The News.
Remember my post on Fearless Writing? I talked about taking chances, and not just on that work in progress. I know, I know. I keep bringing it up. But, mantras really work. Our efforts pay off, whether they nudge us in a different direction or shift our perspective ever so slightly or result in something much more concrete.
Suzannah Windsor, of Write It Sideways, is creating a new digital literary journal, COMPOSE. A while back, she sent out a call for editors, and I applied, not knowing if my experience was enough to earn me a spot on the masthead. But, I took the risk anyway. I was thrilled, then, to accept her offer of a position as an editorial assistant. Suzannah is a mother-writer who sets goals and gets them done. She’s a model for the rest of us trying to balance life and motherhood and writing, and I couldn’t be more excited to work with her on this new project. Read more about the full masthead here.
The Noteworthy.
At my day job recently, I heard of a website called Lynda.com. For half a second, I wondered about the site: who was this Lynda? What does she do? Then, I got busy with work again. It wasn’t until I saw a post on Facebook by Lisa Cron about her page on the site that I finally investigated. Lynda.com is an online learning center offering a myriad of courses from art and design to photography and, well, now writing. Lisa Cron, author of Wired for Story, has a new course up and running for those of us wanting to know more about story structure.
I’ve raved about Wired for story before, and I imagine the course follows Lisa’s book somewhat. But, if you’re like me, sometimes reading the book isn’t enough. I want more.
The course isn’t free. Not exactly. But, the cost is certainly doable: $25 gets you a 30-day subscription to lynda.com, which allows you to view Lisa Cron’s course AND any other courses that suit your fancy. Perhaps something on illustrations for a children’s book? One on formatting that ebook? Once you’ve subscribed, they’re all free. Even if you only watch Lisa’s The Craft of Story and cancel your membership after 30 days, that’s still a pretty good deal.
Another author using the internet as a classroom, of sorts, is Lisa Rivero. She’s written a great book for young historians called Oscar’s Gift, about Oscar Micheaux, the first major African-American filmmaker who has history as a homesteader as well. Right now, in honor of Black History Month, she’s posting lots of extras to go with her book: videos, writing prompts, and news about the time period in which Oscar lived. If you write historical fiction, for kids or grown-ups, check out Lisa’s website to see how historical resources can enhance the reading experience.
What’s new or noteworthy with you? And, have you ever visited lynda.com? I’d love to hear from someone who’s taken courses there, it looks so inviting.