CLASSES

All my classes are held on Saturdays from 9am to 4pm. I always allow plenty of time for  getting your questions answered, including those about your own projects. I encourage you to bring along anything about which you have questions or want input.

Please visit the appropriate college, usually Pierce College (Puyallup campuses) or South Puget Sound Community College (Olympia), for information on fees, classroom locations, and how to register. My classes at Evergreen College are on hold as of Fall 2009, since Evergreen has temporarily cancelled their extended education program.

The following is what's on my schedule, and the dates and locations are at the bottom of this page. A list of my art classes is at: www.joellesteele.com/Classes.htm. Descriptions of the classes are below.

Summer 2009 Schedule

JUL 11 - Make Your Living As A Writer - Pierce (Puyallup)

Fall 2009 Schedule

OCT 3 - Make Your Living As A Writer - Pierce (Puyallup)

OCT 17 - Create A Web Site for Your Small Business - South Puget Sound CC (Olympia)

OCT 24 - Self-Publishing Your Book - Pierce (Puyallup)

NOV 7 - Create A Web Site for Your Small Business - Pierce (Puyallup)

Winter 2010 Schedule

JAN 23 - Research & Write Your Family History - Pierce (Puyallup)

Spring 2010 Schedule

TBA - Make Your Living As A Writer

TBA - Create A Web Site for Your Small Business

TBA - Self-Publishing Your Book

TBA - Research & Write Your Family History

Make Your Living As A Writer. This class is for anyone who aspires to a career as a writer - fiction or non-fiction, books or magazine markets, or "for hire" opportunities such as legal writing, copywriting, and more. You'll learn what is involved in becoming published, beginning with a writer's investments in knowledge, tools of the trade, software, Internet access, a space to write, handling creative blocks, etc. Topics include evaluating writing markets; insights into what editors want; querying and book proposals; pros and cons of working with literary agents; preparing manuscripts for submission; advances, royalties, and getting paid; publishing contracts; copyright laws; plagiarism; publishing rights; flexibility and fluency in writing projects; and working with editors. Also covers research, fact-checking, the writing and editing process, repackaging and reselling of articles, and keeping the process moving so that there is always a work in progress and queries being produced regularly to minimize "sales slumps" and increase the chances of finding a publisher.

Researching and Writing Your Family History or Memoirs. This class begins with researching your ancestry through the use of the Internet as well as by obtaining various kinds of legal and other official documents, personal letters, and old photographs, interviewing family members and friends, and examining your own life. You will learn to work like a detective to address such often confusing and conflicting information as variations in names, birth and death dates, cities and countries of origin, and digging for the truth behind the stories passed down through the generations. The writing portion of the class will include the various ways of assembling all of your research into a meaningful story or stories, handling delicate information, speculative data, and "holes" in stories. Also included are ways to publish your family history and how to handle all of the photos, tree charts, and other documents and incorporate them into that history. Also discussed will be the use of genealogical programs, working with family members in other countries, researching in different languages, and more.

Creating A Web Site for Your Small Business. This is an excellent overview for anyone who wants to create a Web site for their small business or be able to communicate more effectively with their Webmaster. All of the confusing "geek speak" will be explained in simple English. This class covers: the use of domain names, finding hosting services, types of Internet access, use of POP E-mail, E-mail autoresponders and forwarders, understanding search engines and searching techniques, Web design programs, doing it yourself versus hiring a Web designer, the importance of writing over design, Web-safe colors and fonts, kinds of pages and content to include, writing for search engine optimization, HTML coding, RSS feeds, Web site tools, navigation structures, page layouts, working in tables, managing images, updating and maintaining pages, marketing and promotion, and much more.