It is often difficult to choose the best fiction writing courses because different people benefit from different types of classes. For example, one person might be best served by a class consisting mainly of lectures from prestigious instructors, while another person might be better off in a small class with lots of time spent on workshops. In general, it is very important for fiction writing courses to be at an appropriate level for your writing because most classes involve critiques and therefore rely on respecting the opinions of other participants. It is also a good idea to select courses that are as specific to your needs as possible, as this will likely allow for the most improvement possible.
One thing to consider when choosing fiction writing courses is the type of writing instruction you find most valuable. Some people need a lot of individual attention from the instructor, while others find that discussing their work with the class is more valuable. Often, knowing what types of projects will be assigned can be helpful when choosing the best fiction writing courses, as it is usually desirable to leave the class with a number of finished pieces.
Most fiction writing courses are not simply generic courses in writing fiction, but rather focus on a specific aspect of this broad category. Different lengths of projects, such as short stories and novels, are often used to give the class focus, but genres and topics can be different as well. For example, there are fiction writing courses for science fiction, romance, and historical fiction. Certain aspects of the writing process, such as conducting research, designing characters, or even creating tension in specific types of situations, can all be the focus of an entire course. Deciding on the precise area in which you are interested can be a major part of choosing the best writing courses at different stages in your growth as a writer.
Choosing fiction writing courses is often difficult because taking a single class does not usually allow a person to move to the location where the best possible course is offered. The best possible course could be located in a different state, or it might be at an inconvenient time. When a person is planning on enrolling in a full-time fiction degree program, this is somewhat less problematic because a college will typically offer all the classes that she will take. For people taking a single course, however, it is usually necessary to make the best of the classes offered in convenient times and locations.
