what happens in college creative writing classes? (if youve been to any) do you work on your own ideas or do you get short story assignments r something?
What to Expect from Creative Writing Classes
I've attended one creative writing class in college and it was one of my favorite classes ever. Since I've only taken the one and don't plan on getting a degree in creative writing (at least not right now…), I can't speak for all the classes you'll take, but I can almost guarantee that an intro class, and probably many other classes, will include four things:
Writing prompts and exercises to allow you to explore your style, try new ideas, and have a starting point to jump off of when you write a longer or more refined piece.
Studying published works by other authors, as a means of teaching various techniques and elements of a good story, poem, or other piece of writing, and also to learn about what you like as a reader.
A longer writing project, which may be a short story, a collection of poems, or other prose. You'll likely present a first draft and then at least one revised edition. In an intro class, this project is likely to be of your own choosing, rather than having to write about a particular thing. In a more advanced course, your requirements could be more specific.
Peer reviews: this is the scariest and also arguably the most important part of creative writing classes! In the class I took, my classmates and I reviewed each others' big projects and took about thirty minutes per writer to discuss each piece as a class. (My class size was about 16 people, so those of you at larger universities will probably have different experiences than me.) This is of course so you can get feedback, but also so that you can learn how to give feedback to other writers.
Regardless of your choice of study, if you have the means to, I highly recommend a creative writing class. No amount of time we spend in our comfy writing nooks spinning out pages and pages of words will compare to the opportunity to learn from so many other writers at all levels. Plus, since writing is so personal, these classes tend to be a lot closer than others. I can officially say that without my creative writing class, I would not be seeking out publication like I am now, and that's a sign if any to try one out!