I voted for Writing as a Career because I'm starting to think that far too many new writers go into this without realizing the full extent of what they need to do. Maybe even a small into piece might help.

Pacing and plot are where I need the most help. I have my beginning. I have my ending. I have an idea of what goes in the middle but I either overwhelm the reader with solid action, no time to catch his/her breath or I put them to sleep with scenes that don't move the story forward. Help!

I agree that the course seems to drag in the beginning. The structure given in the first five lessons are important but when they are spread over five weeks it seems that there is no "push" go actually get writing. For me it's like jumping ahead ten yards towards the goal then being told that we'll play the next down in a week. I realize some of us need more time between steps but just as many are jumping ahead, just to have to redo or outright discard ideas we start while we're waiting for the next "play."

Dave, that's what THIS course is designed to offer. HOW TO THINK SIDEWAYS is weekly or every-other-week. I'm not going to change that. It's a comprehensive, in-depth course and you have to learn the basics before you can move to techniques that build on them.

But THE WRITING CRAFT is designed to be pick and choose---just the specific lessons you need.

I think there needs to be more given up front in the course.. It takes too long to get into the meat of it. I just want to get going and leave less theory to other days when i wish to learn that. I think as students the whole course should be available not in week by week or biweekly, that restrains too much. I like the whole thing upfront and then i pick and choose what I want to learn as and when i want

Plot is where it's at for me!!