From the Manuscript to the Classroom

From musicals to poetry, Josh Langston has done it all. He has 10 novels in print and has helped numerous students develop fiction, memoirs, children’s books and technical manuals. In addition to a love of writing, he values the importance of sharing all the tricks he has learned.

As an OLLI instructor, Josh will be teaching, “Learn Short Fiction from a Pro” and “Publish Your Own Book.” Both are aimed to help students succeed as writers.

He said, “I love helping other people achieve their writing and publishing dreams. There are so many stories to be told.”

“Learn Short Fiction from a Pro” will cover the essentials of writing short commercial fiction. The market for this has evolved over the years as a result of the internet. To be considered for publication, submissions to editors are mostly done online, which is cheaper and faster but this means editors have more to look at. This course will help students maneuver this market and become better writers.

In the course “Publish Your Own Book,” students will focus on the many facets of independent releases. Josh will discuss everything from proofing a manuscript for errors to designing covers. He will offer expertise on developing other subject material and alternative formats aside from the common forms of novels and memoirs.

In the classroom, Josh provides detailed class notes so students can focus on what he is saying. He wants them to know that writing is a craft and pass on the tips and tricks he has learned in the industry.

“The biggest kick I get is when a student shows me the fruit of their work,” he said. “That makes my heart sing.”

As a writer and director of commercials, sales and training films, Josh’s father encouraged him to write. He said, “I found it fascinating that someone could sit at a keyboard, pound out a few thousand words and get paid for.”

He prefers to write contemporary fantasy novels but has written historical fiction as well. Josh tries to add science or fantasy fiction elements in each novel. He said, “I like stories that make people smile, gasp, laugh and stay up late to see what happens next.”