You can pay to learn just about anything on the internet these days, provided you have a few hundred bucks to spend, but there's an ongoing, lively debate as to whether or not the fees are money well-spent. For example, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling "hates" bestseller-writing classes, and she isn't about to mince words when it comes to them. Watch out, James Patterson, you might have made the reigning queen of witchdom's blacklist.
Although it might be a bit hyperbolic to suggest that she would go after Patterson, Rowling's vitriol isn't unfounded. Darren Stephens of bestsellerevent.com used Rowling's photo to promote his upcoming event: How To Write A BEST SELLER And Create Your 6-7 Figure Empire 3-Day LIVE Intensive Workshop [sic]. Rowling's image is included alongside other famous faces — including Tony Robbins, Richard Brannon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump — and Stephens' copy gives the impression that these folks learned their craft from him:
For over 20 years I’ve had hands on experience working with and educating businesses and individuals, in over 27 countries around the world, about personal peak performance, business growth strategies and becoming successful authors.
...
All of the above people's personal and business successes have been accelerated at some point by using this ONE single strategy…One strategy… that I’m about to openly reveal…
YOU too can utilise this strategy of becoming an internationally published author with a physical book!
Stephens doesn't stop with this bit of deceptive advertising. He touts himself as a bestselling author, but his Goodreads reviews paint a different picture. Stephens also wants you to know that, even though tickets for his bestseller-writing workshop will cost $4997 each after August 14, you can get yours now for the low, low price of $97. Fire sales don't give deals that great, folks.
What's more, even priced at 0.19 percent of Stephens' alleged asking price, this bestseller-writing workshop still costs $7 more than James Patterson's aforementioned Masterclass. That's right: you can take a writing workshop from an actual bestselling author for less money than you'd pay the guy who stole J.K. Rowling's picture.
Don't waste your money indeed.
