Writing courses

Can anyone advise on the LSJ courses? I am teetering on signing-up for their Writing a Thriller distance learning course. Thanks, and sorry forgot my long-in name! Jen

Perhaps I should kick things off... In October I signed up for the Writer's Bureau 'Comprehensive Writing Course' - a correspondence course comprising 30 fiction and non-fiction modules, and 20 assignments. As i wasn't sure what i wanted to, I thought I had little to lose. The fee of £250 is not a huge amount when compared with costs of residential or, especially, Masters degree courses. So far, i am generally enjoying the course. The feedback from the tutor is prompt and helpful. However, I do find the market research tedious - especially as the part of the course I'm doing now is geared towards publishing in magazines (cost at least £3 each), which I normally don't read. I enjoy the writing, but would prefer to leave marketing to someone else!

I did the Writers Bureau course as well, years ago, and found it invaluable. I had the most fabulous tutor (James Lewis) who was incredibly helpful and encouraging. I agree that the market research can be tedious, but it's a necessary part of the course. Market research is of supreme importance, whether you want to submit to the 'glossies' or small presses. Each and every magazine had its own in-house style, required wordcount, layout etc etc. I used to either get all my friends to pass on their mags when they'd finished with them, or go to the library where you can study them for free. As a note of encouragement, the Writers Bureau course (and in particular James, bless 'im) were instrumental in getting me to where I am today - numerous stories and articles published, one book out and another on the way and editor of two websites. Well worth the money and effort, I think you'll agree.

Andrea How long ago was it, if you don't mind me asking? And, how long did it take you to complete the course? At the moment, i've got quite a bit of free time on my hands, but I have quite heavy work commitments later on this year. I think part of the problem is that I've had to dip in and out of the course, making it difficult to get motivated. Cheers M

Er...lets see, I think it was about 4-5 years ago. Took me about a year and a half, I think, but I never did finish it (thus forfeiting the money-back clause), because by the time I'd reached the screenplay bit, I'd already had some stuff published and decided in which direction I wanted to go. If I remember correctly, you have up to 4 years to complete the whole thing and, according to James, most people who took it also had work commitments, so you're not alone. I'd really advise you to carry on if you can...

Thanks Andrea. I'm certainly committed! I've just sent off an Assignment 3 article to a magazine, and have an Assign 2 article under consideration with BBC History. I'm not too bothered about the money-back clause...I want to attempt different genres which I would never otherwise have the opportunity to try. Radio drama and screenplays for example. Whether anything will come of this, who knows? But, as my old grandfather (nonno) used to say: "It's what you don't do in life that you regret my son; not the things you do do". What a sage!

That's absolutely brill! Well done (the Beeb History). Let us know how you get on - am interested. If nothing else, it keeps you off the streets, eh? :-)

well, I confess I am on my third writing course now! I am in danger of becoming a writing course junkie. my first was in New Malden at the Adult Education centre there. It was a 6 week beginners' course and a good start for me. The best part about it was the encouragement I got, from the teacher and fellow students. The only part I didn't like was that we all had to read each others' stories out. I've always felt very self-conscious reading anything longer than a couple of lines out loud. my second was by distance learning with The Writing College in Exeter called The Complete Writer Course. It was thoroughly enjoyable and useful. The course had a different theme for each module, with pointers as to which writers you could read for background. I found that very interesting. The course was to me an absolute bargain £25 and took me about 10 months. The government paid the rest of the fees as they had the short-lived ILA scheme going then. I then thought about doing an MA in creative writing at Brunel university. They let me spend a whole day with the course to sample it first-hand. They were all very friendly and nice but in the end I felt the course wasn't for me. It didn't seem very good value for money compared with evening classes, distance learning courses etc, and it also seemed a bit unchallenging and undirected. I decided instead of spending my money learning writing from academics, I would learn from paid writers, so I signed up for an on-line course in short story writing with LSJ for £330. I may do another of their courses eg. in writing for children. I am enjoying the short story one. It is making me think about plots and research more than the other courses. It is good to focus on one area of writing. My criticism of it would be the time it takes for assignments to be marked and returned to you which can be up to a month.. this is somewhat frustrating as you cannot start the next module until you have you previous one back. Anyway, it seems I now have more to write about writing courses than any other subject!!!

I quite agree Gail. Thanks for your posting. For what it's worth, I don't think a MA is worth studying as an aspiring writer - it just covers Literature you could surely study in your spare time...rather than help you become a published writer. Have you any any success being published as a result of your courses? Rgds M

to be honest I haven't tried to publish much at all. Like you I like the writing but not the marketing bit....and I fear the rejection! however, I have had a few somewhat small successes... first I thought of a character name and won a book on writing Sci fi and Fantasy. then I had a letter published in Writers' Forum mag (no payment) then I had a poem published in a book by United press (also no payment, it was a book of entries they liked from their competition) then I made it to Story of the Day on abctales - hurrah! then finally - payment!! - received £20 John Lewis vouchers for a restaurant recommendation in Waitrose Food mag. i'm starting small to build my confidence!! how about you, any publication yet? maybe i'll have to do the Writer's Bureau course next!!

first i apologise if this cames out more than once but I swear it not me. Just wondering if anyone has any courses at the City lit college in London or Mary Ward College. If so what did you think of them?

I actually sent off for the Writers Bureau course a while ago and never got around to actually starting it, due to work committments and all that jazz. Now I've foundI've got a bit more free time on my hands and I'm thinking about doing it again, especially having read the praise lavished upon it in this forum here. The problem I have initially with it is that its so far apart from the learning and education I have had in the past. Motiation easily turns out to be a problem, although they say that if you lack motivation then you can never be a writer. I've had a novel on the go for about 6 months now, writing it alongside working, and I've reached a point where its all become too much : too many words saying the same thing. I feel as though I can work it around if i work at it long enough but I dont know which to make a break with: the novel that I've spent so much time on or this course? Any help out there for me?

Gail: no luck yet, although I've been submitting articles written for my first few assignments to various magazines. If nothing else, it gives me the opportunity to test the various markets and get some feedback. At this stage (after 4 assignments), I'm not too bothered about getting paid. Ginger: I'd definitely give the WB course a go - because you've paid for it, if not for any other reason! I'm sure, like me, it'll give you a clue about potential markets out there. I can't advise on the novel, as that's something I've never tried. Has anyone else proof-read it? Best of luck, anyway :)

Some years ago I did a writing course with the Open College of the Arts - I'd written things for lots of years but never in a particularly 'structured' way and the OCA course did me the world of good I had a brilliant tutor (Elizabeth North) and tried my hand at a number of different things including poetry which I'd never normally go near. I loved the whole thing, AND I discovered Natalie Goldberg whose book 'Writing down the bones' is part of the course and is just brilliant. Oh, and the OCA writing courses are now accredited. (And you can pay in instalments!) Whatever you do - best of luck! xx

As far market research with mags and periodicals is concerned ,you can read a huge variety in public libraries.Take your notebook and do all the market research you like . Hope this helps.

Reply to John re City Lit courses. I took a week's intensive short story course about two years ago at City Lit and found it invaluable (much over used word I know!!). It found it a bit tough to start with but stuck at it and although didn't write a great amount of quality stuff it sort of utapped things and I wrote some very short pieces that were my first uploads to abc, and they got cherried!! It also gave me insight into editing my own work and what the essence of a short story was about. I've signed up for a script writing course starting in May and I would definitely recommend City Lit - you'll meet really interesting people as well. good luck. jude aka hovis