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When I saw one workshop leader was someone who has had two novels published in the last three years (plus several short stories over the past 10 years), I wondered what ‘qualifications’ one needs to offer workshops or courses on ‘how to write/plot/develop characters’ etc. to other would-be writers.
Not that I’m thinking of doing anything like that, I hasten to add! I don’t want to get into the question, either, of why people pay a large sum of money for an online course when there are masses of articles already online covering every aspect of writing. Real-life courses, admittedly, do give you more opportunity to interact with the tutor and with other writers.
My main question, however, is: at what point does a writer consider himself or herself ‘qualified’ to tutor others in how to write? To go back to the example of the course tutor I mentioned in my second paragraph, I had a quick look at some of the reviews of her books. They ranged from ‘Thoroughly enjoyable’ and ‘Couldn’t put it down’ to ‘Tried to get into this book but gave up after a few chapters’ and ‘the author threw a few ideas together and didn’t expand on any of them.’ And this is the author who is running a weekend course on how to write!
When would you feel qualified to offer tuition to others? I’m not referring to offering bits of advice occasionally to someone, but running a detailed course on writing. I’ve had nine novels published (ten, hopefully, by the end of this year), but I am still learning. Although I could tell people how I write, there’s no way I would presume to tell others how to do it. I would suggest the majority of writers are like this. Many of us are plagued with self-doubt much of the time. Those who aren’t, but have masses of self-confidence in their own abilities – are they the ones who become writing tutors?
What do you think?
When I realized I wanted to write (the reason is another story), I enrolled in a community ed class. The instructor had one book published with a micro press. She had limited experience and limited skills, I realize now, but back then, she knew more than me.
ReplyDeleteNow I believe there are nuggets of worth in all who instruct, but there is a galaxy-range of size of those nuggets.
You know the old saying, an expert is the person one chapter ahead in the book. Meaning, as Ana said, someone who knows more than the people they're teaching . . . or at least gives that impression.
ReplyDeleteAna, I love the phrase 'galaxy-range of size'. No one can know everything, of course, but, as you discovered, some tutors may have very limited experience.
ReplyDeleteKem, you're right about some tutors giving the impression they know more than their students. Maybe that's the result of their self-confidence?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure self-confidence plays into it. Takes confidence to pull off coming across as an expert when the teacher or tutor may only know the next lesson in the book. It's like knowing what happens next in the movie than the person beside you because you read the book and they haven't.
ReplyDeleteI'd be too worried about the students knowing more than me, Kem!
ReplyDeleteI also think it depends on the venue. For example, I've been asked to give talks to groups about writing. I'm not teaching them anything, and they're not paying me, but they believe I know more than they do. For a class, I think you get what you pay for. I'd expect a community college 1 time writing class to be taught by a published writer, but not necessarily a star or one who has tons of experience, just more than the class. Especially when the fee is usually around $45 dollars (at least around here). If I were at Harvard, that would be a different story.
ReplyDeleteI've also done a couple of talks to groups, Jen (and have a couple more coming up next month), but they're not groups of writers, and like you, I'm not teaching them, but just talking about my writing 'career'.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any college classes here (unless you're a full-time student) - at least, not for writers!
I wonder if the people who sign up for the online courses and/or the real life weekend offered by authors check their credentials or actually read their books before they apply? I've read a novel by one of the self-styled tutors, and was not impressed!
I'd hope everyone does their due diligence, although I have my doubts sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI play safe nowadays, talks to the Women's Institute and visiting author to schools! :0)
ReplyDeleteI have my doubts about some of the course tutors too! At the one (and only) writers' conference I attended, I would say probably 25% of the sessions were useful. The worst one was someone who was supposed to be talking about backstory in novels who proceeded to tell us all the backstory in one of her novels! That was an hour of my life I'll never get back!
ReplyDeleteCarole, I talk to women's groups too, they're a very appreciative audience! Not been to any schools though (they probably don't approve of romance novels LOL!)
ReplyDeleteI think there are a lot of 'experts' out there. As to what makes them so, that I don't know the answer to.
ReplyDeleteWe have programs once a month at my local RWA chapter meetings. Sometimes the information passed along is extremely helpful and other times not so much, even if the presentation is given by an 'expert'.
Maybe it all depends on what we're looking for and our particular needs at the time.