4 answers
Brandy
Student
Laguna Niguel, California
2
Questions
Asked
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What does it take to get into OSCA?
OSCA, or "Orange County School of the Arts," is the school of my DREAMS. Honestly! I would love to go there for creative writing, and I've written countless albums and stories of my own! I just love writing!
Quick problem, it seems super competitive, and let's just say I'm not the best student. You know, I have bad grades, I'm disorganized... the whole shabang. And of COURSE I wanna get my grades up- and trust me, I'm working on it! But does anybody know what OCSA looks for in applications or whatever? I'd really, really appreciate it.
3 answers
Mike Spaur
Electronic Engineering
8
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Mike’s Answer
Hi Brandy,
I never attended OCSA. I do not know what criteria they use to evaluate applications. I would suggest that you apply and see what happens.
Wherever you go, you will find super helpful instructors and others who are not as helpful. Follow your dream. Work hard. Famous writers have come from all sorts of backgrounds and educational experiences. They are famous because people love what they write.
Here are some suggestions about writing from one of my favorite writers, C.S. Lewis. This advice is intended for short and long stories, but some of this can apply to news media as well.
(1) Read all the good books you can, and avoid nearly all magazines.
(2) Always write (and read) with the ear, not the eye. You should. hear every sentence you write as if it was being read aloud or spoken. If it does not sound nice, try again.
(3) Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else. (Notice this means that if you are interested only in writing, you will never be a writer because you will have nothing to write about.)
(4) Take great pains to be clear. Remember that though you start by knowing what you mean, the reader doesn't, and a single ill-chosen word may lead him to a total misunderstanding. In a story it is terribly easy just to forget that you have not told the reader something that he wants to know. The whole picture is so clear in your own mind that you forget that it isn't the same in his.
(5) When you give up a bit of work don't (unless it is hopelessly bad) throw it away. Put it in a drawer. It may come in useful later. Much of my best work, or what I think my best, is the rewriting of things begun and abandoned years earlier.
(6) Be sure you know the meaning (or meanings) of every word you use.
My hope and prayer is that you will love your career no matter what path it takes. Good Luck.
Also, here is a book that might be helpful:
I never attended OCSA. I do not know what criteria they use to evaluate applications. I would suggest that you apply and see what happens.
Wherever you go, you will find super helpful instructors and others who are not as helpful. Follow your dream. Work hard. Famous writers have come from all sorts of backgrounds and educational experiences. They are famous because people love what they write.
Here are some suggestions about writing from one of my favorite writers, C.S. Lewis. This advice is intended for short and long stories, but some of this can apply to news media as well.
(1) Read all the good books you can, and avoid nearly all magazines.
(2) Always write (and read) with the ear, not the eye. You should. hear every sentence you write as if it was being read aloud or spoken. If it does not sound nice, try again.
(3) Write about what really interests you, whether it is real things or imaginary things, and nothing else. (Notice this means that if you are interested only in writing, you will never be a writer because you will have nothing to write about.)
(4) Take great pains to be clear. Remember that though you start by knowing what you mean, the reader doesn't, and a single ill-chosen word may lead him to a total misunderstanding. In a story it is terribly easy just to forget that you have not told the reader something that he wants to know. The whole picture is so clear in your own mind that you forget that it isn't the same in his.
(5) When you give up a bit of work don't (unless it is hopelessly bad) throw it away. Put it in a drawer. It may come in useful later. Much of my best work, or what I think my best, is the rewriting of things begun and abandoned years earlier.
(6) Be sure you know the meaning (or meanings) of every word you use.
My hope and prayer is that you will love your career no matter what path it takes. Good Luck.
Mike recommends the following next steps:
Dear Mike, thank you so much for the advice! Number four really got me thinking, "Huh. What DO my stories sound like to someone who isn't me?" So I sent the story to some close friends to see how well they'll follow along.- but also to see what I might need to work on. And number three reminded me that I shouldn't really brainstorm book topics- but if I find myself really interested in something and inspiration hits- THAT'S when I start writing the story (plus, I never really have my great ideas brainstorming anyway. It's usually just a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing). Again, thank you thank you THANK you for taking time to write this response. I deeply appreciate it. OSCA, here I come!
Brandy
Adam Sikes
Capture Executive, Defense Consulting
3
Answers
Updated
Adam’s Answer
Hello Brandy,
I commend you for knowing you want to be a writer. I was always a reader and writer in life, including when I was young, but I didn't start doing it professionally until much later in life, and now I have three books traditionally published (I had two other careers before becoming an author).
For OSCA, I did not go there, but I recommend looking at their application to assess what they are looking for in new students. It's not always about grades, and artists in particular often show brilliance elsewhere that can't be measured on a test. Therefore, try to find out what OSCA looks for in potential students.
And as others have said, keep reading and writing -- every day. Reading and writing are like physical training for sports. And I encourage you to read widely. I've authored a non-fiction book and two novels, but I don't just read in my genre -- read everything so that you develop your writer's mind to apply what you like (and don't like) to your craft.
I encourage you to go to writing and book conferences, too. Meet other writers, meet authors, talk to readers -- build your network. I didn't think to do this before I wrote my first novel; I started attending them after I already had an agent and publishing contract. But when I started going to these conferences, I realized how much I needed a writing community to work with, talk with, learn from, and network with. I wish I'd started going years before.
And you probably already know this, but you're a "writer" if you can't not write every day. It's like air and food and sunshine and water -- you must do it and you can't stop.
Best of luck in your writing!
I commend you for knowing you want to be a writer. I was always a reader and writer in life, including when I was young, but I didn't start doing it professionally until much later in life, and now I have three books traditionally published (I had two other careers before becoming an author).
For OSCA, I did not go there, but I recommend looking at their application to assess what they are looking for in new students. It's not always about grades, and artists in particular often show brilliance elsewhere that can't be measured on a test. Therefore, try to find out what OSCA looks for in potential students.
And as others have said, keep reading and writing -- every day. Reading and writing are like physical training for sports. And I encourage you to read widely. I've authored a non-fiction book and two novels, but I don't just read in my genre -- read everything so that you develop your writer's mind to apply what you like (and don't like) to your craft.
I encourage you to go to writing and book conferences, too. Meet other writers, meet authors, talk to readers -- build your network. I didn't think to do this before I wrote my first novel; I started attending them after I already had an agent and publishing contract. But when I started going to these conferences, I realized how much I needed a writing community to work with, talk with, learn from, and network with. I wish I'd started going years before.
And you probably already know this, but you're a "writer" if you can't not write every day. It's like air and food and sunshine and water -- you must do it and you can't stop.
Best of luck in your writing!
Mike Spaur
Electronic Engineering
8
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Mike’s Answer
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Elements_of_Style/3Yw6AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Elements_of_Style/3Yw6AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1&printsec=frontcover
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Brandy
Hi Mike! Can you add more detail about why you are recommending this resource?
Sharyn Grose, Admin
Hi Sharyn. Thank you for asking. I forwarded this resource to Brandy, because it is a foundational guide for writing that is also used as a reference by many authors.
Mike Spaur
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