FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Do I need to have any writing experience?
A: No, this course is designed to inspire and help writers at any stage of their writing journey. It is suitable for writers of fiction, memoir, or creative non-fiction, and for people wishing to write for children, young adults or adults.

Q: Do I need to have an idea for a story or book?
A: Not at all. This course will help you find new ideas and inspiration if you have no idea what to write, if you’ve run dry and need to refill your creative well, or if you have so many ideas you can’t settle down to only one. It is also a great refresher for experienced writers who are struggling to move forward with an existing project.

Q: Do I need to have done any other writing courses?
A: No, no prior knowledge is necessary.

Q: I have done many other writing courses, will I learn anything new?
A: There is always something new to learn! And this course is designed to illuminate aspects of the art of writing that are sometimes hard to put into practice.

Q: I have been writing for years but feel that I have lost my way – will this course help?
A: All writers struggle with creative exhaustion, loss of motivation, anxiety and self-sabotaging behaviours – it is the cost of creativity. This course has been specifically designed to shine a light into the shadows, and help you find your way forward once more.

Q: Will I know how to write a novel by the end of it?
Dare to Dream is designed to support and amplify our novel writing courses. It aims to help you find and sustain inspiration, access the subconscious where all stories are born, understand the mechanics of storytelling and how stories connect us with other people, and give you a sense of purpose and confidence in your own voice. It does not aim to teach novel writing essentials such as character development, world building, suspense, pace, grammar or foreshadowing – but luckily we have courses in those too!

Q: Will the course help me if I’m writing a memoir?
Yes, this course will help you, regardless of whether you are writing fiction, memoir or creative non-fiction. It is designed to help you find your own voice and explore your own past, something that is crucial in memoir writing as well as in other forms of creative writing.

Q: What’s the difference between this course and Creative Writing Stage 1?
This course, Dare to Dream, is like a tonic for your inner writer. If you yearn to write but self-doubt is holding you back, it’s a great way to dip your toe in the water. It aims to build your confidence and open your mind to the pure joy of writing so you can fill your life with more of it! For this reason, it’s also an ideal course if you have the foundation skills from Creative Writing Stage 1 but want to enhance your writing practice, develop more ideas, and harness your flow.

In Creative Writing Stage 1, you’ll learn the foundation techniques for brilliant fiction – whether you wish to write short stories, novels or just for fun. It teaches you the nuts and bolts of storytelling (such as crafting characters, scenes, structure and plot) and provides you with lifelong skills for every story you write. It’s an essential course for any aspiring author.