I signed up for an online writing course
forking out a fair amount of money.
On the morning it was due to start,
I clicked on the link, excited,
feeling like a kid on the first day of term.
I joined the video chat,
with the tutor taking the course.
I was raring to go, eager to get started,
to learn, to write, to develop,
to hone the craft of writing.
We were told to spend an hour
writing in our notepads.
After that came a twenty minute break
before another hour of writing on our own,
and finally ending with ten minutes
meditating, collecting our thoughts.
The only thought I was left with
was how the course was
a complete waste of money.
-
Author:
Tom Dylan (
Offline) - Published: January 30th, 2024 07:11
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 15
- User favorite of this poem: Accidental Poet.
Offline)
Comments9
You don't need them.
Completely agree. 🙂
This was a surprise, I've read your work, no need for instruction there. You're writing quite well already. Keep your quill wet Tom. 😉👍
This was inspired by a few things. There are these courses that promise the world, almost guaranteeing you a best selling novel. And I recently did a paid online zoom poetry session thing, that was so full of pauses and breaks and meditations etc, that literally seemed a waste of time and money.
I could be wrong, but it seems to me that almost anything online these days is based on the time we spend on a site or page regardless of why we're there. That somehow, they get paid the longer we stay on that page. Your thoughts?
2 more comments
Oh no! A one-off session?
Similar to Proof-reading courses maybe - which are very expensive.
I agree - you don't need them. Keep using that quill, as AP says!
Yeah, there are all these courses and seminars that promise so much, and you have to pay so much. And I recently did an online poetry writing session, you pay for it, but they just kinda say, write on your own.. erm, yeah, I could do that for free! 🙂 Thanks as always for the comments. Cheers, Tom. 🙂
LOL robbed on live video cam oh dear Tom, I would be so disappointed but you may have given thousands of readers a plan to make easy money. LoL 🤣 you are a hoot!
Bless ya, Teddy. I was inspired to write this by a couple of things. I'm always seeing adverts for books and courses promising to teach you how to write a best-selling novel etc, and also, I did pay for an online poetry session thing recently, and the thing was full of breaks and now write on your own, go and get a cup of tea etc.. I can do that all on my own without paying for the privilege! So, I thought I'd get my own back and write about it. Thanks for your comments. 🙂
In the UK there are lots of places you can go to do a really good course in person. I suspect it would be amazing. 🤗
1 more comment
OpenLearn from The Open University (O.U.) has lots of free courses. Don't know if any on actual poetry-writing - but you probably don't need a course on that!
Thanks for the tip off, will check it out. Definitely won't be forking out for anymore online courses and sessions. 🙂
Some of the OU courses are a bit high-brow, even some of the Introductory Level ones. But they're very thorough, and you can get 'badges' on some courses - ooh! Erm, that'll be a bit of paper with a picture looking like a badge, not a real sew-on badge!
2 more comments
What a rip off! Sometimes I think you are your own best teacher. Reading your work, I think that you are.
Thanks Bella. And to be honest, posting my work and reading everyone else's on here is doing me so much good too. 🙂
You are doing fine without them. Good write.
Thanks a lot, Thomas. That means a lot.
They've told you the truth above, but with you I always feel that you have a wee bit of tongue in cheek when you tickle them keyboards for MPS, Tom!
Yeah, definitely a humour and sarcasm running through my writing, Dave. I can't help it. 🙂 I did pay recently for a poetry session on Zoom and was miffed when they said write on your own, and now we'll take a break, and then go and get a cup of tea.. I thought I'd get my own back and write about it.. Cheers, Tom.
We can all get conned in our lives Tom but this will add to your life's experience and it won't happen again.
As I say, you cannot teach experience.
Andy
Yes, I'll definitely be avoiding the online things that they ask money for. I decided to get my own back by writing about it. My wife always says, you should never annoy a writer, they'll kill you off in a story. 🙂 Cheers, Tom.
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