Mary, I took a postal writing course and found the course material wasn't anything I hadn't already picked up from books and writing magazines - and I didn't submit any coursework because there wasn't that sense of 'I've got to get this done for next week/class/whatever'. The best thing I've ever done for my writing is join WW and, when I move house in a couple of months, I'm going to join a group with real live people (as opposed to WW's virtual people!) and hopefully a writing class for that extra push.

Nikki

I've actually given up on the writers bureau course, because I'm fed up with having to churn out so many non-fiction articles, letters, fillers etc.

I embarked on it before I joined WW, and to be honest, I'd have been better off saving myself the course fee by not taking it up. I've learnt just as much, if not more on here for the cost of £35 as opposed to £250 for the wb course.

My advice - steer well clear of WB, and check out a course thoroughly before parting with a lot of money.

Katerina

My mate also gave up the WB course on the same grounds. I can see how writing in different areas can help you generally as a writer, but if you already know what kind of thing you want to produce, I think a more focused approach might be more adequate?

JB

We do great online writing courses here at WW as well, taught (of course) by our wonderful Site Experts. Check them out here

I tutor WW courses, and am grateful to David and Anna for letting me structure them around a writer's particular needs, rather than working from a cure-all template. I feel strongly that any writing course, to be effective, has to provide the writer with challenges and learning that will require him to stretch to the next level on his development journey. The problem with, say, the many one-week courses in the UK (usually in a pleasant location), is that they're open to anyone, at any level. Which means the actual help a writer receives tends to be down to how involved the individual tutors want to be above and beyond the course itself. Without going on about this too much, I believe workshop courses need, in general, to be longer, more intense, more critique-based, and more industry-supported.

With postal/email courses, the best thing a writer can do is find a tutor who works fluidly, providing exercises, editing, feedback, that best help him move closer to his writing goals. For example, is the writer aiming primarily to succeed with commercial fiction, or is he more driven by creative vision?

Terry

The problem with, say, the many one-week courses in the UK (usually in a pleasant location), is that they're open to anyone, at any level.

It's often the case, but some of the more advanced Arvon courses, for example, ask for samples of work before they let you on.

Whether a wide range of talent and experience matters does also depend on what kind of course it is. I travel across London every fortnight for a writers' class run by the great Diane Samuels. She quite rightly describes it as 'yoga for writers', reaching the parts other courses don't reach. It works for any and every level, all in the same room. I don't know how she does it, but then she's something very special as a teacher.

Just for the record - cheap it ain't - if we're talking of residential courses, the Writers Lab part of Skyros get great tutors, and it's the most wonderful place. Though of course Terry's caveat still holds.

Emma

Hello Everyone
Sorry for the delay; I have been away for a few days and left my laptop at home as I knew with that as a companion, a break it would not be.

Fascinating comments and advice from all of you; I think she had more or less decided ..... based on 'your' combined comments not to go down the postal course route, but is going to talk it over with me this weekend and then take her final decision. But whatever she does decide, you have given us both a lot of sound advice, so thank you all for taking the time and trouble to help. I will let you all know the final decision.
Kind regards
Mary