So you want to be a writer



By Lauren Roberts

Starting this week — and this year — I begin another series, this one for writers and writers-to-be that will look at various aspects of writing and publishing. If you want to write or take your writing to another level, read on.

A few years ago, a friend gave me a pin that is shaped like a typewriter. It has tiny silver beads for keys, and the paper coming out of the typewriter says: The secret to writing is writing. For the longest time I kept it pinned to my computer cover where I saw it every time I passed by. It must have sunk into my unconscious because shortly thereafter I began to write on a consistent basis whether or not I had anything to say.

I found that I could produce work, frequently good work, under such circumstances and came to realize that the “creativity” factor most aspiring writers talk about is less important than production. Journalists and contract writers know this. They write on deadline, and deadlines wait for nothing. Produce or die. It’s that simple. And it works.

On the other hand, while perspiration may produce the story, it is inspiration that enhances it. That is why writing classes and groups are crucial for many writers. They offer support for creativity while demanding regular production.

We on the South Coast are truly fortunate to have so many professionals willing to help others achieve their dream. Many of them do it through SBCC Adult Education. Although most of the classes now have an enrollment or optional materials fee these are reasonable, so you could, if you wanted, get the educational equivalent of an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) for around $300.

The upcoming winter term begins Jan. 12 and offers 11 writing classes, including the one-day Annual Writers’ Workshop. This workshop’s seminars encompass screenwriting, mystery writing, nonfiction, children’s literature, women’s fiction, humor, self-editing, agents and publishing.

Ongoing weekly classes include You Can Write a Column and Write from the Start (nonfiction); Start Your Novel and Getting Started, Getting Good & Getting Your Fiction Published (fiction); Writing Personal Histories and Recollecting & Writing (memoirs); Creative Trust (personal writing); Writing Your Life Into Being (finding your voice); Scriptwriting; and Poetry Workshop. Complete details are in the schedule that can be obtained at Schott and Wake Centers or online at www.sbcc.edu.

Outside the central coast, UCLA Extension offers more than 100 high quality writing classes, most taught by writers well known in their field. Though more expensive than SBCC Adult Ed (prices range from $95 to $650), these classes are also more focused. The Writers Studio, for example, is a four-day intensive workshop (equivalent to a regular 10-week course) in which you concentrate on one specialty such as The Art of the Personal Essay or Emotional Structure: Creating the Story Beneath the Plot. In addition to the weekly classes, there are one- and two-day weekend and 19 online courses. Want to write a cookbook, surreal and absurd fiction, good sex, the persona poem, picture books for children, the middle-grade novel, humor, the personal essay, plays, film or television comedy or drama? They’re here — and much more. This 42-page catalog of (just) writing and a few related courses can be ordered by calling 310.825.9415, sending an email to writers@uclaextension.edu or by going online to www.uclaextension.edu/writers.

Moving back here, private critique groups are another resource. Playwright Abe Polsky offers Saturday morning sessions for fiction writers of all genres. His focus is on identifying the story’s nature. Writers can join at any time, and the cost is $75 per month. Call 684.1379 for more information.

Shelly Lowenkopf and Leonard Tourney co-chair another Saturday morning meeting of mostly fiction writers with works in progress. Anyone serious about finding her or his best writing voice is welcome, and the cost is $150 for six sessions. Call 969.7580 for further information.

Not a writing but a networking and teaching group composed of writers of all genres, the Santa Barbara Screenwriters Association goes beyond its name to bring to its meeting speakers that include script and writers’ consultants, nonfiction writers, novelists, agents, marketing specialists as well as television and film writers. They meet every second Thursday of the month (except December) at Borders Santa Barbara at 7:30 p.m. Membership dues are $25 per year. Call president Chuck Kent at 681.0230 for more information.

Now that you know what’s out there, don’t wait. Remember: the secret to writing is writing.

Lauren Roberts can be reached at reviews-reflections@verizon.net.