Novel Class

I just signed up for a class on writing novels. I did it with some trepidation. All this time I've talked about novels, but I really don't have anything resembling a first chapter that I like yet, that I'd submit to a class. I just don't have my crap together. I've got a couple weeks to get something together. The thing is my job allows me to take a class like this once in a while at no cost to myself. So I'm not going to feel awful if I have to drop it at some point.

I've taken a couple short story writing classes in the past. And they have been useful. The first one was sort of eye opening. The second one impressed me less. The third one was better than the second. The quality of the other writers in the class made a difference. The teachers in all the classes were pretty good, but the first spent the most on basic ideas and the least on remarking on everyone's stories. Sometimes, those discussions were a lot longer than they needed to be. And some comments on my stories were useful, and some were people saying something, just because they needed to say something.

Things that I did learn.
1.Good dialogue can really carry a story. It demonstrates character and if done correctly can move the plot forward.
2. Never start a story with getting out of bed or an alarm clock going off. That's a good way to start a day, but not pretty dull for a story.
3. Stories need a ryhthm. Think camera angles. Sometimes close up. Sometimes a more distant shots.

I guess if I'd learned more, I might have more stories out there.