GO THOU AND KICK SOME ASS

So my first writers work shop is completed and it was an experience.

Well, really it wasn't.

I was very excited as Angela Knight was the teacher and I LOVE her books. The workshop was on writing fights, setting up conflicts, escalating violence, and big climaxes. The cost was great and the work shop lasted the entire month of April.

So, what didn't I like about it?

It was missing a few major ingredients that I expected; work and writing. Really, how can you have a WORKshop and not have work to do? How can you have a WRITErs workshop and not have them write? I would have never believed it possible, but it was.

In Angela's own words, "I can't possibly give assignments because I am on a tight deadline and there is no way I can crit or check every response."

Duh! That's the entire reason I signed up for the non-writing non-working shop in the first place.

So what did I get for my $26?

I got three emails a week from Angela. Each one of them had a paragraph or two where she explained something you should attempt to do or fit into your work in progress. Then several pages of one of her books pasted in to show you how it was done. I also got hundreds of emails from other members in the class asking about every other sentence, telling her how great her work was, and asking her opionion on everything from soup recipes to sporting events.

I quit reading the emails after the first week. I kept all the lessons she sent. I plan on printing them out and keeping them, just as I would any book I purchase on writing . . . which is just about what I got.

Oh yeah, she did title her last email, "Go thou and kick some ass."

Cute, but not worth $26.