What Should You Learn at a Book Writing Class?
Written by Barry Walls   
Friday, 25 September 2009 07:06
A good book writing class should enable you to learn techniques that will let you develop all aspects of your book and fit them together so that your reader can't see the joins.
by BarryWalls


A good book writing class should enable you to learn techniques that will let you develop all aspects of your book and fit them together so that your reader can't see the joins.

The very first thing that you should be aware of is that not all classes are the same. Books come in varieties and it is important that you know the sort of book you want to produce before you decide on a class to go to. There is no point at all in going to a class about writing fiction if you want to learn how to write autobiographies. Some aspects will be the same, research, for example, but you cannot apply the same process of writing to these two types of books.

Most people thinking about writing a book are thinking about writing fiction. While it is possible to simply sit down and make up a story based in a made up location, there are aspects of writing a book that can make the process more logical, easier and faster.

For most authors, the first thing about a new book is the plot. They decide what is going to happen, how it is going to happen, where it is going to happen and when it is going to happen. Within the plot they will add or develop sub plots. Learning how to create a credible plot and sub plots is very important because these are the foundations upon which the book is built.

When planning to write a book it is crucial to consider where exactly the story is taking place. When an author determines to use a real location as the backdrop to their book, it is important they make sure the plot and sub plot be adjusted so the locations match up properly. If an author chooses to write about a real location, they can go and check out the location and make notes as needed so it is accurate in their book. Sometimes by not using a real location that the writer is intimately familiar with can cause minor continuity errors; for example a footpath in one chapter of the book may then become a steep cliff in another.

With a good location it is possible to populate it with the characters and supporting characters of the story. Again, with a real location it is possible to see the sort of characters that actually live there and create similar characters for the story (but not too similar!). Developing characters is very important and it is vital that you learn how to build upon a character without seeming to overwhelm it.

As well as teaching you how to build your plot, find your location and create your characters, a good book writing class will show you how to build the story on the plot, within the location and using your characters. At the same time it will teach you how to get your readers involved with the characters - maybe even identify with them. It will teach you how to build suspense and how to introduce unexpected twists to keep your story moving forward.

Keeping your readers guessing by putting powerful plot twists and keeping the story moving is also something you should be taught.

About the Author:

Barry Walls online writing course has developed into what many internet marketers are calling the fastest day job killing program online ever. His training course and forum show experienced and new people alike how to make full time incomes in weeks, not months, using his book writing class