>Is it too late to start taking classes at 21 years old?
Dude, you're twenty fucking one. I don't want to sound patronizing, but your life has barely fucking started yet. Too late? This is the perfect time to start taking classes. You're young enough that you are pliable, elastic, yet old enough to have a solid idea about what you want. Stop doubting yourself, stop worrying about "too late" and just do what you want or feel you need.

I know a woman who is 81 and still taking university classes, she takes one class a semester because she's so old. Take the fucking class.

Also, don't worry about needing a class to write your short story. Oh, you have one short story idea? Write it and don't worry about it fucking sucking. If it sucks, fuck it, write another story. If it's full of fundamental writing errors, then write another story with fewer fundamental writing errors. Errors are good, you learn from them.

Don't worry about people laughing at you. Just do what you do, balls to the wall. Write your story. And if people laugh, fuck them because you wrote your story.

Write. If you want to write but have never written before, that's step one: write. Don't worry about it being terrible just write it and get it out.

>>395
I have to agree with this guy. Writing shit is how you start off. You probably don't need classes, but it helps to put yourself in an environment where you are forced to study others' works. Especially if you can't do it naturally. You might just need a forceful push to make writing techniques a habit.

Write the story. Draft it. Send it out. Start another one. Have the first one rejected. Decide to either work on it more or throw it a way.

May I recommend Write1/Sub1? http://www.write1sub1.com/

Also, it doesn't hurt to surf writing forums, take part in the community, learn through criticism of your work and that of others. I recommend Absolute Write. http://absolutewrite.com/

Everyone has written shitty stories. I have and do and I know others that do. What matters is to just sit your ass down and write. Just don't get discouraged from criticism. I've had many rejection letters, and when they start becoming personal rejections you know you're doing something right.