In the last couple of months I’ve been asked several times if I have plans to teach any writing workshops or set up online classes.  I’ve been thinking about it.

I love to teach.  (Here’s a post from my personal blog about my most recent teaching experience.)  In my experience, the key to happiness and success, for student and teacher, is the right structure.  I’ve been considering three potential teaching scenarios:

• a personalized, one-on-one single-month intensive, online
• an eight-week class for 8 – 12 students, online
• a one-week workshop here in Seattle for 10-12 participants, in person

None of them would be for beginners. In general, I prefer to teach writers who have already done their own learning (whether in a formal environment or self-taught). My favorite students are those who understand that writing is work, who have put in their hours, who have taken themselves as far as they can.  Serious students who now need a final tempering, a keen eye and a firm hand to hone them to a brilliant edge.

This kind of study is intense and demanding. Its effects can be profound.  It is not for wusses.

If you’ve been through something like this (as student or teacher), please talk to me. I’d love to get some input. If you like the sound of any of my scenarios, if you think one might be for you, do leave a comment, or email me at info at sterlingediting dot com.

This could be exciting!

Our weekly roundup of links we hope you’ll find interesting and useful.

• First we turn to business: every writer should understand the way that returns work (or not) in publishing. Eric at Pimp My Novel is here to help…
• …and from Writer Beware, should writers pay for reviews?
• On the writing side, Writer Beware offers advice on how to write a query letter….
• … Agent Sarah LaPolla on genre, voice, and no more werewolves!…
• … and Writers Digest on combining genres.
• And here’s writer Elizabeth Gilbert on creativity, daemons, and why we should continue to show up. A beautiful talk. Olé to us all!

 

We will be open to sample edits before the end of the year. Really. To those who have inquired, thanks for your patience.

Enjoy your weekend. Write something wonderful!

If you have a link of interest to writers that you’d like to see in a roundup, please email us or leave a comment.

Our weekly roundup of links we hope you’ll find interesting and useful.

• We lead today with some of the best advice to writers we’ve seen in a long time. Warning: Rated NSFW for… well, you’ll see. (Muchas gracias, Karina.)
• Our roundups include a lot of Nathan Bransford’s posts lately: in response to the curious person who emailed, no, he is not our agent or our cousin (smile). He is very good at sharing valuable information with writers. Here’s his take on how to write a novel.
• Writer Marcus Sakey assures you that you can persuade 75% of agents to request your material.
• Writer Audrey Beth Stein takes a look at publishing options.
• Gina Frangello offers a very interesting and informative two-part post on independent publishing (Part 1 from an author’s perspective, and Part 2 from a publisher’s). Be sure to stay for the comment conversations.
• Find out about new books — and share news of yours — at Galleycat’s new Facebook tab. Details here.

And here are two ways to entertain yourself this weekend:
• Looking for that perfect mate? Here’s an internet dating site based on your taste in books.
• Looking for that perfect subtitle? Here’s how you find it (and be sure to follow the link to subtitle-o-matic for more fun…)

We will be open to sample edits before the end of the year. Really. To those who have inquired, thanks for your patience.

Enjoy your weekend. Write something wonderful!

If you have a link of interest to writers that you’d like to see in a roundup, please email us or leave a comment.

Our weekly roundup of links we hope you’ll find interesting and useful.
• Writer Richard Bausch’s essay “How to Write in 700 Easy Lessons” (thank you to Karina for the link).
• Agent Jill Corcoran’s roundup of links on rejection.
• Pimp My Novel’s useful advice on dialogue tags.
• Agent Nathan Bransford’s list of writing maladies.
• In publishing news, a mass market publisher goes entirely digital…
• … and here’s Newsweek’s graphic take on books versus e-books

Yes, we’re still closed to sample edit requests, but we’re making our way through the Mountain Of Work (thank you to all our wonderful clients!) and will be open to sample edits before the end of the year. Really. To those who have inquired, thanks for your patience.

Enjoy your weekend. Write something wonderful!

If you have a link of interest to writers that you’d like to see in a roundup, please email us or leave a comment.