Letter for College Students

Dear College Students:

Hmmm, where should I begin? It’s always hard to get started on a piece of writing, isn’t it? I’ve already written a paragraph, deleted it, and started again. You will experience this struggle to get started repeatedly in this creative writing class and probably already have experienced it in other writing classes. The struggle is real, but with exploration and practice, it will become easier.

I like to think of writing as a journey–a trip or a vacation. Writing requires anticipation and planning before the journey begins, and during the process of drafting a story or poem, it unfolds as the first sight seen, the first photo captured, the first experience completed.  Of course, the first experience of drafting isn’t the finished product, is it? Multiple revisions is like building a photo album or a slide show of the trip until it is a final manuscript to share with friends, family members, and other readers.

In this online text, you will discover and develop your writing process and style. You’ll learn how to get unstuck when facing writer’s block. You’ll study master writers, both past and contemporary, so you can write your own stories and poems.  At the end of the course, you will have two portfolios showcasing your final drafts: one fiction, one poetry.

May this journey in creative writing be one of exploration and adventure. After all, learning to write well is a life-long journey.

Linda Frances Lein, M.F.A.