This year I made a list, checked it twice (hah!) and it includes a food-writing course- love to write, love to eat, love to write about what I eat, so it seemed like a natural thing to do, right? Well, the challenge has been finding something near DC and it's become clear: there ain't nuthin'. I could take a class on essay-writing and call it a day, but just for giggles I looked on mediabistro.com and found a plethora of options.
Provided I live in LA or NYC. Yikes!
I'd been looking for jobs in NYC, but found something in DC that I enjoy. There is an online version of the course, but I've always found those a headache (figuratively and literally) and not as valuable in terms of networking, my learning style, etc. And they cost the same as a regular course (even before you factor in transportation costs). I am more than willing to hop on the bus or Amtrak it to New York for one evening a week with Kate Krader of Food&Wine magazine, however I am more gung-ho than flush with cash. A contact of mine at the magazine says good things about Ms. Krader, but I think my friend is a touch biased as she works with her!
My question is this- has anyone taken any of these classes, would you recommend them, and what other resources would you recommend?
This Post was written by Liz from Good Stuff
3 comments:
I haven't taken a course with Kate Krader, but I took one last year at MediaBistro with Pamela Kaufman, her colleague at Food & Wine. Whether you're satsified with these courses really depends on what you expect to get out of them. They promise more than they deliver, I think--they say you will end up with a portfolio of ready-to-publish articles, which probably isn't true for most people. Basically, we had one writing assignment a week and would spend the next class critiquing each person's work--a pretty standard writing workshop. After the one critique, it was on to the next assignment. Did it make me a better writer? Nah--I don't think so. But that said, the course was a lot of fun and I don't regret taking it. It was great meeting other food-obsessed writers--and perhaps that's where the value of these classes really lies. And one last thing--the class did inspire me to start my blog!
Thanks Sarah. I guess I should have said I want to be come a more engaging, focused writer (the fact that I left that part out shows you how much I need the course!). Also, not since college have I received honest, unbiased criticism of my writing, which I'd like because I feel it might help me professionally (and personally as well). From what you said I gather that I might get that.
On the other hand, I might well get a similar experience if I stayed home and took a local nonfiction/essay writing class, and that's good to know.
By the way, I like your blog and if the class inspired you, then that's reason enough to take it!
Hi Liz--
I think you've got it totally right--these MediaBistro class are a great resource and worth it if you live in the city, but if your goal is not to learn the nitty-gritty of pitching articles to editors, but to improve your writing for its own sake, I think any writing class with a good teacher could be just as beneficial. Whatever you choose, good luck! Odd as it sounds, going back to school again is lots of fun.
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