It is not at all easy to write well. In fact, I think I speak for many writers when I say it tends to be very, very painful and tedious. For many of the best writers I know, writing is agony. This makes some sense, because one of the things I’ve realized in 15 years of writing professionally is that no matter how talented you are, to produce something really worthwhile requires a lot of labor. You have to go over every single word of every single sentence time and time again, revising it until it’s as close to perfect as you can get it. Even when you have exhausted the editing process, the finished piece of work may seem terrible and you may hate it and wish you’d never written it.

But even though the process of actually producing good writing is difficult and laborious, I don’t think there are too many mysteries about what good writing looks like. I also believe that there are a lot of fairly simple tips that can help someone improve their writing, if they’re committed to working on it. They just have to be prepared to expend a lot of time and mental effort. I’m a good writer today in large part because I have now spent so many years doing it, constantly trying to get just a little bit better. 

I wouldn’t say that “anyone” can become a great writer, but I would say that a lot of people underestimate how good they could make their writing. They might assume that good writers have “talent,” and they simply don’t have the talent. I think talent is overrated. Writing is a skill you can develop just like learning how to cut hair or grow flowers. And over six years as a magazine editor, I’ve come to really enjoy helping people improve their work and produce material they’re really proud of.

All of which is to say: if you write, or would like to, whether professionally or as a hobby, you should come and take my one-day online course on writing and publishing, this upcoming Saturday, Nov. 19. I’m going to be giving the tips that I wish someone had given me when I was a freelancer, and I think you’ll both learn some useful things and come away with increased confidence in your own abilities. I’ll also be telling you everything I know about the publishing business, including how to get your work accepted by editors (and how to deal with them if they try to tear your piece to bits).

Tickets are available through Eventbrite. I hope we’ll see you there! If you buy a ticket, you’ll be given access to the full video of the class and all the course materials afterwards, so even if you don’t make it on the day of the course, you’ll still get the full class.

We’re holding this as a fundraiser for Current Affairs, an independent magazine that has no advertisers or investors, so buying a ticket goes to support an important institution. Please spread the word to everyone you know!

What People Have Said About the Class

• “I’m a journalist and instructor in a journalism program, so I have read and seen much on writing effectively in today’s world. Nathan provides an outstanding overview of approaching feature/magazine authorship that empowers neophyte writers to start AND finish. If you want to get your writing career on track quickly, begin with Nathan’s encouragement, wisdom, and wit to illuminate your journey and avoid the classic pitfalls. You will not be disappointed!” — A.J.
• “I thought it was FANTASTIC and worth way more than I paid… Nathan was engaging, helpful, transparent, honest, and made me feel like I was finally getting the information I needed to more seriously devote time and resources to writing.” — Mike
• “Very thoughtful writing tips and answers in the Q&A. Not those generic, vague ‘self-help’ talks—Nathan is earnest about telling us what he knows about writing well.” — Lucy
• “I really enjoyed the collaborative, generous feel of the class. The information you shared is super applicable and it was delivered in a way that made sense/wasn’t overwhelming.” — Meredith
• “This was a fabulous course! Nathan described writing methods and frameworks in a way that was detailed and actionable… I have solid takeaways for how to develop my approach to essay writing and attracting an audience as an independent media maker.” — Ahsante
• “I loved everything. He’s an engaging speaker as well as writer and it was all very clear. It was especially insightful to see examples of his work at draft stage and examples of pitches that come into CA. I appreciate the writers packet and subsequent analysis of samples from it too.” — Richard
• “Based on what I know of Current Affairs and of Nathan’s work, I suspected that this would be a rich class and that you would provide a wealth of resources. I was not disappointed. Expectations—exceeded!” — Jefri
• “This was informative and just plain enjoyable. I came away with a better understanding of the writing and publishing process, and I would readily sign up for another course.” — Cory
• “This was a strong, wide-ranging introduction to working in/for/at/creating a small magazine. I particularly enjoyed the deep dives into essays, which I thought were wisely calculated to a range of writers–from people that may have little training and never written before to people that are already producing work for publication. Also enjoyable was the behind-the-scenes look at the production of Current Affairs and lessons in how to create the distinct writing and aesthetic flair of the magazine.” — Clare

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