Long Story Short School of Writing offers a multitude of great courses taught by highly qualified instructors. Whether you write for fun, school, business or with dreams of getting published, we have courses that will help advance your writing and your career!
Write Your Own Life Story
with Patrika Vaughn
No one has ever lived the life you have...Now learn how to write it for history, as a legacy for your family or to discover a new perspective on your life. This course will help you organize your information, outline your plan and turn your story into an interesting autobiography.
LSS2020 - Write Your Own Life Story Part One - $158.00
How to write it; Tools that make it easy; How to make it interesting to others; How to begin, follow through, and end; What to include, what to leave out; The three indispensable pages.
A Four Week Course
Start Date: Every Wednesday
This is an Online course and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
LSS2020A - Write Your Own Life Story Part Two - $158.00
How to publish it - Whether you're writing it for yourself, for your family or for a wider audience, you'll learn how to self-publish and How to present your books to a major publisher
How to market it - Want to go public? Here's the information you'll need to gain an audience, whether you self-publish or are published by a major publishing house
A Four Week Course
Start Date: Every Wednesday
This is an Online course and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies
with Betty Jo Tucker
Because of the powerful role movies play in popular culture, good critics are needed to provide honest, independent opinions about the quality of films being released today. Maybe being a film critic isn’t the best job in the world, but it’s one of the most satisfying if you have a passion for movies and writing. This course is designed for students who want to learn various techniques for writing movie reviews as well as for interviewing actors, directors, screenwriters and other film-related personnel.Perhaps you’d like to be the next Roger Ebert or Pauline Kael -- a respected critic with influence throughout the world. Or maybe you’re simply interested in writing better reviews for your own Website or Blog. In either case, this course is a good place to start.
LSS2021 - The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies Part One- $98
This course deals with writing a thoughtful, provocative, well -analyzed review
Session One: Developing a Reviewing Philosophy - In this session, we’ll explore the role of the critic and his/her responsibility to readers as well as objectivity vs. subjectivity, film knowledge and ethical concerns related to film criticism.
Session Two: Deciding What Matters about a Film - The second session examines such important topics as: art vs. business; universal themes; personal and social impact of films; plot and character arc; production values; directing; cinematography; background music; editing; music; and actors’ performances.
Session Three: Organizing and Writing the Review - This session covers the basic steps involved in writing a cohesive, insightful and entertaining review.
A Three Week Course
Start Date: Every Wednesday
LSS2021A - The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies Part Two- $98
This course deals with what happens after you've written that review
Session One: Dealing with Negative Feedback - Most critics receive their fair share of “hate mail.” Our fourth session provides tips for appropriate responses to such messages. This is the most fun session – and a prize will be awarded to the student who writes the best reply to a hypothetical “hate mail” message.
Session Two: Conducting Celebrity Interviews - The fifth session offers suggestions for questions to ask actors and other film personnel when interviewing them about their movies. It also includes information about how to obtain such interviews.
Session Three: Finding Outlets for Your Articles - This session provides advice on how to get movie reviews/interviews published in print and on the Internet.
A Three Week Course
Start Date: Every Wednesday
The Art of Book Reviewing
with Mayra Calvani
LSS2022 - The Art of Book Reviewing, Part One - $158.00
Are you passionate about books? Do you have a talent for easily capturing the essence of a book after having read it? Do you often feel the desire to share your thoughts about a book with readers? If you’ve answered "Yes" to these questions, then book reviewing can be one of the most satisfying, rewarding activities you’ll ever undertake. In fact, book reviewing can become addictive. In this course you will learn how to write a well-written, honest, objective and professional book review, the different types of reviews, how to rate books, the signs of an amateur, what to do with terrible books, the legalities and ethics of reviews, how to publish your reviews and even make money while you’re at it. In sum, everything you’ll need to know about book reviewing, including hundreds of sites and publications where you’ll be able to publish your reviews. Depending on the genre of your choice, you’ll get to choose a title, write a review and receive detailed feedback. There will be other exercises as well, such as recognizing what is wrong or amateurish about a specific review.
Week 1 - The Five Keys to Being a Good Reviewer
Week 2 - Types of Reviews
Week 3 - Qualities of a Great Review
A Three Week Course
Start Date Every Wednesday
This is an Online course and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
Course reading requirements: •The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing
LSS2022A - The Art of Book Reviewing, Part OneTwo - $158.00
Are you passionate about books? Do you have a talent for easily capturing the essence of a book after having read it? Do you often feel the desire to share your thoughts about a book with readers? If you’ve answered "Yes" to these questions, then book reviewing can be one of the most satisfying, rewarding activities you’ll ever undertake. In fact, book reviewing can become addictive. In this course you will learn how to write a well-written, honest, objective and professional book review, the different types of reviews, how to rate books, the signs of an amateur, what to do with terrible books, the legalities and ethics of reviews, how to publish your reviews and even make money while you’re at it. In sum, everything you’ll need to know about book reviewing, including hundreds of sites and publications where you’ll be able to publish your reviews. Depending on the genre of your choice, you’ll get to choose a title, write a review and receive detailed feedback. There will be other exercises as well, such as recognizing what is wrong or amateurish about a specific review.
Week 1 - Is it Unethical to Sell the Book?
Week 2 - Dealing with Review Editors, Authors, and Publishers
Week 6 - How and Where To Get Started Posting Reviews
A Three Week Course
Start Date Every Wednesday
This is an Online course and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
Course reading requirements: •The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing
Plan Your Writing Business
with Carma Spence-Pothitt
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So many writers approach writing more as a hobby than a business, and then wonder why they are not successful. Plan Your Writing Business will help you create a one- to three-page plan for your writing business, regardless of whether your write fiction or non. At the end of this course you will have a living document that will help guide you to your success, however you define that. You'll have a clear vision and mission statement, and know who your target audience is.
LSS2023 - Plan Your Writing Business - $129.00
Session One: What Is Your Quest? Creating a Winning Mission and Vision Statement.
Session Two: How Will You Achieve Your Quest? Creating an Action Plan for Your Writing Success
Start Date: First Wednesday of the Month
This is a virtual course and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
Turbo-Charge Your Writing Business (Fiction or Non-Fiction)
with Carma Spence-Pothitt
LSS2024 - Turbo-Charge Your Writing Business, Part 1 - $167.00
Week One: What Genre Is Your Parachute? Getting in Alignment with the Genre -- or Genres -- That Suit You Best
Week Two: What Do Readers Want from You?
Week Three: Translating Fiction Into Benefits for Readers & Editors Alike
Start Date: 1st Tuesday of the Month
LSS2024A - Turbo-Charge Your Writing Business, Part 2 - $167.00
Week One: A Fiction Writer's Marketing Funnel, Part 1
Week Two: A Fiction Writer's Marketing Funnel, Part 2
Week Three: 5 Top Techniques for Building a Strong Fan Base
Start Date: 4th Tuesday of the Month
These are virtual courses and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
Creative Business Writing
with Janet Singleton
LSS2025 - Creative Business Writing - $159.00
Write job-getting queries, résumés, and business letters. Pitch your ideas brilliantly, and make the right people take notice. This class is a flash course that focuses on writing skills, vocabulary, and communications etiquette that will help sculpt you into a polished professional.
WEEK ONE: Create the best résumés by using techniques that grab attention and command respect. Learn important do’s and don’ts, and acquire the critical tricks in proof-reading that will make yours a bulletproof résumé.
WEEK TWO: See what goes into a powerful business letter. Sound professional without sounding too formal. Sound cordial without sounding too casual. Make your proposals clear and appealing.
WEEK THREE: Get a vocabulary lesson that will make you sound business literate. Your words are the frontline of your intelligence, and they can make the difference in whether you get that job or assignment.
Class dates: Every Wednesday
These are virtual courses and will be conducted via the internet as arranged by instructor after registration.
"I had so much fun with The Reel Deel! The writing lessons were varied, never boring and helped me to look at movies in a different way. Betty Jo was awesome, and I can only hope that she'll teach again. I'll take any course she offers! Only complaint: The class too short!"
"Erica, I've really enjoyed this writing class. You made it very challenging for me, and managed to pull a lot out of me... the workshop was well worth it."
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