Create our own "online course"?

Hey Everyone

I wanted to post my idea here (it was buried in my rambling intro so many may have missed it).

I am about to begin going through the college text book called Writing Fiction, by Janet Burroway. This was recommended to me by a published author, and is used in most professional creative/fiction writing courses. The seventh edition is the newest and retails for about $80, but I was able to pick up the sixth edition used for only 7 bucks from Amazon, and have heard it is nearly identical.

I am always trying to improve my writing, and this book will be the most formal project like this I have done. The book is like most college texts, where it has a chapter on a topic (setting, timing, etc), then an individual and group project at the end of each chapter.

I wanted to see if anyone else was interested in picking up the book (more available for > $10 on Amazon) and going through it together as a group, in our own sort of loose version of an online writing course, trying to get through one chapter per week or whatever works for everyone.


If anyone else was interested, please let me know, and I will wait to begin until you get your copy.

-Nick

As I lack the capability to order anything online, I would be unable to participate unless we could fashion a way that people who lack said book could participate.

I think it would be a lot of fun.

I posted something on Y!A to try and get other participants, but no respondents. Can't say I'm surprisded, as most of you know it is difficult to get a straight answer on there (It took me 6 months before I found you people and this site!). But will see what happens.

I gave you a star. I have a wide varitey of contacts and maybe one or two of them will be interested in joining you.

Like I said, I can't order anything online and my library is severly lacking so I doubt it even has it. Next time I'm able to get down there I'll have a quick look...or maybe I could just pick up the phone...hey...does my library have a website I wonder?

If you are really interested and have the time to do it, I'd have no problem ordering it online for you and having it shipped to you. Total cost for book and shipping is only $10, which is well worth having a partner to work on the project with.

I have a newborn at home myself, so I wouldn't go at a heavy pace or anything. Maybe like a chapter every 1-2 weeks, whatever works best. There are various assignments in each chapter, we could just decide which ones to do.

I wouldn't want you to do that, but thank you for the offer, it was really nice. I just don't know if I would have time to do the entire thing. I have a 13 1/2 month old at home, plus I'm pregnant with twins. So between getting the house ready for 2 more living beings and all the doctors appointments I'll have to go to, plus all my regular daily grind, I don't think I could manage it. Maybe an assignment or exercise here and there, but I don't want to commit to anything right now.

I can understand that. I know I can't commit a lot with a newborn at home, and with twins, well thats double everything. Congrats!

I like the idea. I am taking classes in college on creative writing, and so far, they have helped me a lot. Our teacher usually takes some part of the material we provide, and then we go through it word for word, with comments and feedback from the group. Did you think of something along those lines?

Besides, there's a simple reason you did not find us: We had an invitation-only-policy for some time, and it might just so happen that you weren't on any list of ours back then - no offense, of course

I was thinking for just each participant to read through the chapter, and discuss anything they found interesting. The text also gives excerpts of fiction to illustrate a specific point or concept, which would also make useful discussion quesitons. At the end of each chapter, there are individual and group assignments. The group could decide which ones to try, and each person do the individual assignments (usually trying to write in regards to a particular idea, element, or topic) then discuss, and maybe do some group projects together as well.

Taking creative writing college courses sounds awesome, I just cant bear to take on any more college loan debt right now (Ill be paying off my bachelor's degree for 30 years!). What degree are you working towards?

I am a student / teacher sort of hybrid. I already teach, but I am technically still at college. My subjects are English and History.