Here’s what I do to help people write better: when someone like, say, Eric turns in his copy, I find the most overwrought passages, the really purple stuff, and I read them aloud to the office in an exaggerated gay British accent. So far, the technique hasn’t done much to improve his work, but it makes me happy.
The Writer’s Garret takes a different approach. They’ve got a class that’s about to start. The registration deadline is June 15. It’s called CAMP, and I’ll let Joe Milazzo, a WG writer-in-residence, explain how it works:
CAMP (Community and Mentorship Project) is an innovative program that provides college or MFA-level study and links writers to community service. Â In lieu of formal enrollment in a creative writing program at a college or university, writers participate in a flexible, self-directed program of study, creation, and service. This permits writer-students with jobs, small children, or limited income to still pursue their literary studies. Â Besides giving writers the resources they need to hone their craft, CAMP also offers ample opportunities for both students and teachers to give back to the community: professional writers donate their time to teach fledgling writers (many of whom have gone on to publish books and win prestigious awards such as Pushcart Prizes and Mayborn Conference prizes); these student-writers in turn teach others what they have learned to “pay” for their study.
If you’re interested, you’ll find more info here.
