Module 1

(approx. 7 sheets)

Introduction
How to Proceed
Expert Writers and Tutors
How to Study
Key Points to Remember

Introduction

Welcome to The Writers Bureau. You are now starting an exciting adventure – the quest to become a published writer. We hope it will be one full of interest, enjoyment and reward for you. We want you to enjoy your writing and your time with us, for this is the way you will do your best work.

To become a published writer requires certain skills and techniques, and we will help you to develop these. However, the first lesson you must learn is that editors and publishers have no interest in who you are (unless, of course, you are a famous or notorious person). Their only concern is with the standard of the work they are reading. Is it good enough for publication and can they use it? It is not difficult to reach this standard, providing you follow our instruction carefully and approach your writing systematically.

If, like the majority of our students, you want to write as a hobby, for fun and enjoyment and possibly to earn some extra money, then you can take a much more relaxed approach than the full-time writer. This doesn't mean that you can lower your standards, but it does allow you to write when you feel like it without any great pressure to meet deadlines.

On the other hand, if you want to earn a living – or at least a substantial income – from your writing, then you must approach it with the same seriousness and commitment that you would expect to put into any other job. Then, providing your writing comes up to publishable standards, the rewards you can expect will be largely in line with the efforts you put in.

One of your first steps in developing your writing technique is to try to cultivate a broad outlook. You can do this by reading widely, by observing the world around you and by analysing the attitudes and opinions of the people you meet in your daily life. We'll be saying more about this later.

Your next step is to realise that no matter how much natural ability you might have, you will never reach your full potential without expert guidance. Unless your talent comes into contact with an environment where it can develop and flourish, it might lie dormant for ever. Fortunately for you, The Writers Bureau course provides just this kind of environment.

We will direct and guide you so that you can achieve your maximum potential. In other words, we will do our best to help you to develop your natural creative talent, so that your work is published regularly and you make money from it.

In order to do this effectively and discover where your true talents lie, it is essential that we give you as broad an experience as possible of the various kinds of writing open to you. This is why we have provided such a comprehensive course. Until you have tried your hand at a variety of different types of writing, how can you possibly know where your true interests lie? For instance, you may come to us thinking that you want to concentrate on writing short stories, only to discover later that writing for radio and TV is much more to your liking.

So, at this stage don't restrict your thinking to one particular genre. Instead, follow our advice and look at the broad picture. Study each module in detail and do everything your tutor requests. We want you to do this whether your ambitions are to write part-time or as a full-time professional. This broad writing experience will develop your outlook. The writing and research we will ask you to do will extend your knowledge and horizons. It should also increase your self-confidence to the point where you can tackle any writing assignment you are offered.

This carefully directed programme will at times demand both perseverance and hard work but we are sure that you would not have reached even this early stage if you did not have perseverance, enthusiasm to write and an inner belief in your own latent writing ability.

Study the course carefully, follow your tutor's advice and we will help you to turn latent ability into published work. So let's now look at how we are going to work together to achieve your ambitions.

How to Proceed

We have not given you a specific time-table to follow. You have no pressure of examination dates to meet as often happens with other subjects, so you can take as long as you wish over your course. Nevertheless, you'll get the best results and the most enjoyment from it if you can study regularly. Set yourself a study schedule each week which suits your circumstances. Unfortunately we cannot be more precise than this. Our students have such varied life-styles and requirements that it is not really possible to set a study programme for everyone. So, we suggest you experiment until you discover what suits you. Then, do your best to stick to it.

A few moments ago we mentioned the word enjoyment, and we certainly want you to enjoy your time with us. Look upon your studies as an adventure in extending your knowledge and writing technique – a new field to conquer! Throw yourself into them with enthusiasm and vigour. This is the way to get both the maximum enjoyment and the maximum benefit from them. We will help you all we can to achieve these aims. We are always here with help, advice and guidance; so if there is anything which you do not fully understand, or which needs further explanation, just contact us by letter, email or telephone. Tell us exactly what the problem is and we will help you as much as we can. Incidentally, in all correspondence with us, please remember to quote your student number.

We ask all students to complete the first seven modules in sequence because of the importance of the subjects to all writers. By the time you have finished Module 7, your returned first assignment should have reached you together with your tutor's comments, your third assignment and advice on how to proceed with it. This process is now repeated for the rest of the course. With each returned assignment you will receive further advice on which modules to study and assignments tailored to the progress you are making.

In addition to the modules and advice from your tutor, you should read and study the specialist Handbooks included with your course – they contain information which is of value to every writer.

Expert Writers and Tutors

As you know, your course has been compiled by professional writers – men and women who, for many years, have earned their livings from their writing. They are eager to pass on to you the wealth of knowledge and experience that they have accumulated. Occasionally, they may seem a little dogmatic and give you what appear to be rules to follow. However, in spite of this, they are the first to admit that the only real rule is that there are no rules at all about writing. All that we, or anybody else for that matter, can give you are guidelines. For it is true to say that every rule that has ever been formulated about writing and being an author has, at some time, been successfully broken.

But this does not give you an excuse to ignore our advice. It is good advice and while you are still learning your craft you will find that following our guidelines will give you the quickest and easiest route to having your work published. The time to experiment with new and different methods is when you have already achieved success.

As you progress through the course, assignments are sent to your personal tutor. Some of our tutors have had experience of a wide range of writing and so you might stay with them throughout the course. Others specialise, so you may have to change tutor when you move from non-fiction to fiction work. What is important is that you are always working with an expert and are guaranteed one-to-one attention throughout.

From time to time, you will find that certain fundamental points have been repeated by our contributors. This repetition is left in deliberately in order to reinforce the point being made. When you come across such repetition it will help to emphasise that the idea is important.

With this combination of successful professional writers and expert tutors helping you, you have every chance to develop your writing talents. Now it is up to you. Apply yourself regularly to your studies and your writing and we are sure you will receive both the financial rewards and the enormous personal enjoyment that creative writing can bring you.

How to Study

Finally, before we finish this module it is appropriate to give you a few hints on the process of studying. We suggest you work systematically in the following way:

1. First, give the module you are studying a quick read through. At this stage your aim should be to get an overall view of the subject matter.
   
   
2. Next, read the module a second time, but more slowly and thoroughly. At this reading make any notes you feel are necessary. These might be about a passage that is particularly relevant to you, something for future reference, or even an idea for an article or story that the module has stimulated.
   
   
3. Continue to read the module as often as you want until you are happy that you fully understand it.
   
   
4. As well as reading and studying the modules, it is equally important that you think deeply about them. Think how you can apply the instruction to your own writing. Try to sharpen your powers of observation. Look at experiences and events in your life and think how you might describe them. Try putting your thoughts into short descriptive pieces of writing.
   
   Extend your reading. You really can't be a good writer if you don't read widely! When you see a passage which you feel is not well expressed, think how you could improve it. It is always a good exercise to try to rewrite it better yourself. This will help to develop your own powers of analysis and expression.
   
   What we are asking you to do, in other words, is to have a professional attitude to your writing. You will certainly be more successful if you can adopt the attitude that your writing is part of your way of life. Go out of your way to look for ideas
   and inspiration from all your activities – and you will certainly find them! They are there, all around you, waiting to be discovered.
   
   
5. Next complete the assignment. As we originally promised, this is a very practical course. The only way you will really learn to write is by writing – and we give you plenty of that.
   
   
6. Then submit your writing to the recommended publications as soon as your tutor advises. Strike while the iron's hot. It is the surest way to be published.

Finally, make sure you let us know the result. Give us details of the work, the publication which has accepted it and the payment received/promised. We would also be delighted to see a photocopy of the actual work when it has been printed if this is not inconvenient.

We know it is part of the agreement between us that you will tell us of all your successes and failures, but there is more to it than that. We have a genuine interest in your progress, but we can only give you the best advice when we know how your work is received by the people who really matter – editors and publishers.

So, enough from us. Move on to Module 2 as soon as you are ready and let's help you kick-start your writing career.

Key Points To Remember

• • Editors and publishers have no interest in who you are. Their only concern is with the standard of the work they are reading. Is it good enough for publication and can they use it?
  
  
• • It is not difficult to reach this standard, providing you follow our instruction carefully and approach your writing systematically.
  
  
• • If you want to write as a hobby, or for fun, you can take a much more relaxed approach than the full-time writer. You can't lower your standards, but you can write when you feel like it.
  
  
• • If you want to earn a substantial income from your writing, then you must approach it with the same commitment that you would expect to put into any other job.
  
  
• • You must cultivate a broad outlook. Read widely, especially quality newspapers, magazines and fiction. Also observe the world and people around you.
  
  
• • No matter how much natural ability you might have, you will never reach your full potential without the expert guidance which we can provide.
  
  
• • In order to discover where your true talents lie, it's important that you come to each part of the course with an open mind and tackle all modules and assignments with enthusiasm. You may find that a subject you had previously ruled out becomes a favourite.
  
  
• • There is no specific time-table to follow. You can take as long as you wish over your course, but you will get the best results if you study regularly.
  
  
• • We are always here with help and advice, so if there is anything which you do not fully understand, or which needs further explanation, just contact us.
  
  
• • Complete the first seven modules in sequence because of the importance of the subjects to all writers.
  
  
• • Read the modules quickly aiming to get an overall view of the subject matter. Then read each module a second time, making any notes you feel are necessary.
  
  
• • Make sure you read and study the Handbooks included with your course.
  
  
• • Complete the assignments. This is a very practical course. The only way you will learn to write is by writing.
  
  
• • Submit your writing to the chosen publications as soon as your tutor is satisfied with it. Strike while the iron is hot – it's the surest way to be published.
  
  
• • Finally, make sure you let us know the result. This helps us to chart your progress and offer extra advice.