Q: When can I register for a course?

A: At any time. We only work on a one-on-one basis with our students, so we receive applications all year round from students all over the world. Once your registration is complete, your course starts immediately.

Q: How do I register?

A: Complete the application form provided on our home page on the right menu, or click on any 'register here' link on our site. Once approved, we will e-mail you a welcome letter and invoice within 24 hours. Once you have paid, we send you a welcome pack, including your first module, and your tutor will write and say 'hi' too.

Q: How do I pay the fees?

A: You can either pay the fees in full upfront, or in two payments: a 50% deposit will get you started on the course, and the remaining amount must be paid upon the following month-end. For the 24-month courses, we do accept three payments of the course fee. Please contact us to discuss your options. See our fees here.

You can pay via electronic transfer or a cash deposit at your bank. You can also pay with your credit card via the Paypal system we have installed on our site.

Once you have paid, you start your course straight away.

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. Once you sign up, you will receive a welcome pack from us, as well as a welcome e-mail from your tutor.

In every module, you are required to complete several writing exercises. You e-mail these to your lecturer, who will mark them and send you written feedback within three to five working days. For any questions, your tutor, or our full-time admin staff, will have an answer within 24 hours.

Q: What's special about your courses?

A: Unlike many writing courses that rely on 'group feedback' in a class, we only work on a one-on-one basis with you. Each course provides hours and hours of personal feedback dedicated to build on your unique writing strengths and iron out your particular grammar and style gremlins. No general writing class will do that.

We believe 'practice makes perfect'. The only way to learn how to write is to write. So you won't sit through hours of literary theory lectures, even though you will have a 200-page manual of specialised course notes at hand. Rather, our primary focus is on writing, and writing some more, with feedback every line of the way.

On top of that, you will be working with some of the leading writers in the world. We prefer to employ multi-award-winning writers who have received international acclaim. Your tutors are passionate and dedicated, and all our courses are quality controlled - by you. Meet our staff here. See student feedback here.

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. See our course details here.

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 NZQA accredited?

A: Our courses are not accredited. They are top-up courses for anyone interested 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 in the world, you can register for our courses. 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 is internationally applicable. Although our journalism courses (Magazine Journalism, Travel Writing, Broadcast Journalism) use New Zealand and Australian examples of publications, many of those named are also available globally, including GQ, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Seventeen, O, The Oprah Magazine, Mens' Health, Marie Claire, Shape, 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, 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 the course, then shortly after. For instance, the income potential from the Magazine Journalism Foundation Course is around $600. Selling your three articles in the Advanced Course could fetch an amount from $600 to $1800, depending on the word count of the pieces.

Any book or script you produce out of your course can be sent to a publisher, and you can earn ongoing royalties if it is published, and sells well.

Q: Will I get a certificate?

A: Yes, if you meet all the requirements for your course. See each course curriculum for the required conditions.

Q: Will my work be private?

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

Q: What time commitments are there?

A: We estimate that the minimum time commitment for our 12-month courses is approximately 30 to 50 hours in total (2-3 hours per week), including reading of course material, research, interviewing and writing. Our 'Write a Book' courses demand 100 hours over the span of two years.

Q: How much time do I get for assignments?

A: You have twelve months in which to complete your course. Our 'Write a Book' courses must be completed within two years. 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 this timeframe get bonus points towards their final mark. Similarly, students who complete their "Write a Book" courses within 12 months receive bonus points towards their final result.

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 Forum.

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.
• Varied 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 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 Nichola Meyer and Paulette Crowley)
• Newspaper Articles (critiques by Peter Cross)
• 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)

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!