I mentioned here that I am the newest Part-Time Faculty member at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio, and will be instructing a class in Spring 2010, called, ‘So You Want To Be A Horror Writer – How to Write Scary Stuff and Get It Published’. You can now visit UA’s site and read the final class description, class topics, location, dates and times and cost by clicking HERE. You can then go to the top of the page and use their Online Registration to sign up and pay for the class.
For those of you that are seriously interested in the class, below is a Class Objective & Outline what will be covered during the 5 class meetings.
Learning Objectives –
Some of the skills that will be taught during these sessions include:
- Turning your idea into a book or short story
- Developing characters, plot, pace, and more
- How to stay focused and avoid distractions
- Finding time to write with a busy schedule
- How to find a Publisher
- How to promote your work after it has been accepted and released by a Publisher
Topical Outline –
- Turning your idea into a book or short story
- How to come up with ideas that a general audience or a particular niche would enjoy
- How to expand on a general story idea and be able to compose an effective novel or short story from it.
- How to organize your thoughts so they are coherent throughout the entire story
- Developing characters, plot, pace, and more
- How to write believable but fascinating characters
- How to format your plot so that readers will stay focused on the story
- How to space out character descriptions, action, sub-plots and general scenes while not making it boring for the reader
- How to stay focused and avoid distractions
- How to find your own time to write without the worry of outside distractions of a busy life
- How to keep your eye ‘on the prize’
- Finding time to write with a busy schedule
- How to find time each and every day to write if it is your passion
- How to find a Publisher
- Where to look for a publisher of books and magazines that accept short stories
- To self-publish or not
- How to promote your work after it has been accepted and released by a Publisher
- How to use all the media outlets; magazines, the internet, radio, newspapers, etc, to market and promote yourself and your work
So, if you live in the Greater Cleveland/Akron area and are truly interested in becoming a horror writer or just an overall better writer in whatever your chosen genre might be, this class may be just right for you!
Ty Schwamberger 
This is an incredible opportunity Ty! Congratulations!!! Best of luck. Take it from one who has taught and been in the class room. It will be just as much of a learning experience for you as well as your students! It’ll be a lot of fun and the course outline looks great! Too bad I live so far away.