On "On Line screenwriting"

So you've seen some basics of teaching online vs on-site (teacher in room with students). 

So what's the main difference between my way and on-site?

Well, first, on-site means that you see the instructor once a week. Then you go away and write whatever the instructor tells you to do. 

What's the difference?

In my classes my students could access me anytime. Got a problem, email Jim and he will give you an answer within a few hours at the most. You might be able to access your on-site instructor but probably not.

Many of the instructors on both ways don't allow students to access them. Except the instructor's favorites. The ones that suck up to you.

UCLA said I don't have to do it that way but I liked it, and as you saw on the last blog, the students liked it. 

So what it comes down to is this:

On-site gives you a connection with other students face-to-face, you can ask questions instantly and you can read your pages and risk students trashing it. You can also hang around campus, I always did when I took classes at UCLA. And you might find someone who's not only an aspiring writer but maybe very pretty or handsome.

On-line, you also engage with other students, just not face-to-face although if you're in the same town, you might. I made several friends over the 3 years. And something even better, I think.

Everyone has to write of course, and everyone else has to read it and comment. And everyone has to do it. On-line courses don't really get to see the other person's work.

Another thing I liked was that my classes (always full) had students of all kinds, some who lived in L.A., some lived in Kansas or even a student in Switzerland. One interesting thing was that there were a lot of women taking courses, some classes were mostly women.

So why did I leave?

I got tired, also became too busy working on real scripts. But I'm thinking about doing it again, except a class of my own, the way I want it. Maybe.

Right now I'm wrapping up the "How not to..." book. and going to do some touch-ups on S.O.B., my pilot series.

And hopefully Hallmark has interest in two of my ideas for them. 

Hey, I have 13 viewers from South Korea! Big hello!!!