What have you learned so far from the Institute?

[Mikki S]

John, 

I'm coming into this conversation 3 months late, but I'm wondering if you've changed your mind any about what you've learned?  Getting published in Crickets or Highlights is a very good way to begin your publishing career, so don't put that down.  My first publication was a non-fiction assignment from the beginning course, and it was published in ODYSSEY last year.  Since that time, I've published a couple of stories, each one an assignment from the beginning ICL course.

I think that if you already know all you can learn about characterization, POV, voice, setting, plot, book analysis, character profiling, marketing, query letters, cover letters, publishers and editors, then ICL was probably not the course for you.  The only problem with that is, you can't take the advanced courses UNTIL you have finished the beginning one, AND you have to be recommended for the advanced courses.

However, there are online courses that one can take.  Most of them are far more expensive than ICL, which is $650 ( or was for each course for me, might be more now with the economy the way it is), and they usually only last 6 to 12 weeks, but still, some people really like them.

Anyway, I hope you feel better by now about what you've learned from ICL.

Mikki

[AlaskanRC]

John, that is great to hear.

I think my experience with the beginning course was much the same as yours has been. It took completing the course before I realized how much I had learned. I'm glad you've got an instructor that you feel better matched with that makes a world of difference.

Happy writing,
Destiny