short stories?

Question:

Can anyone give me good advice about writing poetry/short stories?

Is it wise to splash out on a creative writing course?Is it worth it?Or is it better to just do it on my own?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The answer is probably not to splash out on a course straight away.

There again as a writer who has remained stubbornly unpublished, perhaps I am not the best person to advise!

Although I suggest that the first steps to becomeing a good writer is to become a good reader. Not only enjoying the works of the great and the good, but to be able to analyse what they are saying and how they are getting the messages across.

By reading widely, you will discover there are some little tricks and wrinkles in developing striking stories or punchy poems.

Then, like the true greats in every field there is practice. The more you practice, the better you get.

The internet does offer up a wonderful selection of sites where you can place your stories and get them read by other writers of differing degrees of skill and experience. By allowing mutual reviews of eachothers work, you will learn how best to structure your work and how to improve it.

Above all though, write what you want to write and what you enjoy. Take pleasure in it, revel in every noun, adjective and verb. Make sure that the emotions that bubble inside you flow to the page and that pleasure will always remain with you.

I wish you many, many happy hours developing your craft, your style and your voice. Who knows, I could be in the queue hoping that you will sign my copy of your great masterpiece.