Amy Tan MasterClass Review 2022: Is It Worth It?

This article (Amy Tan MasterClass Review) will provide you with the opportunity to read an in-depth evaluation of Amy Tan’s Masterclass, including information on how the lessons are presented, who the course is best suited for, the cost, and what I enjoyed about it, etc.

Amy Tan is an American novelist who is best recognized for her fiction writing about mother-daughter relationships and Chinese culture, which she has done in her native country.

Her best-known works include the novels The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter’s Daughter, which are both set in New York City.

Having worked in the publishing industry for more than 30 years, it goes without saying that Tan understands how to harness her memory and creativity to craft intriguing fiction.

Is Amy Tan’s MasterClass, on the other hand, any good? And, more importantly, can it truly assist you in writing your own fiction?

Who Is Amy Tan?

Amy Ruth Tan is an American author known for the novel The Joy Luck Club, which was adapted into a film of the same name, as well as other novels, short story collections, and children’s books.

So I’ll save you the reading of my biography and instead summarize a few essential points from my professional life:

• Tan’s first publishing deal came in 1987, while she was working as a freelance writer for another company.
• Her novel The Joy Luck Club, published in 1989, was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 70 weeks.
• Apart from being transformed into stage plays, operas, feature films, and animation, her work has also been transferred into other media.

Additionally, Amy Tan can be found on Twitter, where it has 149 thousand followers.

What Is MasterClass?

MasterClass, is an American online education subscription platform on which students can access tutorials and lectures pre-recorded by experts in various fields. The concept for MasterClass was conceived by David Rogier and developed with Aaron Rasmussen. 

An important aspect of Amy Tan’s writing is the method in which she directly reveals the inspirations that lie at the heart of her outstanding stories.

By delving into vivid recollections from her painful past, she presents a picture of the kinds of

complex family ties and long-forgotten memories that readers all around the world can identify to, and that she hopes will inspire others to do the same.

This MasterClass will take you inside Tan’s thoughts as she explores the inner workings of a writer.

She leads you through the method she employs to construct her narratives from beginning to end, drawing on the emotional memories and personal truths that have become the foundation of her novels.

She demonstrates how you, too, can write stories that are emotionally compelling.

Course Overview – Amy Tan Masterclass Review

The MasterClass taught by Amy Tan lasts for a total of 3 hours and 12 minutes and is comprised of the 14 following videos:

• Lesson 1: Meet Your Instructor: Amy Tan
• Lesson 2: Finding Your Writing Voice 
• Lesson 3: Memory, Truth, and Imagination 
• Lesson 4: Research and Observation
• Lesson 5: Beginning Your Story 
• Lesson 6: Narrative Point of View 
• Lesson 7: Character Development 
• Lesson 8: Choosing the Right Words
• Lesson 9: The Revision Process
• Lesson 10: Writing Companions
• Lesson 11: Writer’s Block
• Lesson 12: Behind the Scenes: The Joy Luck Club Movie 
• Lesson 13: Amy’s Rejection Letters 
• Lesson 14: How to End Your Story

This masterclass, like all others, provides students with high-definition videos, a downloadable workbook that is jam-packed with awesome material and writing exercises, and unrestricted access to more than one hundred online courses taught by other leading instructors.

3 Important Lessons From Amy Tan’s MasterClass

01 – Personal Honesty Creates Universal Harmony

The aforementioned quotation is one of my most treasured memories from watching “The Amy Tan MasterClass.”

As Tan explains, one of the best ways to find the truth is through the use of fiction. People have the misconception that fictional characters are entirely fabricated, but in reality, there is always a component of them that is real and human.

Why?

Because as a writer, you infuse every character you create with at least a sliver of your own personality, it’s impossible to avoid doing so. You reveal an obsession, a sadness, or a problem that you’ve dealt with in your life through each and every one of your characters.

Because of this, the events of your story can still resonate with readers even if they take place in a different culture or era. Once a reader has your story in their hands, it essentially becomes their book. This is what happens when you write fiction.

If you write in an honest manner, you will probably be able to create a story that readers will find believable. Your reader will pick out the characteristics and aspects that they can relate to, which are aspects of human nature that are universal and do not change with different generations or cultures.

02 – Be Harder on Your Writing Than You Are

The act of writing is a very introspective process. There are a lot of beginning writers who dread the thought of having to revise their work or cut out sections of it because it makes them feel as though they are erasing a part of themselves when they do so. Revision, on the other hand, is essential to one’s development as a writer.

You have to be willing to keep honing your craft despite the fact that it will never reach its full potential.

Amy Tan discusses the number of draughts of each of her stories that she typically goes through in this MasterClass. Her goal is to produce a final product that is both aesthetically pleasing and emotionally fulfilling.

She explains that part of the revision process involves letting your guard down. In order to view things in their true light, you must first lower your defenses and accept them in their current state.

In addition to this, it is of the utmost significance that you, as a writer, are familiar with yourself. The vast majority of authors have a propensity to either overwrite or underwrite their work.

Conduct an evaluation of your writing and ask yourself the following question: When describing my characters, do I give too little information and omit important details, or do I give too much information and leave no room for them to develop further?

Whether you do the analysis on yourself or receive feedback from others, there will be times when you are confronted with some shocking realizations.

But keep in mind that feedback about your work is not the same as criticism about you personally. It may seem odd at first, but you should make it a point to train yourself to keep a healthy distance between yourself and the things you create.

03 – An excellent plot is inevitable but unpredictable

To put it another way, when the reader reaches the end of your story, everything should make sense to them, but they shouldn’t have been able to guess that outcome from the beginning.

The overarching message of the narrative ought to be brought into focus gradually throughout each chapter, to the point where it is no longer a mystery by the time it is finished.

While it is important to provide clarity and answer key questions, you should avoid belaboring the point to the point where it loses its impact. It is far more effective to experience the conclusion for oneself as opposed to having it explained to one.

Who Should Take This Course?

In my opinion, the people who would benefit the most from taking this class are those who are:

• A supporter of Tan and the way she approaches writing
• They are just getting started on their journey of writing fiction.
• desires to enhance the quality of their writing style
• Enthusiastic to relate tales drawn from their own lives and experiences

Tan’s advice is helpful for anyone looking to improve their fiction-writing skills and to use real life events to inform their stories, but I believe that beginning writers will likely benefit the most from taking this course because it is geared more toward novice writers.

Tan’s MasterClass is geared toward those who are just beginning their writing careers; therefore, if you have been writing for some time and are looking for techniques to improve your writing, or if you are interested in taking a course that is more career-oriented, you may find that taking another MasterClass (such as David Baldacci’s) is a more suitable alternative.

If any of the descriptions in the preceding bullet points sound like you, then I believe that you would benefit greatly from taking this MasterClass.

Course Pricing – Amy Tan Masterclass Review

Since the pricing of MasterClass may have changed since this review was written, click here for the most recent information. At the time of this writing, a subscription to MasterClass costs $180 per year, which breaks down to $15 per month. You will have access to all 100+ MasterClasses if you purchase this.

The great thing about this is that the cost of each individual class will decrease proportionately to the number of classes that are taken.

For instance, if you find at least four to six classes that you are interested in taking, your effective cost per class ranges from thirty dollars to forty-five dollars ($180 divided by six classes = thirty).

The value is unrivalled when one considers the fact that these courses are presented by renowned industry professionals. It’s a kind of educational shortcut, if you will. In addition, if you aren’t satisfied with your purchase, MasterClass will refund your money within the first thirty days.

There is a way for you to purchase a single course, but the process is a little bit confusing because it involves multiple steps. You are able to purchase a single MasterClass and then give that class to yourself as a present. This item costs $90 at this location.

On the other hand, one could argue that purchasing an all-access pass offers the best value.

Course Alternatives – Amy Tan Masterclass Review

There are a large number of writing courses available, both on and off of MasterClass, in addition to the one taught by Tan. To the best of our knowledge, MasterClass currently provides:

• David Mamet — Dramatic Writing
• Judy Blume — Writing
• James Patterson — Writing
• Amanda Gorman — Poetry
• Aaron Sorkin — Screenwriting
• Shonda Rhimes — Writing for Television
• R.L. Stine — Writing for Young Audiences
• Malcolm Gladwell — Writing
• Margaret Atwood — Creative Writing
• Dan Brown — Writing Thrillers
• Neil Gaiman — The Art of Storytelling
• Salman Rushdie — Storytelling and Writing
• Roxanne Gay — Writing for Social Change
• Billy Collins — Reading and Writing Poetry
• David Baldacci — Mystery and Thriller Writing
• Joyce Carol Oates — The Art of the Short Story
• David Sedaris — Storytelling and Humour
• Walter Mosley — Fiction and Storytelling

The course on Udemy titled “Fiction, Memoir, and Novel Writing” came the closest to replicating Tan’s instruction that I could find outside of MasterClass.

But despite the fact that this is less expensive and has a longer duration than Tan’s course, I have the impression that you are not receiving the expert-level instruction or high production values that are offered by MasterClass.

The verdict?

A more career-focused course may be more beneficial for you than one that focuses on developing your approach to fiction writing if your primary goal is to improve your writing skills rather than develop your approach to writing fiction.

If, on the other hand, you are a fan of Tan’s and/or are eager to change the way you see and work with memory in fiction, I believe that her MasterClass is an invaluable resource for you. You also get the added benefit of being able to ask questions of a bestselling author.

Before making the decision to enrol in this MasterClass, it is important to give some thought to what you hope to achieve as a result of taking it. Also, keep in mind that if you have the all-access pass, you are free to enrol in any or all of the MasterClass programmes.

Amy Tan MasterClass Review: My Overall Thoughts on the Experience

Despite the fact that I am not a fiction writer, I gained a great deal by participating in this masterclass.

Amy Tan’s observations on fiction, memory, and imagination are extremely insightful – and can be applied to any form of writing.

Finally, if you are a writer, you are also a storyteller, whether you realize it or not.

Writing fiction or nonfiction has the same goal, whether you want to engage your audience and persuade them to believe in something greater than the words themselves, or urge them to take action.

Amy illustrates with examples from her own writing the types of mistakes that beginning writers are prone to making, as well as how to avoid them.

She teaches you how to discover your own unique voice and how to translate your observations and experiences into a written narrative that is both meaningful and memorable.

Each course contains significant pearls of information, which I found myself watching more than once in some cases.

I strongly advise you to bring a pen and paper with you to the lesson because you will most likely be taking a lot of notes during it.

Amy Tan MasterClass Research and Observation

Throughout this chapter, Tan will walk you through some of her favorite research strategies and tricks. Tan, who has conducted research for her work in a variety of time periods and settings, provides her top recommendations for getting the most out of your study.

You will get knowledge about the following:

• Tan’s unique method of conducting a photographic study
• Time management strategies are discussed in detail.
• The advantages and disadvantages of various research designs
• The best way to conduct research in journals
• Guidelines for avoiding plagiarism
• Tan believes that it is possible to do too much study. She instructs you on how to obtain what you require while not detracting from your writing time as a result of this consideration. Particularly beneficial when working against a strict time constraint!

Tan explains how photography and writing help her in her research by providing instances from her personal life. She also advises you to “channel your disorganization” — and she goes into greater detail about what she means by that.

You’ll also learn how to make the most of different creative forms in order to inspire and expand upon your own work and ideas.

You will learn about narrative points of view and character development.

“The truth is that every character contains a little piece of myself.”

Tan focuses on how to communicate your tale using multiple storytelling frameworks in this series of classes. Aside from that, she shares her thoughts on how to make characters more believable.

So, keeping this in mind, you’ll discover:

• The advantages and disadvantages of narrative points of view
• How using a narrative perspective can alter the course of your story
• How to effectively use the phrase “universal truth” in your writing
• Tan’s number one piece of advice for those who want to write characters
• According to Tan, every point of view has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Tan demonstrates, through the use of on-screen examples, how the same tale may be delivered in a variety of ways.

Amy Tan is a writer who has completed a MasterClass.

This directs you to the following page:

Choosing the Appropriate Phrases

Amy Tan provides writing guidance.

“Exactitude is impossible to achieve.”

According to Tan, it is critical to be deliberate in your word choice when writing. Furthermore, if you utilize words correctly, they can significantly improve the quality of your story.

To summarize, you will study the following in this lesson:

What is the best way to make words relate to one another?

• Tan’s interpretation of the word “textures”
• Writing with rhythm: some pointers
• How to pick words that express a sense of occasion

Tan provides you with some specific examples of what to use and what to avoid when it comes to word choice during this class. Additionally, she discusses her philosophy of “fresh language” and how it has helped her to be successful in her work.

Tan devotes a significant portion of this course to provide you with practical guidance on how to write effective dialogue. She also provides you with advice on how to avoid typical pitfalls that most writers fall prey to, as she has done in previous sessions.

Amy Tan quotes – Amy Tan MasterClass Review

• “We dream to give ourselves hope.
• “If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.”
• “Writing what you wished was the most dangerous form of wishful thinking.”
• “Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward.”
• “Everyone must dream.
• “Then you must teach my daughter this same lesson.

Amy Tan MasterClass Review – Is It Worth It?

This is a class that you will probably enjoy taking if you are familiar with Tan’s work and the ideas that she explores in her stories.

I would say that this class is appropriate for anyone who is interested in using their past experiences and their imagination to inspire their writing.

This class does an excellent job of encouraging you to write from a personal perspective when crafting fiction, and it does so regardless of whether or not you are a fan of Tan’s.

The course is definitely geared more toward those who are just beginning their writing careers, even though it does include some helpful pointers for more seasoned authors.

If you found the presentation of the lesson plan and the trailer to be inspiring, then you should walk away feeling motivated.

In addition, in order to get the most out of MasterClass, you should enrol in the maximum number of courses that are relevant to your interests. This should not be difficult considering there are over a hundred classes to choose from.

For instance, Kelly Wearstler teaches interior design, Gordon Ramsay teaches cooking, and Chris Voss teaches the art of negotiation. All of these individuals are available as instructors.

There are currently more than 15 writing-related classes available on MasterClass.com. If this is an area that interests you, then you will have a plethora of options available to you.

In addition, if you are not satisfied with your purchase within the first thirty days, MasterClass will refund your money. This lowers the possibility of you wasting money on a class that doesn’t meet your needs.

Conclusion: Amy Tan MasterClass Review

Amy Tan, author of the New York Times bestselling novel The Joy Luck Club, will visit MasterClass to offer a class on Fiction, Memory, and Imagination.

To explain to members how they can dig into their own thoughts and memories to inspire creative writing, Tan will discuss her personal and most tough life experiences.

MasterClass founder and CEO David Rogier remarked, “As the author of six New York Times bestselling novels, Amy is one of the most famous and memorable voices in modern American literature.”

Amy is the author of six New York Times bestselling novels. « Amy bravely exposes her soul in this MasterClass, illustrating her deeply intimate and in-depth writing process.

In this workshop, she will guide our participants on a self-discovery trip to better understand how personal recollections, insights about life, and the most challenging events can serve as the most powerful sources of inspiration for writers.”

Frequently Asked Questions