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Creative Writing

Level: Professional Development – QLS Level 3

By successfully completing this course, you will:

  • Gain skills and knowledge in Creative Writing as a foundation qualification towards further studies, or for personal interest
  • Be awarded the BSY Professional Certificate of Merit
  • Receive the Certificate of Achievement at QLS Level 3*
  • Be eligible to become a member of AHCP (Association of Complementary Practitioners)

You can study this course from the comfort of your own home; in your own time and at your own pace; with helpful support and encouragement from our friendly tutors.

Course overview

Whether you wish to write for pleasure or for future publication, this course will help you open up your imagination, enhance and define your own personal style, and give you the confidence to set pen to paper. Song lyrics, film scripts, poetry, newspaper and magazine articles, novels, short stories and plays all involve and invoke the creative process.

Syllabus

  • Lesson One
    • What is Creative Writing?
      • The Ritual of Writing
      • Inspiration
      • The Inspiration Journal
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Two
    • The Writing Format
      • The Novel
      • The Short Story
      • Poetry
      • How to Begin and Complete a Novel
      • How to Begin and Complete a Collection of Short Stories or Poems
      • Commercial and Literary Fiction
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Three
    • Genre-Specific Fiction
      • Autobiography
      • Fantasy Fiction
      • Science Fiction
      • Futuristic Fiction
      • Mystery and Thrillers
      • Horror
      • Magic Realism
      • Historical Fiction
      • Children’s Fiction
      • Conclusion
      • FurtherReading
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Four
    • Points of View
      • The First Person
      • The Third Person
      • Conclusion
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Five
    • Characters
      • Character Types
      • Inspiration for Characters
      • Inventing Characters
      • Introducing a Character
      • Using Plot to Enhance Characters
  • Lesson Six
    • Inventing a Fictional World
      • Using Real Places in Fiction
      • Using Weather and Landscape to Add Atmosphere
      • Using the Five Senses
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Seven
    • The Voice in the Text
      • Finding and Using a Character’s Voice
      • Speech Tags and Action
      • Using Dialogue to Show what’s Going on
      • Language and Dialect
      • Presenting Dialogue on the Page
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Eight
    • More Creative Writing Techniques
      • Showing and Telling
      • Metaphor, Simile and Symbolism
      • Suspense and Drama
      • Using Time Effectively
      • Short Writing Exercise
  • Lesson Nine
    • To Publish or Not to Publish
      • Writing for Pleasure
      • Writing for Publication
      • Novels
      • How to Find and Approach Agents and Publishers
      • Self-Publishing
  • Lesson Ten
    • Writing for Publication (Continued)
      • Poetry and Short Stories
      • Small Press Magazines
      • Writing Competitions
      • Dealing with Rejection
      • Writing Groups
      • Courses and Other Sources of Help
      • Conclusion

Practical training

No practical training is required to complete this course.

*Registration fee included.