Writing Classes- Helpful or Waste of Cash?

Well, here's to another Monday! I'm getting ready to put together an article I'm writing on a local bluegrass festival, it's due next week. But before I get to work, I have a question for my fellow writers - have you ever taken a writing class? I've been throwing the idea around for awhile now... taking a class about writing fiction.

I've seen these classes offered at such places as Writer's Digest, Media Bistro and Gotham-often with a hefty price tag attached. Which leads me to my next question-is the class worth shelling out all that dough? Will it really help?

I am 20,000 words into my first YA novel(and stuck) and the proud owner of a picture book manuscript which has been rejected twice. It's not the rejection that bothers me(writing for magazines and newspapers, I'm used to it-I know it's part of the gig), it's wondering if taking a class is something I need to try to make my writing better.

So readers, let me  know-have you taken a writing class? Did it help or was it a waste of time? What other things do you do(besides writing) to improve your craft?

Sorry for the Interruption...

Hello everyone. It's been a few weeks since I have been able to update. Sorry for the absence, my husband has been sick and other things have required my attention. I have really enjoyed starting this blog and hope you will stick with me for awhile longer.  Hopefully, things will be back on track very soon. I'm planning to start posting again tomorrow evening. Thanks for your patience, and once again I'm sorry for the unexplained absence.