Hey, Wattpad friends! I've teamed up with Wattpad and MasterClass, and their many celebrated instructors, with the challenge of immersing myself in their many classes and then sharing what I've learned with you.   

And my experience left me ... pleasantly surprised.

MasterClass is an online educational platform where regular people, like you and me, can attend pre-recorded lessons taught by known experts in their fields. Want to learn how to cook with a world-famous chef? There's a class for that! Many, in fact, taught by a number of famous culinary masterminds, such as Gordon Ramsay and Wolfgang Puck. Or maybe you'd prefer a singing lesson with Christina Aguilera? Or if you're a budding thespian, you can learn the art of acting with none other than Samuel L. Jackson.

But if you're like me, you'll veer toward the writing classes directed by some of the most talented authors to have ever walked the earth. Think I'm exaggerating? The students of Neil Gaiman, R.L. Stine, Margaret Atwood, and James Patterson might disagree.

If this sounds too good to be true, you can learn more by clicking on this link here! #Sponsored

I love writing. Wait, scratch that—I LOVE writing.

I first started jotting down plots before I could even read. To get around the inconvenience, I drew my stories out, page after page, telling the woes of the kind and beautiful younger sister, bullied by her mean and ugly siblings. The tale always took place on a boat in the middle of a large body of water, and the climax revolved around a singular act—the evil sisters would push the good sister overboard and into the murky deep, leaving her ... well, screwed.

Or was she?

Like most fairy tales, this one also involved a handsome prince out on a larger-than-life adventure. He arrived on scene in the nick of time, whisked the beautiful sister into his boat, while the uglies were left with their mouths wide open, unable to believe their younger sibling's good fortune. And, like any satisfying romance, the beautiful sister and the prince fell deeply in love and sailed off into the sunset. Based on nothing but pure instinct, my story contained a theme: good versus evil. There was a conflict, a climax, and a resolution, otherwise known as my happy ending. In my young mind, that was all I needed to tell the perfect story.

But I was wrong.

I didn't start writing seriously until adulthood and, little did I know, there is so much more than a theme, conflict, climax, and resolution involved in writing readable fiction. Most writers are readers and much of the writing process is naturally ingrained during the process of enjoying literature. But when you dig deeper, you learn that the methods used by successful authors can be broken down into acts, and even individual beats, that occur in a specific sequence to forge a specific outcome.

But how do you not only acquire this new knowledge, but get to the nitty-gritty of understanding it?

For me, enlightenment came when I obtained a subscription to MasterClass. I've debated trying the educational tool for years but always worried it wouldn't be worth the time and money, or that it'd be impossible to learn anything noteworthy from a person speaking at a camera online.

But that is not the case.

I was astonished by what I saw when browsing through the website, not only because of the sheer number of successful actors, authors, filmmakers, musicians, athletes, cooks, comedians, and entrepreneurs willing to share their secrets, but by the amount of content they squeeze into their classes.

In addition to these classes, each instructor includes a downloadable PDF workbook with actual assignments, and community activities every student can participate in to receive feedback and critique. In some cases, that critique may come from the instructor themselves. Although I, personally, have not experienced this, I'm hoping luck is on my side! Feedback from renowned children's author, Neil Gaiman, my favorite instructor to date, would be a dream come true. If you'd like a sneak peek into his workshop, click on this link here !

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MasterClass is simple to follow. From the instructors I've watched so far, each class has between nineteen and twenty-eight lessons, lasting anywhere from approximately five to twenty minutes, and you can binge watch these high-quality videos on any computer or phone. You're able to pause, rewind, and fast forward, so viewing can be accessed on your own time and at your own pace—even while you're making dinner!

If I can be honest, I've been getting so much out of my MasterClass subscription. And I'm not just saying that. Watching my favorite authors share their writing process and how they, personally, navigate writer's block puts a huge smile on my face. They are the teacher and I am their student, taking part in one-on-one tutoring sessions designed specifically for me. Excitement and renewed energy swell inside of me as I listen to them share their knowledge and experience. Even if I got absolutely nothing out of what they were teaching, the inspiration their lessons invoke is worth every penny spent. Taking your hint of an idea and fleshing it out, through completing a first draft, to editing your future bestseller, these instructors encourage you to believe in yourself and in your writing (or whatever skills you're hoping to improve).

But don't take my word for it, try it for yourself. You'll see.

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