THE WRITERS BUREAU
STUDENT STORIES

"There was hardly a time that I wasn’t writing – stories, skits, poems, ads, inspirational pieces – just for fun. Soon, what was leisure grew into a dream, not only to be a published writer, but to be paid for my work. This I knew needed to be accomplished concurrently with a full-time job.

"This desire sent me in search of a distance learning course that would help me to reach that goal. When I came across The Writers Bureau Comprehensive Writing Course, not only did I think that it was truly ‘comprehensive’ but I was also intrigued by the challenge of recovering my tuition fee through published writing.

"With my tutor's guidance, I learned how to sculpture my sometimes exhaustive writing into more concise publishable pieces. As a health professional, I began with what I felt most comfortable – health articles. My first publication came with the third assignment. Both articles submitted were published. The first one was featured in one of our national newspapers, the Sunday Gleaner, as a contribution to Pharmacy Week. The other, for which I received my first payment, was published in Health, Home and Garden – a Jamaican magazine. Since then, I have been contributing to the ‘General Health’ section of that magazine.

"Though I am now at module 11, where I’m learning about travel writing, I find that I often refer to earlier modules on how to sell your writing and essential legal aspects. This was especially helpful when I received my first contract to write an article on ‘Becoming a Pharmacist’ for the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica 50th anniversary magazine. I was very excited about this assignment, as I discovered more about the history of the profession and interviewed key administrators of the Pharmacy programme. It was even more satisfying to see the work in print.

"I am grateful to The Writers Bureau for helping to make this dream a reality, as I now press towards another goal of completing the course."

Helen Malcolm, Jamaica

"I joined The Writers Bureau course as long ago as 2005 and regret that I have still to complete it. Nevertheless, the course itself plus advice from tutors, tips from E-zee Writer and ideas in Freelance Market News all help to fuel my ambition to be a full-time writer. As well as carrying a Blog on my website, I have written general interest articles for the Internet, as well as some technical contributions in professional publications.

"It was The Writers Bureau course that kick-started me onto writing a series of articles, which were published in my professional trade journal, over a 12-month period. I vividly recall one day commenting to my partner that I was having the usual trouble in condensing what I wanted to say into the 1000-word limit, each month. She looked up at me and said, "Why don't you write a book?" I thought to myself that it was not such a bad idea and so the seed was sown. I am self-employed and, during the summer of 2007, I found myself without work for the first time in nine years. What did I do? I wrote my book!

"From a chance comment, I turned an unproductive period into a highly satisfying and rewarding project. ‘The phat Controller (A Leadership Handbook)’ was published by a print on demand publisher in July 2008. Exciting as that was, nothing can prepare you for that moment when someone you have never met before tells you that they have read your book and enjoyed it. Priceless!

"A book reviewer commented, "The 'High phat Bites' checklist, at the end of each chapter, is worth the price of the book in itself." Another customer told me the other day, "I enjoyed your book immensely and found it very useful." The Writers Bureau and E-zee Writer have definitely played a key role in giving me the confidence to press ahead with my ambition. I am currently writing a novel and have plans to do a follow-up to The phat Controller; oh, and I do intend to finish The Writers Bureau course!"

Sean Langley, UK