Beth's writing courses: update

Dear writers, who can explain these things? For two Januarys in a row, my course at Ryerson, True to Life 336, has been cancelled because not enough people registered. It was disheartening and made me sad - and poorer - but such is life. I thought maybe winter was the problem.

Today, I discovered that True to Life is now full. Five days before the course starts, registration is closed, and I've already had an email from a student who was turned away, begging to get in. I wrote back that 18 is the maximum for a reason, and it wouldn't be fair to those already registered, or to her, to let in more. It's not a lecture course which can hold limitless attendees. Each week, every student writes and reads, and so 18 different essays a week is enough of a challenge.

I am sorry if you were intending to take the course and left it too late. The good news is that I teach 3 terms a year, so you can come back in May - when the course is on Wednesday evenings - or in September, when it's back to Mondays. Who knows, perhaps next year, the numbers will vanish again and I'll be unemployed. But right now, I feel like the high school girl who couldn't get a date and suddenly is besieged with cute guys.

I like it. It feels good.

If you want to branch out into fiction, my colleague Ann Ireland is offering course # 410, Short Fiction, via email - she's highly experienced and skilled and a great teacher.

The U of T course, Life Stories II, is open only to students who've worked with me before and runs during the day so is not an option for many. It's getting more full but there's still room. Links on this website under "Teaching."