Rick Joyner's $1,000 writing school

[Posted at Bene Diction Blogs On May 16, 2011] You'll perhaps forgive me if I feel like Rick Joyner has sent out the Internet equivalent of one of those old magazine ads where Charles Atlas guarantees that you'll never have sand kicked in your face again. It's an ad for a writing school at Joyner's compound in Moravian Falls from May 26 to May 28. For the princely sum of $1,000 you will taught by Joyner and Morningstar staffer Deborah Joyner Johnson how to write. As I write, the seminars are all booked up, so I can't learn about "the essentials of writing, how to become a more creative and passionate writer, ways to grow as a writer, one-on-one help with writing projects, and much more!" Even though I have an Underwood No. 5 typewriter, as pictured in their graphic. As someone who was not formally trained in journalism, learning "on the job", I am not opposed to learning writing outside school, heavens no. But I think that what is happening is that Morningstar is perhaps looking for zealous writers who can be persuaded to write for the ministry for free. So zealous that they are willing to pay for the privilege of taking the minimal training required by Morningstar. I'm a bit sceptical? Well, blame the critical thinking skills that I learned by doing--which the folks at the Morningstar seminar may not have the time, or encouragement to develop. Skills that I would suggest writers need.