Free Online Creative Writing Programs

Let's say you're a new author. Perhaps you've written some short stories or poetry, maybe even a novel. So now what? Possibly you've shown it to your friends and family, and they've praised it. But what next?

If you've tried to publish it, you've received rejections. We've all heard stories of the author who was rejected hundreds of times before finally getting published and becoming a millionaire. That's my story too, except for the millionaire part.

So now you wonder. Do you really have what it takes? If there's something wrong that you can fix, a way to make your writing better, how can you find out what it is? How do you get some unbiased input from complete strangers?

The input of complete strangers is what every writer needs, and the more the better. Your readers will be strangers. They'll buy your book, take it home and read it, not knowing who you are. If only you could know what those readers will think…

Writing workshops are an excellent way to make yourself a much better writer in a very short time. Local and smail-mail workshops have existed for a long time, and they're probably useful. But now, thanks to the Internet, you can literally reach thousands of fellow authors from around the world. And if you're shy, so what? You'll never meet them in person. It's free, so do it. You have nothing to lose.

The way a workshop works is simple. You upload your stuff for review, and in return you review someone else's stuff. These are great for stories, poems, and articles. Novella and novel workshops exist, but I don't have the patience to read someone else's novel-length rough draft. I also prefer website workshops to e-mail workshops because the latter will fill your mailbox with too much stuff that doesn't relate to you or your writing.

I warn you... most of what you read in the workshops will be crap. But there are also some damn good writers out there, the kind who make you say "He's that much better than me and he's not published either?" You'll learn that reviewing the works of others makes you a better writer as well. Consider this something of a "trial by fire." Your writing will improve in a hurry, by leaps and bounds, and you'll look at your own slush pile and wonder how you ever wrote so badly.

You'll get some good advice and some bad advice. Consider every word, but in the end use your own judgment. You're writing for yourself, I presume. Some folks don't like workshops because they're afraid to let other people see their writing. They can't handle the criticism. If they write for themselves alone, that's fine, but they'll never be published.

A final word of advice about workshops... keep the critiques! When you finally do become a skillful and successful published author, you'll want to put up a promotional website. Your site will include reviews of your writing. You'll also want positive "blurbs" on your back cover. Until you get input from the Book Reviewers, which I'll talk about later, you can use those workshop critiques.

Zoetrope Virtual Studio (http://www.zoetrope.com)
Francis Ford Coppola's place. They take novellas, short stories, scripts & screenplays. They also have places for artists and actors. Massive number of users, and the possibility of paying publication in their e-zine or printed magazine. Getting published that way is difficult because it requires a consensus among the readers, but you WILL get a lot of advice here.

Electric Acorn (http://www.dublinwriters.org)
An Irish workshop for poetry and short stories. You can be accepted into their e-zine as well, but they don't pay. I've never used it.

Internet Writing Workshop (http://www.manistee.com/~lkraus/workshop/index.html)
This is an e-mail workshop which takes any writing, regardless of style or length. I've never used it.

New-Author.com (http://www.new-author.com)
I haven't found time to visit this one yet, but Piers Anthony recommends it. It's for short fiction, you sign no rights away, and you get valuable input. To paraphrase Mr. Anthony, it'll tell you if you've got real talent or if you're only fooling yourself.