Scholarship Opportunity
When I discovered that Sisters In Crime offered a scholarship to
Gotham Writing Workshops, it only took a matter of minutes and a couple
keystrokes, and I was enrolled.
Gotham Writing Workshops
Classes originated in New York City. For those who reside outside
the boroughs, GWW offers online classes.
The Mystery Writing (I) course I enrolled in unfolded over ten weeks.
Each week, the instructor posted a lecture dealing with the components that
make up a mystery novel. At the conclusion of the lecture she posed a
provocative question that launched a student discussion. In addition, students
submitted a writing exercise that was read and evaluated solely by the
instructor. Twice in the ten
weeks, students posted a longer project that was critiqued by the class. As any writer can vouchsafe, targeted
feedback is beyond value--especially when the readers have an interest in the
genre and share the same writing goals.
An optional live-chat heated up on Monday nights. Although I had a
conflict for active participation, the transcripts were available for my
perusal, so I never felt left out.
I enjoyed the humor the instructor infused into her lectures, but
in reality, the information could be found in any of a dozen craft books, so
why invest the time, money and effort into a Gotham Workshop? Two answers:
accountability and community. No,
no one gets graded and there are no homework police standing behind you to make
sure you submit your assignment. Writers know that they are the sole person
responsible for sitting down in front of a computer and creating prose. There
are, however, other students who are looking for the same validation and
assistance to overcome their own writing obstacles and erase their own
insecurities. For me, I knew if I didn’t turn in my assignments each week, I
missed an opportunity to receive valuable insight regarding my work in progress
from a published author. If I neglected my two chapter submissions, I would
throw away a chance to experiment with words in a safe environment. So for ten
weeks, I belonged to the Gotham Writer’s Workshop community, and reaped the
benefits of an audience--an opportunity I only had due to the largess of
Sisters In Crime.
Beyond the Class
I’ve been a member of Sisters In Crime since 2008. At first--and sadly--I joined because I
thought it would be an impressive credential. Since then, I have attended
conferences with other sisters (and a couple of brothers), had wine with a VP,
exchanged quips with the current president in an elevator, and scoured the
website for resources, calendars, and industry news.
Sisters In Crime is so much more than a credential. The
organization lives up to its mission to raise the professionalism and achieve
equity among crime writers. It does this by supporting its members. I am still
a newbie in the writing world, but it is less daunting because of the
connections I’ve made and the opportunity Sisters In Crime has afforded me.
While I appreciated the community of a class and the opportunity to improve my
craft, the greatest member benefit is the reminder that no writer is truly
alone. Not in this community.
