Is this course for you?
Creative Writing Stage 1 is designed as a beginner-friendly online creative writing course for anyone wanting to develop storytelling skills and start writing fiction with confidence. It is ideal if:
What you will learn
In just five weeks, you’ll develop the core storytelling skills that help bring fiction to life.
Create unforgettable characters
Learn how to build believable characters readers care about.
Find your narrative voice
Discover the storytelling perspective that suits your writing.
Write scenes that feel alive
Bring settings, dialogue and emotion onto the page.
Understand story structure
Learn what makes readers keep turning pages.
Build your writing momentum
Develop creative habits and a writing process that works for you.
Growing confidence
You will notice an increased confidence to call yourself a writer
“If you ever felt like you would like to write, this is the place to start!”
Find out more about this course
You can find out more about this fantastic course and explore everything included by getting the full course outline here:
How the online course works
When you enrol
You’ll receive a confirmation email with your login details, which includes all the information you need to access your online course. As soon as you log in, you can explore your online classroom and watch a short welcome video explaining how everything works.
Weekly lessons
Each week, you’ll unlock a new learning module featuring lessons, handouts and practical writing exercises you can complete whenever it suits you.
Tutor feedback
You’ll have the opportunity to submit weekly assignments and receive personalised feedback from your online course tutor.
Study flexibility
There are no set class times – complete each module when it suits. We suggest allowing 3-4 hours per week to complete each module and assignment.
Connect with your classmates
Connect with other classmates and share your stories with each other in a supportive environment – with people who share your passion!
Exclusive Graduates’ Group
After completing the course, you’ll receive access to our private Creative Writing Graduates’ Group – an encouraging online community where writers continue sharing ideas, asking questions and supporting each other.
Live monthly Zoom sessions with Pamela Freeman
You’ll also enjoy access to The Write Direction – live monthly Zoom sessions hosted by award-winning author and course creator Pamela Freeman.
These sessions give you the opportunity to:
- connect with fellow writers
- ask questions about your writing goals
- receive ongoing creative guidance and encouragement
Access is included for three months from your course start date.
Want to explore the course in more detail?
Download the full Creative Writing Stage 1 course outline to see:
- weekly lesson breakdowns
- course outcomes
- tutor information
- graduate success stories
- how the online learning works
(No pressure – just a helpful overview of everything included.)
Writers who started here now have books on shelves
Samera Kamaleddine completed this creative writing course and is now the author of The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart and Half My Luck
Megan White completed this creative writing course and is now the author of The Anatomy of Songs
Lisa Kenway completed this creative writing course and is now the author of the psychological thriller All You Took From Me
Anna Johnston completed this creative writing course and is now the author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, which has also been optioned by Netflix!
Astrid Scholte completed this creative writing course and is now author of League of Liars, Shadows of Truth, The Vanishing Deep and Four Dead Queens
Reviews of Creative Writing Stage 1
“This course was beyond beyond helpful for me. It helped with a lot of blocks I had. I learnt a lot more than I thought possible to learn within 5 weeks. It answered a lot of technical aspects I didn’t even know existed, and to have support and feedback was also really helpful.”
Chevy Ginbey
“The materials provided are brilliant. The course is highly engaging and informative. The tutors are fantastic and easy to understand and provide honest and reputable feedback.”
Sally Hickson
“I enjoyed how naturally the course got me writing again. Ideas that had been sitting in my head for years finally found a home. Characters came to life, stories started taking shape, and before I realised it, I had written far more than I thought I was capable of. It never felt forced. It just felt like I had rediscovered something I had been missing.”
Ranjani Ramachandran
“The interface was organised and easy to use. Everything worked! It’s given me some solid structure to move forward with and a bit of juice to keep going. This course will save you years of faffing around in the wilderness.”
William Pickering
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Creative Writing Stage 1 suitable for beginners?
Absolutely! It’s been designed to give you the foundation skills you need to start writing great fiction – no previous experience required.
Can experienced writers benefit from this course?
Yes, we have a lot of people who complete Creative Writing Stage 1 to refresh their skills (and learn plenty of new things). It will provide you with the solid foundations for fiction writing – perfect preparation if you continue on with later courses.
Do I need to have a story or book idea before I start?
Not at all. This course is about the fundamentals of fiction, common to all good stories. You’ll learn the techniques that go into good storytelling and write small scenes each week to cement your skills.
How many others will be in the class – and are they all experienced writers?
The online classroom is a supportive learning environment and we purposefully keep classes small to make everyone more comfortable (no more than approx 20 per class). Everyone is there to learn and no experience is necessary, so you don’t need to worry about being out of your depth.
Can I fit this course into a busy schedule?
Most of our students are busy people just like you. This course is flexible so that all you need to find is a few extra hours in the week, not necessarily all at once. You’ve totally got this!
How does the online tutored class work exactly?
Each Monday, a new course module will be made available. You can choose any time that week to go through it – there is no set class time. Through the online learning hub, you can chat to classmates and your online tutor and get feedback on your weekly assignments (due each Sunday night).
This is Stage 1… So what is Stage 2?
Creative Writing Stage 2 is designed to help you take everything you learned in Creative Writing Stage 1 and start shaping it into a real story. Many students complete Stage 1 first and then move directly into Stage 2 to continue building momentum in their writing journey.
Which one is the creative side of the brain again? I'm always getting it wrong.
The right side is where the creative magic happens (but hey, the left is important too).
Not quite ready to enrol, but would like to know more about getting started as a creative writer? Take a look at our Starter’s Guide to Creative Writing.