Writing Class

"Writing Class" by Robert Sheckley is a funny science fiction story from the early 1950s that pokes fun at writing rules. It's about Professor Carner, who teaches a writing class, pushing his students to be creative and avoid old, worn-out ideas when describing aliens. Eddie McDermott, one of his students, starts out not really caring for the class, because his professor wants him to think differently and create more interesting characters. Eddie gets annoyed, because loves over-the-top, lively writing, which his professor doesn't like. In the end, Eddie quits the class, because he'd rather write what he loves than follow the dull rules of journalism. The story is a joke about writing, but it also makes a point about how important it is to be creative and original, even when there are rules to follow.