FAQ

A: At any time. Because our courses are offered via e-mail correspondence and we only work on a one-on-one basis with our students, we receive applications all year round.

Q: How do I register?

A: Complete the application form provided on our home page by clicking on the top menu button called "enrol", or click on any link on our site. We will get back to you with an e-mailed welcome letter and invoice within 24 hours.

Q: How do I pay the fees?

A: You can pay via PayPal, Credit card, electronic transfer or a cash deposit at your bank. All payment details are provided on the invoice. Click here for more details.

Q: Do you offer a payment plan? 

A:  Yes. For our short courses (six to 12 months) you can pay off the course fee in two payments of 50% each over two months. We accept three payments for our 24-month courses (50%, 25%, 25%) paid over three months. In some cases, we will negotiate a different payment plan depending on your circumstances.

Q: What if I start and then want to change courses?

A:  During the application process we get a good idea of your suitability for the chosen course. If we feel there is an alternative course that will serve you better we will always recommend you consider that course before we approve your choice. We provide plenty of detail for each of our courses so you can make an educated choice as to which one will suit you best. If you want advice before you apply just ask us; we can help establish your needs as a writer and finding the most suitable course for you.

If you do embark on a course and you find that it was the wrong choice, then we will happily transfer you to another course as long as it is early in your course (i.e. within the first module). If you change your mind later on in the course, we will charge you pro rata for the modules you have completed and an administrative fee. 

Q: What is your refund policy?

A:  If within 7 days of starting your course you are not happy on your course, we can either transfer you to a different course or provide a full refund, minus a 5% administration fee. If you request a refund after seven days and before 30 days we will charge a 5% administrative fee, as well as any bank fees and tutor fees already incurred. We do not offer a refund after 30 days on the course.

Q: How does an online course work?

A: An online course works in the same way as a correspondence course, except that assignments are e-mailed, rather than sent via the post. Also, for some of our courses, you can download your modules, which contain your notes and assignments, directly off the college site.

In every module, you are required to complete several writing exercises. These get e-mailed to your lecturer, who will mark them and send you written feedback.
 

Q: How can an online course teach me to write?

A: Writers all over the world use e-mail to communicate with their editors and publishers. We replicate this process, except you will be getting expert guidance and feedback from your tutor every step of the way.

In all our courses you will learn:

•          the essentials needed to write well in your chosen writing field          
•         how to sell your work

For example, in our journalism courses, you'll practice coming up with an idea for an article, writing a query letter, conducting your research and interviews, and writing up the piece. If your tutor considers your piece to be marketable, you will get the support you need to sell it.

You'll also get the insider information on the local writing industry, and how to manage your business professionally. Other issues, like copyright, tax, invoicing, contracts and plagiarism are also covered.

Q: What skills do I need to apply?

A: You will need to be proficient in basic writing skills, as our courses are focused on teaching you to write well, and we assume the fundamentals (e.g. sound grammar and punctuation) are already in place. We do assess your writing in your application form to check on this.

Other than that, our only other prerequisite is reliable Internet access.

Q: Are your courses accredited?

A: Our courses are not accredited. Our courses are top-up courses for professionals in specialist writing fields. All our courses impart the necessary skills and knowledge required to work in the writing industry. Our success benchmark is whether our students get their writing published or not.

Q: Can anyone do the course?

A: Yes. Regardless of your age, academic background or place of residence, you can register for our courses. We train students from all over New Zealand, including Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Northland. We have students from Australia (Perth, Sydney, Canberra) and even the Pacific Islands!

We do assess your writing in your application, as we can only take on students who demonstrate good basic writing skills to start with.

The content of our courses are internationally applicable. Our journalism courses (Magazine Journalism and Travel Writing) use well known publications from around the globe, including GQ, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Seventeen, O, The Oprah Magazine, Men's Health, Marie Claire, Shape and National Geographic.

Most of our 'Write a Novel' and 'Write a Non-fiction Book' Course tutors have had dealings with international publishers, and will be able to guide you in choosing the right publisher(s) for you.

Q: Can I sell my work that I've written?

A: Yes, we encourage you to sell your work, whether it be a short story, feature article, novel or screenplay. We will teach you how to go about doing this. We have had many students who have sold their work, if not during their course, then shortly after. Click here to see some of our student success stories.

Any book or script you produce out of your course can be sent to a publisher, and you can earn royalties on its sale.

 

A: Yes, if you meet all the requirements for your course. We have now converted to e-certificates in PDF format to reduce our paper trail. You can attach these to your digital CV, or you can print out your certificate as you wish. If you want a printed version from us, we print in batches four times per year: end of Feb, end of May, end of Aug and end of Nov.

Q: Will my work be private?

A: Yes. Your tutor may post your assignments in the Forum for student feedback, but just your first name will be given.

Q: What time commitments are there?

A: We estimate that the minimum time commitment for our twelve-month courses is approximately 30 hours in total (1 hour per week), including reading of course material, research, interviewing and writing. Our 'write a book' courses demand 100 hours over the span of one to two years.

Q: How much time do I get for assignments?

A: You have twelve months in which to complete your short course. Our 'write a book' courses must be completed within 24 months. You can work at your own at your own pace during this time, but students will only receive a certificate if they complete their course within this deadline.

Most of our short courses can be finished within six months, and we encourage you to complete one module per week. Students who e-mail all their assignments within six months get bonus points towards their final mark.

Q: What if I have, for instance, computer problems, and miss this deadline?

A: Technical glitches happen to all writers at times. The first thing to do is to communicate to your lecturer that you are having problems, and to renegotiate a deadline. The same rule applies to any other reasons that could delay you in meeting time targets.

Q: How can I connect with other students doing the course?

A: You can participate in ongoing online discussions by posting thoughts about the materials covered in the course in the online writing group, or you can post comments in our blog.

Q: Do I need special hardware/software?

A: No. You would need to have easy access to e-mail, as well as Internet facilities to post online comments and peruse the library. You will need a current Internet browser, version 5.5 or higher of Internet Explorer (version 5.0 for Mac users) or version 4.7 or higher of Netscape Navigator.

Q: Where can I get a job afterwards?

A: You can either work as a freelancer in your chosen field of writing, including scriptwriting, short story writing, travel writing, magazine journalism or hard news journalism. You can submit articles to any magazines, trade magazines, literary and other supplements of daily and weekly newspapers. There are also writing opportunities in business, writing advertorials and in-house newsletters for large corporations.

If you want to try your hand at editing, proofreading or even a career as a staff writer for a publication, you can apply for an internship at any of the big publishing houses. Each course will provide tips and tools for how you can make money from your writing.

Q: What if I just want to do a course to improve my writing?

A: Your writing skills will definitely improve on all our courses, and you're likely to find the assignments stimulating and creative. Skills that are taught include:
 

• Creating ‘scenes' to show, rather than just ‘telling' the reader.
• Developing logical flow using transitions, and constancy of tenses and point of view.
• Create lively anecdotes, with plot, character and climax.
• Apt usage of quotations.
• Varying sentence and paragraph lengths.
• Active, pithy sentence structures.
• Evoking an emotional response with your writing.

If you want a course that is specifically geared to improving your all-round writing skills, we recommend 'The Writing Coach Course', as well as our Basics of Creative Writing Course.

Q: What if I have a finished story, and I want to know if it is good enough to publish, but without doing a whole course first?

A: Our tutors offer affordable critiques and expert advice for each genre of writing. You can submit the following:
 

• Magazine Articles (critiques by Karin Schimke, Lisa Lazarus and Paul Smith)
• Newspaper Articles (critiques by Paul Smith)
• Radio and TV Documentary Scripts (critiques by Noel Cisneros)
• Short Stories (critiques by Ginny Swart)
• Scripts for TV, Radio Serials or Stage Drama (critiques by Karen Jeynes)
• Children's Books for 7- to 9-year-olds (critiques by Helen Brain)
• Children's Books for 10- to 12-year-olds (critiques by Helen Brain)
• Books for Teens (critiques by Helen Brain)
• Novels (critiques by Henrietta Rose-Innes)
• Newsletter Articles and Newsletter Formatting (critiques by Susan Williams)
• Business Reports and Proposals (critiques by Susan Williams)

We can tell you if your work is publishable, how to make it publishable and optimise your chances of landing it on a publisher's desk. If advice on where to send your manuscript is what you're after, we know the answer!

---

Koos can help you with any queries you may have. Please call us on 09 550 4635 or contact Koos.

Contact Nichola.