Institute of Creative Writing

How long does it usually take to complete the course?

Many students complete the course in nine months. But you can do it as quickly or slowly as you want. That's one advantage of distance learning.

Do I need to finish the course within a certain time?

You can take as long as you want. Unlike other organizations, we don't set any time limits.

What does the course cost?

You can find the cost of the course by clicking here

Does the cost for the course include everything I need? Or are there any extra fees?

There are no other costs or fees.

Can I spread the cost of the courses over a period of time?

Yes. You can make five monthly payments. It costs 20% more. You can find the cost of paying by installments by clicking here.

How could I get my money back if I don't like the course?

Just return the course in good condition within 60 days of receiving it, and we'll send you a full refund.

And if, after seeking work at the end of the course, you don't earn at least the cost of the course inside three months, we'll also refund your fees.

Can I start the course at any time?

Yes.

Is the course all from home, or do I have to go to a test centre?

It's all from home.

I live in the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Borneo etc. Is the course suitable for me?

Yes. We have students in 28 countries. And we have two two editions of the course. One is for North America and countries that are influenced by the US and Canada.

The other edition is for the UK and Europe, and countries influenced by them.

How can I contact my tutor or the Institute?

There have two types of people you can contact - your tutor and a course advisor.

The tutor marks your work, and helps you with any problems. You can fax, e-mail or post assignments to your tutor, whenever you want.

We don't give out the tutor's phone number, because a few people would spend all day talking to their tutors, who would never get any work done.

But sometimes students get stuck, or have an urgent query. If so, you can phone a course advisor at the Institute at any time during work hours. If you leave a message out of work hours we'll ring you back the next day. You can contact course advisors as often as you want, and about anything to do with writing.

Can I contact other students?

Yes, we have a student database. You can add your contact details and get in touch with other students. You can swap ideas, or solve problems together.

Is the course accredited? And by whom?

Our course is fully accredited by the national awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get a national award equivalent to Level 2 of the National Learning Framework

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk

We are registered with NCFE under our corporate trading name of 'Home Study Courses Limited'.

We're also accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. You can find them at www.odlqc.org.uk.

Will the course give me credits towards a degree or some other study?

No. But it will help you set up and run your own business. And we encourage all students to continue their studies after completing the course.

Can writing be taught, just like accountancy or the law?

Yes. Only it's a lot more fun!

Will the Diploma enable me to get published?

Yes. The course is designed specifically to help you get your work in print. Some courses, even at university, seem to omit this all-important aspect. We give you the skills to find a publisher and get your work published.

Will you show me how to find a publisher?

Yes, the course includes practical guidance on finding a publisher. You can also discuss this with your tutor or a course advisor.

Plus, you can get on our list of expert writers, which people will consult to find freelance writers.

Is there a final exam?

No, there is no final exam. The course is based on continuous assessment, through assignments you send to your tutor.

And continuous assessment lets you check all the time that you're on course to succeed.

So you should look on the assignment as an exciting challenge. No, it's true! You'll enjoy them. We promise you!

What happens if I fail an assignment?

You do the work again! 80% of students complete the course without ever failing an assignment. But you might misunderstand the question, or produce an insufficiently detailed answer. So the tutor will explain the problem and ask you to send in the assignment again. When you do this, your work will be much better.

Can I submit hand-written assignments?

Yes. That's no problem.

Can I submit assignments by E-mail?

Yes. That's no problem.

Can I join the course without prior experience?

Yes. That's no problem. We make no assumptions about people's prior knowledge. However, you need a reasonable grasp of English and an ability to write.

Can I tackle the topics in any order I choose?

Yes, you can. So, if you want to tackle a particular topic, you can go straight to that module. This is useful if you have a job or a client that requires you to know about a particular subject. You might note that some other organizations supply only one or two modules at a time.

I haven't studied for years. The thought of returning to study makes me nervous.

Don't worry. We sympathize. But this course is nothing like your memories of being stuck inside a stuffy classroom on a summer's day with an old-style teacher droning on.

For a start, this is a subject that interests you (or you wouldn't have got this far).

And getting this deep into the website shows that you can absorb information and concentrate for long periods of time.

Also, you'll see that we write clearly and simply. And that's how we've written the course materials. It's true that some organizations write long and boring pages that make your eyes glaze over. We promise you that our course is nothing like that. You'll find this course is informative and enjoyable. In fact, many students are almost upset at finishing the course.

Do I get the whole course or individual modules at a time?

We send you the whole course when you enroll. This means you can study any topic you want to. You can also see what topics are coming up. Getting everything in one package makes it easier for you to get an overview of the course. As we mentioned above, some other organizations supply only one or two modules at a time.

Does the course cover the writing of web pages?

Yes, we cover writing for the internet. We explain how to write both conventional web pages and also direct-sell pages. We don't discuss web design in great depth, because that isn't really writing, and it should be a course on its own. But we explain the most important aspects of web design. We also discuss how to set up your own web site and how to promote yourself online.

How does this course compare with others?

We think this is the best course in the world. Bar none. But please examine other courses before making a decision. Consider these points:

1. Is the course comprehensive?In other words, does it cover all aspect of creative writing, such as poetry? Too many courses teach only limited number of topics. That means you'll never find out where your strengths lie.

2. Will your studies be supported by a tutor? Research shows that people succeed much better on courses that include a personal tutor. Just getting a CD-Rom or a manual isn't the answer.

3. Is it interactive? That is, do the course materials regularly make you stop and think, and do exercises? Too many courses consist of page after page of boring lecture notes

4. Does it teach you to get published? Many online courses are reasonably good at this, while college courses are often weak on this point. It's something we specialize in.

5. Is it accredited? We're accredited by ODLQC. To keep our accreditation, we have to be honest and truthful.

6. Can you get a refund if you don't like the course? You probably know that we offer a no-quibble 60-day money back guarantee. We'll also refund your money at the end of the course if, 90 days after completing the course and seeking work, you haven't earned at least the course fees.

So, how can you find out about other courses?

1. See if any courses are available at your local college or nearby university.

2. Scour the Internet But beware: hundreds of dot com entrepreneurs think they can teach writing.

3. See if you can contact a careers advisor. Careers advisors know nothing about writing, as they would be the first to admit. And the careers books they consult will probably suggest getting a degree in English. Which may (or may not) be a good thing, but it isn't an option for most of our students, many of whom already have a degree!

Can a newcomer break into writing and earn money?

Yes. Publishers always need new novels, articles and short stories, There is a vast demand for new writing. The secret is how to unlock that need, and we show you how.

Do you provide support after I complete the course?

Yes, you can get continuing support from your tutor, for a small extra fee that is agreed between you and your tutor.

How are we different to other providers?

When you start comparing us with other course providers you might notice that:

• Some organisations limit the amount of time you have to complete the course. Many course providers only allow you 12 months to complete the course. And after those 12 months are up they may require you to pay a fee to continue. With our course you can take as long as you need, without paying additional fees.

• Some organisations will only give you 7 days to return your course if it’s not right for you. If our course is not what you expected and you want a full refund we allow you 60 days to return it and claim your money back.

• Some organisations will charge you an administration fee to return the course. We refund all of your fees.