1. Home-based workshops: Groups of writers and aspiring writers who live near each other, and who gather on a regular basis to read and discuss each others' work. Some groups meet in the homes of the members; some find other locations, such as a meeting room at a library. The community and face-to-face support is an important benefit of this kind of workshop. (I have belonged to such a group for many years and would miss it terribly if I ever had to leave.)

2. On-line workshops: These are groups of people who do the same thing, but use the Internet as a means to gather. The members may live thousands of miles apart, and may never meet face to face. It's a different style of community, one that suits some people well and others not at all.

3. Paid workshops: These are for serious aspirants, who are willing to pay to travel to a workshop, often committing to weeks of intensive work. Most such workshops bring in professional writers as instructors, who can offer the considerable benefit of their hard-won experience. Having served as an instructor myself, I can attest to the serious dedication that the students bring. And, I might add, the students come from all stages and walks of life.

4. Creative writing classes: These can be found in schools just about everywhere. They vary widely in quality, so you need to go into them with open eyes. If you go this route, try to find one taught by a published, professional writer — preferably who's worked in the field that interests you (in this case, I assume, science fiction and fantasy).