Workshops
March 10th, 2010 by Michelle Diener
I haven’t attended an online workshop for a couple of years. Just haven’t had the time, or found anything I just had to sign up for. It didn’t help that the last one I registered for was slightly twilight zone for me. It sort of put me off for a while, there.
In lieu of signing up for online classes, I was given a set of RWA National tapes for my birthday last year, and I loved listening to them, but I also found quite a few of the workshops weren’t that new or fresh, or just weren’t right for the stage I was at as a writer at the time. The ones I found were the best were more state of the industry workshops, or programs that took a broader approach.
But having gone quite some time now with no workshops at all, I’ve got a face-to-face workshop coming up in Perth, Australia, where I live, and I’ve recently signed up for Direct Your Book! Theatrical Techniques to a Blockbuster Novel by Leanna Renee Hieber which is happening later this month. I’m looking forward to it!
I’m interested, do you sign up for online workshops, and what type interest you? A specific workshop on a topic like FBI procedure or an historical period, or more craft-related workshops? Are you signed up for any right now? Do tell!
10 Responses to “Workshops”
I’m generally not one for workshops, Michelle. Particularly on line ones. I’m never able to keep up.
Conference workshops, however, can be invaluable. I’ve been to enough conferences where I can really pick and choose which ones would be most beneficial to me. But I know what you mean when you say that you’ve heard a lot of this stuff before. It does become repetitious … hence the reason you have to chose carefully so as to not waste your time.
I sent my check in yesterday for Leanna’s workshop.
I got to hear a presentation she gave on the subject, and it was excellent. I’m looking forward to learning more.
The last online workshop I took was Margie Lawson’s on body language. It also had voice cues, which was a nice bonus. I love all her classes, and using body language in writing has been something I’ve been interested in for a long time.
The best things about local conferences for me is talking to and getting to know the other writers in the area. That’s the main reason I go to ours year after year instead of going to another conference that might have more agents and editors.
Michelle,
I took many online workshops when I first started writing. Now I only take the ones that I feel fit a topic I have to learn more about and get update in my knowledge.
So sometimes the workshops are related to industry, craft, technology, or research. I’m very careful about my time and thus I need to see that the workshop/class works for me.
Oh, and if a writer I admire is teaching a class, I’ll take that if the timing works for me. For example, in January I took online classes with Allison Brennan and a Using Word for Writers.
I learned very much from both.
Until now, I haven’t signed up for any online workshops because I’d get too far behind and they took up more time than I was willing to give. The class I’m in now is about…well…I can’t recall what it’s about. Something about finding time to and a spot to dedicate to writing.
Anyway, it’ll probably be a long time before I sign up for any more classes because I don’t get much out of them these days.
Great blog, Michelle! I haven’t done any online classes for a long while and like Liz, it’s just hard to keep up sometimes. The ones I remember and still have material on are the Mary O’Gara ones. (I think that’s the right spelling). She has workshops on psychic gifts, and along those lines.
At conferences, I only attend those I’m totally interested in these days. In the beginning, long, long ago, I stayed in workshops from morning till the last one was over.
After several days, they all blended together and I walked away with information shock in those newbie days. I’m sure I walked around with the deer-in-the-headlight look too, clutching my gift bag to my chest.
Liz, I know I’ll be a LOT more selective at this upcoming National conference. I felt I had to make the most of the opportunity last time, but this time round I’m there to meet people and discuss things, so I don’t have that same pressure.
I agree, Edie. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Perth conference. There are some great speakers and some good chances to meet local writers.
I am looking forward to Leanna’s workshop, too. Should be terrific.
Mary Jo, I know what you mean. I signed up for a workshop by Madeleine Hunter because I’m a big fan, and thoroughly enjoyed it. And I hear you on the time issue. I think that’s been the major obstacle to my signing up for workshops in the last few years.
LOLOL, Marcia. Your comment on your current class says it all.
Love the visual, LaD.
I am going to be super-selective myself this year. I’d rather hang out with friends!