Here’s the deal. I’m far too old to be writing fan letters, too sensible to write love letters, too smart to try to impress you with intellect, but hopelessly gobsmacked and haunted by your books.
I’ve really never quite had a similar experience. The best word I can come up with is “excoriated.” (Yeah, nurses fall back on lingo.) I can find no better way than to describe a physical sensation to your words. Like…being lightly scored with a brand new scalpel. Not horribly painful, but enough to feel fully alert and aware. Thrilling.
I don’t read or write anything the same way anymore. (I don’t necessarily write any better, but I sure want to try.)
You wrote a piece some time ago which said it far better than I could:
When I write, dear reader, I don’t want to build a careful tale for you to discuss with a smile in a sunny place, I want to own you. I don’t want to be The New TV Series, I want to be pornography: to thrill you so hard you’re ashamed but can’t help yourself crawling back for more.
I want to write a whole novel that invades you. I want to control what you think and feel, to put you right there, right then, killing and being killed, fucking and being fucked, cooking and starving, drinking and thinking, barely surviving and absolutely thriving. I want to give you a life you’ve never had, change the one you live.
How? I will take control of your mirror neurons. I will give you tastes and textures, torments and terrain you might never find in your real life. I will take you, sweep you off your feet, own you. For a while. For a while when you’re lost in my book you will be somewhere else, somewhen else, someone else.
I control the horizontal, I control the vertical. Sit back, relax, enjoy. When you’re done, take a breath, smoke a cigarette, figure out who you are now, and come back for more.
It’s more than a rant, actually, it’s a dedication. A vow: with my next novel, I’m going to run my software on your hardware. You’ve been warned.
I made myself a promise when I began my writer’s journey, that I would tell authors when their work impacted me. Impacted is an understatement. I am touched, moved, and inspired, Nicola. I am grateful to have found your work, regardless of how late I found it.
I do have a question. My editor took an on-line class from you (and in fact, encouraged me to read you). Any chance you will be doing that again?
I’ve been thinking about it. The trick is figuring out how to structure something so that a) my student/s get what they need, and b) it’s cost-effective for all concerned.
I’m considering three basic scenarios:
- a personalised, one-on-one single-month intensive, online
- an eight-week online class for 8 – 12 students, online
- a one-week, in-person workshop here in Seattle for 10-12 participants
It would not be for beginners (unless they were insanely talented). In general, I prefer to teach writers who have already done their own learning (whether formally or informally). My favourite students are those who understand that writing is work, who have put in their hours, who have taken themselves as far as they can and now need an expert eye and a firm hand to give them a final tempering and hone them to a brilliant edge.
This kind of study is intense and demanding. Its effects can be profound. It’s not for wusses.
If you’ve been through something like this (as student or teacher), 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, drop a comment, or email me at asknicola2 at nicolagriffith dot com.
This could be exciting.
I've taken a couple of online courses that covered the usual–plot, character, blah blah. We did weekly assignments that the teacher read and also posted a couple of our own works for feedback from everyone (a 10-week class). I'm ready for more. To be lashed to the mast. I like the idea of a class with others. When I get further along with my novel, the one-on-one sounds appealing. How about an online version of your Emerging Voices class? I'd love to learn with other queer writers. I'm on the East Coast, so in-person, while awesomely appealing, would be difficult.
Workshopping previously written work online can be difficult. What technology did you use?
I'm wholly self-taught…meaning that I'm writing my novel on gut instinct and haven't focused on the technical details taught in writing courses. I'm dedicated to this novel that's half in my head and half on paper, but have been struggling. Perhaps this is not for me–but I desperately need to be challenged.
The bits I've written are in documents on computer and on Google Docs which is a nice way to share with people.
Would someone with this background be right for an intensive at this level? I think only an expert could tell me; but I'm driven to try.
Sorry, I have no idea. It was through Gotham Writers Workshops, if you're familiar with them. But at lesbianfiction.org, a phpBB bulletin board site, we can post stories and others can post critiques, sort of like a blog post and comment.
Janine, I couldn't tell you until I read some of your work.
ElaineB, I wonder if Gotham uses a version of Blackboard… But, yep, a forum and/or dedicated blog could also work.
You can take an Online Tour from here:
http://www.writingclasses.com/CourseDescriptionPages/SampleClass.php#
See Sample Online Class on the left.
I don't think it would need to be so complicated.
Elaine, thanks, I'll take a look.
I agree with ElaineB, I think the eight-week online class for 8 – 12 students is a good idea. A lot of people who could benefit from expert instruction just don't have the means or time to travel and spend a week in Seattle.
Re: online group commenting on manuscripts, you might also look at A.nnotate (http://a.nnotate.com/) and Co-ment (http://www.co-ment.net/). I was involved in the development of a sort-of-similar online collaborative annotation project called eComma (http://ecomma.cwrl.utexas.edu), but its interface is more geared toward short close readings than story-size mss, and also we're not developing it actively at the moment as the lead programmer & I are both working on other stuff.
I think I'd lean toward the monthlong intensive one-on-one class — I love workshops and get a lot out of them, but it seems like there are already some good options for online and in-person small group workshops for writers of the level you're describing. Outside the context of graduate programs, though, it's tougher to get that kind of personal attention from an expert and established writer. But, of course, these options all sound great and I would be super envious of anyone who got to participate in any of them.
If you have a gmail account I can give you reading access, but I imagine you're quite busy with all your work! Kivarocket at gmail dot com.
Katharine, thanks for the links. I'll check them out.
Janine, I don't even know what I'd be reading for yet, so let's wait.
My pro writer housemate just beta-tested an online, multi-person class to get a feel for online teaching, and she's planning some real classes too, mostly on more basic things like plot, short stories for novelists, etc. Response was pretty favorable and as far as I can tell folks got some useful stuff from it; the class varied between newbies and semi-pro, and we did do a bit of critting. It worked, though she's still deciding on format (Livejournal was a pain, a group mailing list was better but still a bit awkward, and I think she'll set up a forum when she can) and she's planning on starting the real classes soon. A dozen is about the most she can do without giving too much time to it. She also does a lot of private mentoring (paid by the hour) which always goes over well.
Me, I like one-on-one or face-to-face workshops best.
Traci, thanks for that info.
Sadly, I don't find mentoring very cost-effective for me or the mentee. Maybe I'm doing it wrong…