When someone has a question or comment on the board, it's obvious how much thought and time he put into it.
And he did two conference calls with us, which was cool. There's so much info that's on the syllabus that just comes out of the conversations (on the phone and on the forums) with him. He said he's not sure when the next one will be, but that it may be in the spring. I highly recommend it.
I've also taken Jon's class and it was solid. He's excellent and explaining concepts and is also very generous with his time. There are lectures, weekly readings, discussions on the readings and then he asks that you submit two stories.
I kind of blew this one - the last week or two i was busy and on vacation and didn't get to stick with the reading and commentary as much as I would have liked. But still, I improved through his class.
The best thing about classes at the Lit is you can go back and access the materials at any time. So I can still go back and read my lectures with Craig & Jon and the commentary on my assignments, forum discussions, etc.
If you can swing these classes with your time and money, do it.
I've signed up the the Gingerich class. When I signed up for LitReactor those were the 2 classes that I definitely wanted to. So I'm in.
Sound, Mess-Jess, Jnorrett I'm definitely taking one of these. maybe the Gingerich since it starts soon and is cheaper. I didn't see a date for the other one, but the topics sound awesome and he is published by McAdams - Cage.
Sound. The class I want to take most is the Clevenger class. I actually want to take them all. I've been saving money like crazy, time is a little less of an issue for me. I've recently hit unexpected expenses but if nothing else I want to take Craigs class next time it is offered and hope that many of you in here will be my classmates.
I will say this every time I get a chance: TAKE NOTES when you read the lessons/essays. Just like in highschool, get a notebook and a pen and write down everything that hits you as important, then write down an example of it or the impression it makes or how you could apply it to your own writing.
Take notes.
Take notes.
Take notes.
Then share those notes in the class discussions.
Also, don't forget to take notes.
Howie. I printed some of Chuck and Craigs Essays from the workshop. I highlighted areas that found most important. Could I do this for the class? Print and highlight and take notes on the copy? Or is a notebook necessary?
You must write down the lessons in your own hand writing (or typing). If you highlight, then transfer the highlighted passages to a different piece of paper, that's fine. The key is to write it down. Then share.
I saved all the documents from Craig's class so I can look back whenever I want to refresh my memory. It's a class where you really learn something about the craft. Take it, take it, take it!
I made an ebook out of the lectures from the class and his essays on the site. Carry them around in case I'm ever feeling like I need to read some craft stuff.
