Years ago, I had taken one of those writing tests and had gotten back rave reviews and a contract to sign up for their school. I did a little research and learned that, yes, one can hone skills through the course, but if one is a good writer already, he/she should just write. Using a book like Writer's Market or Literary Marketplace (visit the public library for these) will help the writer find markets and give addresses where to send stuff.
Four writers I know studied the markets and matched their writing to them, then sent out their work. Yes, there were rejections, but these writers have been able to sell their stories or articles or poetry somewhere. Two are now Harlequin/Silhouette writers under contract. Another receives assignments from a publisher. The fourth has sold her work to "little magazines" (literary magazines) and is building her portfolio in order to approach paying markets.
Any good community college or correspondence course will teach basics of setting, plot, characters, how to write essays and other nonfiction, etc. but will probably not turn someone into a writer if there is no talent. The correspondence courses I'm familiar with claim they will get the student published during the time he/she studies with them. I've heard that such claims have actually come true, so I hope that will be the case with your wife, bkegg. There is nothing as exciting as seeing one's name in print as the author and to see one's writing actually in print and being sold. Those royalty checks or publishing payments are very cool!
AND NEVER PAY A VANITY PRESS TO PUBLISH, i.e. print, YOUR WORK! A publisher pays the writer, not the other way around.
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