Writing. Not as easy for some as it is for others!

Writing is not as easy for some people as it is for others –and it is not usually always easy for all writers, if you see what I mean! There are many, many books available that seem to pretend that all you have to do is follow the exact instructions contained within their book –or writer’s course- and you will be producing masterpieces of fact or fiction within days.

Can this be true? Just because someone has a copy of Gray’s Anatomy which they have read from cover-to-cover, does this mean that they are automatically going to be able to be a doctor? Of course not!

But the advertising for a number of writing courses seems to suggest that becoming a writer is a way to make easy money. “How to write and sell two $$Million novels before breakfast!” “Why not be a writer and earn very good money?” I am sure you have read this kind of advertisement. And perhaps like me, you have even responded to them, once in a while.

But the truth is that the only real way to become a writer is to write. Yes, that’s it. Just start writing. It is my firm belief that nobody can make a writer out of someone who is not a writer, who doers not already have “writing” within themselves.

I recently debated this point with a journalist who argued that I was wrong, using the somewhat spurious notion that as a Primary School teacher can teach a child to write that this in someway proved that all people could be taught to write. Or, more precisely, to become a Writer.

This is, as I say, spurious. How so? A Primary School teacher does not teach a child to write. They can, however, teach a child to use the basic skills of writing, which is an entirely different proposition. Although there are visionary and farsighted Primary School teachers who can help to foster an interest in writing and storytelling, in much the same way that an art teacher can teach basic skills in drawing, composition, painting, etc. But an art teacher can no more make  an artist of the standard of Hockney (for example) out of a pupil who has not aptitude for art than a English teacher can make a Chesterton  or a Hemingway out of a pupil who has no interest in writing.

In short, whilst I believe that it is not possible to turn everyone into a writer, it is possible for everyone to be helped to write to the best of their abilities, which is, as I am sure many will agree, an entirely different proposition.

Should you take a writing course? It is worth considering. Some years ago I had a bad experience with a poorly-run writing school (long-since closed, thank God) but this should not let you be put off from taking a course in writing should you wish to do so. Some writing courses may be very good and able to help you a very great deal. They also tend to be rather expensive, too, as a properly run writing school (with tutors, examiners, etc.) are costly to run.

Others, however, are not really very helpful at all, or are very expensive rip-offs that are cobbled together by people who would be hard pushed to write an effective shopping list, let alone an article or a novel.

Just take a look at the advertising that the writing courses use. This can give an initial impression of how well-run the writing school is. Does it look professionally prepared? How is the copy of the advertisement written? For example, if you should see an advert that advised you that their writing course would teach you: “… the costly mistakes that you absolutely must NOT do…” what would you think? Would you want to be taught to write that well? Perhaps purchasing that course could be described as: …”a costly mistake that you absolutely must NOT do?” And sadly, that extract is a direct, word-for-word quote from an advertisement from something describing itself as a writing school.

How do you know that even if an advert or a glossy course brochure is perfectly written that the course material will be any good? After all, perhaps they hired a professional copywriter to prepare their advertising material but did not use him or her to prepare the course material? That is a very fair point.

Some large libraries have writing school material that is available to study within their reference sections. And joining a writing circle will certainly be useful. Tales of woe and tales of success will abound. Check with your local library or in the Writers’ Handbook for details of writers circles or groups.

As well as learning to write by correspondence course, many writing courses are based at accredited colleges and universities. Their courses will be absolutely first rate, won’t they? (Pause for hollow laugh.)

Well, perhaps not. The quality of their courses will vary from establishment to establishment. The truth is that they depend largely on the quality of the lecturer or tutor. Several years ago I took a course in creative writing, as I thought it would help me with my writing career.

In truth, the course was an utter waste of time. The tutor had no idea how to hold the interest of a class (in the course of the semester, she lost three-quarters of the class) had no idea of how to impart information, was rather hazy on how to structure a story, was inept when it came to course structure and showed herself unable or unwilling to follow the rules laid down for the assessment of work. She was generally clueless all-round,  poor soul!

Instead of turning people on to the possibilities of creative writing she turned off many members of the class.  By chance a few years later I met up with someone who had taken her course several years before I had. She it transpired that she had been the same, then.  How had she been given the position of creative writing tutor? Chiefly on the basis of an especially dense and badly-constructed novel that she had written. And she was American which the head of the department liked, being a lecturer in American Studies himself.

Once again, check with fellow members of a writing circle. They will be able to advise you which writing courses in your locality are worth pursuing and which are best avoided.

Almost everyone has indulged in creative writing of one sort or another, in their lives. You think not? Ever written a love letter? Written to Granny? Prepared a business plan for a bank, perhaps? Then congratulations, you have written creatively!

You can hone your skills. What else could you write creatively? Short stories? Poems? A novel?

Or perhaps you could become a journalist instead, as I did? Some cruel people might suggest that much of journalism is, in itself, creative writing. But that’s another story, to coin a phrase!