Institute of Creative Writing

Dear Writer If you've longed to get published, you've come to the right place. I promise you that, 12 months from enrolling on the Diploma in Creative Writing Course, you'll be a published writer. We make this pledge because our course is unlike other creative writing courses. We focus resolutely on getting you into print.

If you do the exercises we set, listen to the advice your tutor gives you, and complete all the assignments, you'll become a published author.

It could be the start of a whole new career - and certainly the start of a new and different life for you. Once you've got published, it's easier to get other work into print. Publishers look at your proposals with more interest.

Plus you get more self-respect, and the admiration of others who would like to be in your position.

But how easy is it to get published? And will the creative writing course help?

Well, there are more books and publications being published all the time - so there is a demand for your writing. But on the other hand, there is more competition from other would-be writers.

Also, you have to know how to present material that will attract the publishers' eye. Few writers have that instinct - and we at the Institute of Creative Writing can teach it.

So, enrolling on the course gives you a real advantage over other creative writers.

We reveal how to find out what publishers want. And we show you how to set out your proposal in such a beguiling manner that the publisher is virtually forced to say 'Yes' to you.

Improving your writing

Does your writing some times get stuck? Do your characters seem a bit flat - and in need of some polish? And would you like help in making your writing more crisp and deep?

If so, the Diploma in Creative Writing is for you. It provides a thorough grounding in every aspect of creative writing. But it's also flexible so you can concentrate on the elements that really interest you.

What's more, we concentrate on helping you improve your writing style. We do that by providing regular exercises and assignments that let you hone your work, and make it more professional.

Expert advice

It's the input of our qualified tutors that makes this course unique. All our tutors are hand picked. Unlike other creative writing courses, each of them is a published author, and many also have senior publishing industry experience. Some also teach at prestigious universities. They're all keen to share their knowledge and help you succeed.

In every assignment you'll have to produce finely honed creative work - and then you'll get detailed feedback on it. As you progress through the course your tutor will get to know you, and you'll get ever more useful advice and critiques that lead to your goal of producing high quality words and getting published.

Our course is not just a theoretical academic exercise. It's buzzing with energy - and we're dedicated to helping you succeed.

Reduced cost appraisal service

If you'd like a personal independent review of your writing, we have a team of expert assessors, one of whom will analyze your work. We then produce a written report, outlining the strengths and weaknesses of your work. It will increase the chances of your getting published. For more information about this service, for which we offer a 30% reduction to the students of the Institute of Creative Writing, click here.

Two guarantees

It's hard to know whether the course will suit you. And you probably have lots of unanswered questions. If you call us on 0800 781 1715 in the UK, 888-659-3897 (USA), or + 61 2 9620 4066 (Australia), we'll try to answer your queries.

But we also offer two guarantees: if you don't like the course (for any reason), just email us to cancel at any time within 30 days of receiving your pack, and we'll refund your course fees.

And if, 90 days after completing the course, you still haven't got published, we'll also give you a refund.

Why do we give these refunds? Because we don't like to part on bad terms (life's too short). And we'd prefer you to say nice things about us.

But, you ask, does anyone actually claim a refund? Absolutely! Around five per cent of our students ask for their money back each month. And we're happy to pay them, because we know that the best creative writing course in the world won't suit every single person.

Our accreditation

We're accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC). Set up by the government to assess standards in distance education, they check out our tutors, our finances, our management systems - the works. We're proud of our accreditation, which is why we're keen to maintain it.

And that's why we work so hard to keep our students happy. If for any reason you were unhappy with our service, you can contact them by clicking on this link: ODLQC.

We are also registered with the Department of Education and Skills on its Register of Education and Training Providers.

We're also recognized by the Better Business Bureau, and by E-Public Eye, among others.

Fun places to visit on this website

That's about it for this page. To discover other equally interesting pages, you can go back to the creative writing home page, check out the course contents to see what you get in your pack, or go to the Registration page.

And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely