writing courses

[graken]

Hi to everyone

Being new to the site I am impressed by what I have seen so far. However one concern I do have is the writers' courses offered on the site. Have these courses been checked for quality of content and has the money back offer for non-satisfaction ever been confirmed? I would welcome any feedback, albeit good, or BAD. Are these people just affiliates? Are they genuine? I am looking for a good quality writing course.

Thank You

Graham Wakefield

[Symphony]

I'd still recommend The Writer's Bureau, graken. It's cheap and very thorough AND has been running quite a long time. Money-back guarantee? Does that matter to you more than what you get out of a course? I never subscribed with the intention of getting my money back - I play my own game, but having said that the tutor I have is fab, gives extremely extensive feedback and the coursework has stretched me in every direction and helped me find interests in areas I never thought I'd write in.

Don't know any other courses that give money-back guarantees. I thoroughly enjoyed the OU introduction to creative writing (NOT the year-long course) but this requires money AND I've heard loads of different perspectives on quality, not due to the material but to allocated tutors which seem to be hit or miss.

I'm doing a Writing for Children course at the moment - just to get me motivated again - and the content is fab but the typos are driving me bananas!!

All sorts. I'd still recommend WB, but if you do a SEARCH for Writer's Bureau you'll find mixed reviews on here. There have already been a few discussions. Have a browse for more info.

Good luck,
Symphony

[Suzie]

I recommend the Writers Bureau - but I would - I'm a tutor there.

I can assure you ,however, that their money-back guarantee is genuine. If you don't earn back the course cost during the time you study then you can have your money back. All you have to do is give them 10 rejection slips to prove you have been trying to get published.

Suzie x

[Nick]

As a former Writers Bureau tutor (and author of some of their course material), I second Suzie's comments. The guarantee is genuine, but they do - not unreasonably - request that you make some effort to get your work published before claiming your money back.

As a fairly neutral observer these days, I think the Writers Bureau is a good option for people who want the discipline of a series of exercises and feedback from a tutor. However, if (like many students) you just do one or two exercises and then give up, you will certainly have wasted your money. Also, a lot depends on your tutor and how you get on with him/her. If you're not happy with the tutor you've been allocated, never be afraid to ask for a change.

In reply to your general query, the advertisements on Mywriterscircle.com are supplied by Google under their AdSense program. Every time anyone clicks on them, our sponsors WCCL are paid a few cents. This money helps cover our hosting and other costs, and ensures that MWC can remain a free service for its members.

However, we have no control over what ads are shown, so the appearance of any ad on the forum does NOT mean that the product or service concerned is officially endorsed by MWC. Also, different people will see different ads, especially if they live in different countries.

Hope that makes things a bit clearer!

Nick 

P.S. Don't forget to check out also my own courses Quick Cash Writing and Write Any Book in Under 28 Days. These are self-study courses - you don't get a personal tutor - but they are a lot cheaper than the Writers Bureau courses, and naturally the quality is second to none 

[Gyppo]

I've tutored writing courses for the WEA and two different Local Education Authorities (LEA) and one thing I can vouch for.  No one course will ever suit everyone.  I've had students fall on their knees and offer me... (let's not go there, lets just say that they were delighted).  Yet I've had others walk out within the first three sessions of the same course saying they needed 'something more structured, with clearly defined steps and a certificate at the end of it'.  Some need a building block approach, some need to be inspired, and some just need to be dragged back down to earth a little bit and learn the practicalities of the trade.  Some approach it as a business, whilst to others it's all just a glorious game.

I've had bolshie students who've argued nearly evey point and sometime's we've all learned from the sparks which flew;-)

I've had self-declared poets stick around for the whole ten weeks and say they've 'learned a whole new way of looking at things' even though I make a point of saying I don't teach poetry.

Writers are such a diverse lot I would suggest it is impossible to guarantee any course will deliver exactly what someone else wants.  But..., and it's a very significant 'but' in my opinion, a keen student will always gain something from interacting with the tutor and others.

Going into a course and already worrying about failure and a subsequent refund doesn't seem a very positive way of looking at life.

Having said that I realise there are a lot of rip-off artists out there in the 'Wild Blue Web', so asking on here for personal recommendations is a shrewd move.

Gyppo

[Nick]

Just wanted to mention that I've added a more detailed response to this query on my blog at http://www.mywritingblog.com/writer/2007/06/some-thoughts-about-writing-courses.html .

Nick