Frequently asked questions

How do I join the Writing Room community?

It always starts with enroling on one of our courses. The full programme is on this handy single web page here. On this page you can click the title of each course to find each dedicated course page. Once you've joined a Writing Room course, you can take advantage of all our drop-in groups, talks and events.

How do I enrol on a course?

Email us at contact@writingroom.org.uk telling us which course you'd like to join. Or click the enquire button next to each course listing, which will generate an email to us. We'll tell you if there are places available and answer any questions you may have. We'll then send you an email containing enrolment information and a payment request. We operate a 'pay to book' system - so your course place is secured once you have paid the course fee.

How do I pay for a course?

We'll send you a payment request when you enrol. We take direct payments into our bank account and we can also process cheques.

Do you offer a concessionary rate?

No. We try to keep the course price as affordable as possible for all. We also add value to every course through our Pay What You Can drop-in groups and events. Otherwise we offer bursary places and you can read about those here.

What age range are your courses aimed at?
Our courses are for 18+ and we have people studying from every decade of life. Currently we don't offer options for under 18s.

Do you have diverse authors on your reading lists?

Yes we do! Our tutors are known for their richly diverse, international suggested reading. We also love to hear your recommendations and we share these in our sessions.

I haven't done much or any creative writing, can I join a course?

Yes, please do! We have lots of creative writers who are just starting out. Our Creative Writing Foundation is a great place to start, but all courses apart from Prioritise Your Writing and our upcoming Editing and Submission course are open to complete beginners.

Can I take more than one course at a time?

Yes, absolutely. It's not unusual at Writing Room for people to be on several options and to come along to our drop-ins too, making a productive week of writing.

If a course is full, can I join a waiting list?

Yes, we always hold waiting lists and will get in touch if a course place becomes available.

If I can't come to every session, do I have to pay for the whole course?

Yes, because you'd be taking up a place that someone else could have paid for in full. But don't worry - the tutors will fill you in on what you missed via email including notes, reading materials and any writing prompts and exercises set in class and/or to be done at home.

Do you record your Zoom sessions?

With the exception of our more lecture-based course Editing and Submissions, we don't record our classes. This retains the in-person feel. Not recording sessions makes it much easier for people to keep their cameras on, contribute fully to the class and share their ideas and writing. However, as we mention above, if you miss a session you'll be sent any notes/exercises/reading materials by your tutor.

How can I stop people copying my ideas?

This thought troubles some new writers but in reality everyone on your course will be brimming with their own ideas and focusing on how to make them come to life. Nobody can do justice to your ideas like you can and we’ll support you to write your story, your way.

Is there homework?

Most courses involve a commitment to producing your own writing and to reading other participants’ work during the week. Introduction to Creative Writing and Finding the Poem include optional suggestions for writing exercises you can do in your own time. Most courses have suggested reading and it's up to you as to whether you follow these up. The more you put in, the more you get out but we understand many people are juggling a lot. The main thing is to come along and get writing!

What does it mean when you say 'All levels welcome'?

You'll see in the individual course descriptions that many of our options specify 'All levels of writer welcome'. On these courses we work with all kinds of writer, whether that's first time creative writers, or people returning to writing after a break, or people who write regularly and have done for some time. We find that this diversity contributes to the richness of the experience for everyone, and we have seen time and time again that we can all learn from each other, no matter where we are on our writing journey.

Do I have to read my work out loud? Do I have to share my work at all?

We never insist anyone reads aloud or shares work if they would prefer not to on that particular day. But our writers find sharing, and giving and receiving helpful feedback, is a really enriching part of the process. As soon as you experience Writing Room’s positive, supportive atmosphere we’re confident you’ll feel happy to play a full part.

Can I ask my tutor to read my work outside of course time?

Not unless they have specifically offered to do so. Some of our tutors offer one-to-one mentoring and consultancy and you can get in touch if this is of interest.

What if I have to withdraw from a course?

Unforseen things happen and sometimes people who have enroled and paid for a course can no longer come, or have to withdraw mid-way. Regrettably we can't refund a course fee, or transfer a course place, once the course has started. We're a small non-profit organisation and courses go ahead based on numbers of people signing up. However, if you're withdrawing before the course has started, we'll do our best to fill your place - which we very often will be able to do. If we succeed in filling your place, you'll get a refund minus a £10 admin fee. Obviously, the closer to the course you withdraw, the trickier it might be for us to fill your place, but we'll do all we can.

Is creative writing a therapeutic process?

People often find the process of writing creatively to be therapeutic. It's good to be mindful, however, that while we'll support you in any way we can with your creative writing, we're not trained in psychological therapies and Writing Room isn't a therapeutic setting.

How do I give feedback about my course?

After every course we ask students to let us know how they got on. We always like to monitor how we are doing and see where improvements can be made. Some great ideas have come in this way and we've been able to respond by making adjustments or offering new options.

Why are you so interested in biscuits and hot drinks?

Ok that's a reasonable question based on our photographs. Almost all of the shots on this site were taken by the talented Ruth Guthrie and feature our students and tutors meeting in person to capture the feel of Writing Room. We used to offer a lot of hot drinks and biscuits when we had a real room, so it was only right that they featured in the photoshoot! And who doesn’t respond well to the odd inspirational custard cream?