Bessie Said:

What is the best writing school in North America?

We Answered:

The University of Iowa has that reputation, but there are many and it really depends on what you're looking for. I'd suggest you get a copy of this book as it's the most up-to-date on writing programs:
THE CREATIVE WRITING MFA HANDBOOK by Tom Kealey

The last thorough rankings of MFA/writing programs was done by US News & World Report, but that was 10 years ago and much has changed. Many "up and comers" have "up and came" since then while others (like Iowa) have slipped. Kealey (author of the book above and a name that you'll see everywhere you go when researching MFA programs in writing) has his own scale that's controversial but a lot more current- in addition to quality of the program it weighs financial aid packages, the setting, etc..

Warning: no matter how talented a writer you are, apply to as many programs as you can afford to apply to because they are V-E-R-Y selective. Some accept 5% or fewer of their applicants, and the amount of financial aide varies incredibly as well. Since this is writing, admission is also far more subjective than most other programs: George Mason Univ. may think you're the second coming of Shakespeare over the same materials that make Columbia say "Next!"- so much depends on who's on the selection committee and what their tastes are. Do not be discouraged if NO program accepts you the first time you apply- some of the greatest authors in history were rejected many times by publishers/academic programs/etc., and most of the greatest living authors do not have MFAs.

Good luck.

Jamie Said:

What is the url for the Nickelodeon screen writing school?

We Answered:

try to check on this site it's help you a lot
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=what%20…

Sally Said:

I have been accepted to a writing school, what should I Do?

We Answered:

I am a published writer (academic texts mostly, but two novels too). In my experience (as well as the experience of many other people I know who write for a living) these so-called writing schools are a waste of time and of money. Why? Simple, no-one but *no-one* who makes a penny from writing has ever found anything useful from these schools - ask yourself this question: if these people who teach writing knew anything at all about it, why the heck are they spending their time giving classes when they should be producing REAL writing? In short, they are, bar none, charlatans, and they want only one thing from you - your money and, I guarantee, they will steal your stories too if they are really worth what you claim they are worth. If you do not believe me, then ask them to give you the names of the people who have attended their classes who have subsequently had their work published, and by that I mean NOT published via the school itself or a vanity press. I assure you there will be no-one at all.

It's much better to sit down, think hard and write. Alone. With no so-called 'expert' help.

There are only two rules for writers: 1/ Write for yourself, no-one else. 2/ This can only be done by applying your butt to the chair, week in, week out, year in, year out. No free weekends, no trips to the beach, no nights out. Give yourself 6 years to write your first novel. Anything less than this and you will never produce material considered worthy for publication.

After that, you will have the very great difficulty of finding an honest agent (you will NEVER be published without one). Have a lawyer read every letter of the contract they ask you to sign otherwise you WILL be cheated.

Sorry if all of this sounds cynical, but the world is full of so-called 'writers' who do nothing but talk about writing and very little in the way of producing material. Good luck. You will sure as hell need it.

Charlene Said:

Is there any writing school for teens 13 and older out there? Here in the USA my daughter really wants to go!?

We Answered:

Well i'm a writer, but I'm only fifteen, you should tell her that it takes a long time, to write a book. I plan to finish my first book before i'm twenty. But take a look at the guy who wrote eargon, he was only 17. But I think you should tell your daughter if she absolutley wants to write, It takes a lot of talent to write a book. I'm not trying to push you out of your favourite thing, it's just that, she should practice, practice and practice. Oh yeah, and did I mention practice?

Allen Said:

How long should my graduate school writing sample be?

We Answered:

Contact them and see what they say. I had to submit writing samples for both my master's degree and my current doctoral program in higher education. Mine were nowhere near 10 pages. I think they're looking more for quality than quantity. They want to know if you have the potential to write well...you'll do a LOT of writing and researching for papers in grad school. It MUST be perfect...no flaws, no typos...that's what's most important.

Viola Said:

What is the best laptop at using for writing school reports on?

We Answered:

If you want personalized, reliable and quick advice, you should check out ProCompare.com -- http://procompare.com/top/laptops. They have a recommendation engine that ranks laptops based on reviews from a community of trusted IT professionals. They also have a cool personalization slider that lets you optimize the results based on the criteria that are most important to YOU.