All Student Success Letters

Rhonda Eason

Dear Gotham,
 
I’ve always believed that I could write a novel, but I wasn’t clear on how to turn that belief into a reality. Two years ago, I took your Novel II class. The feedback I received from the instructor and my fellow students helped me craft a story that has since become a published novel.
 
I appreciate that the Novel classes are hands-on workshops instead of pure lecture. The Booth sessions gave me the opportunity to have as much as sixty pages of my story critiqued. It’s an amazing experience to listen to students discuss their sometimes opposing opinions about your material, which helps you understand where there may be a section that requires additional editing to more sharply shape the story.
 
Not only did I enjoy the Booths, but I also felt I took away helpful writing tips by listening to students critique other students’ submissions—which ran the gamut from fantasy to history to family drama, and everything in between.
 
Another key on my journey to becoming a published writer was my critique group. I kept in touch with three students that I met in my Novel class. We formed a critique group that met on a weekly basis. This allowed me to stay focused and continue writing. It also ensured that I didn’t write an entire novel with huge plot holes running throughout. Writing is a solitary endeavor. Critique groups help provide the emotional and technical support a writer may need to keep moving forward.
 
After several months of editing my manuscript, Jaded has found a home with The Wild Rose Press. I could not be more proud of my achievement and the support I received from Gotham for helping make a dream into a reality.
 
 
Sincerely,
Rhonda Eason
rhondaeason.com