The Writer's Corner

My journey into the world of creative writing, of course, began with the reading of fiction. However, the pursuit and writing started with a short course with The Writers Bureau about twenty years ago.

I don’t remember much of the details due to memory issues, but the things that do come to mind was that the course was paper based and sent out to me by post. Nowadays, courses can be completed entirely online. I also had a tutor that gave their feedback, which is always helpful. And the cost of the course was relatively good value for money. The thing I remember the most about it was how it unlocked a creative side to me that I didn’t really know I had. Yes I attempted love poems in my twenties but never anything more than that, and I wanted to be able to write more.

One thing I do regret is not keeping the course materials for future reference. Unfortunately, several house moves meant they got lost along the way.

Fast forward around about seven years later, the opportunity to study Start Writing Fiction with The Open University. If you are interested in checking this course out, it is now available via OpenLearn or FutureLearn. (You will need to have an account for either to be able to sign up for this course).

This is also where my journey with The Open University began, that eventually led to a degree in English Literature (no surprise there!). I soon discovered I wasn’t a fan of writing short stories and that all my assignments, included the end of module assignment consisted of poetry. Maybe I should have called my blog The Poetry Corner? However, I haven’t written poetry that intensively since then but I do look back at those poems. I have a few fairly good ones I think.

So why did I chose these two courses to write about? The reason I chose these particular courses is because they definitely had an impact on me and led me down a path I may never have taken.

Recently, I completed another course with The Writers Bureau, An Introduction to Creative Writing, to help me get my writing mojo back. Sadly kidney disease seems to have robbed me of many things, including my mind and imagination. Doing this course has allowed me the time and space to think about what I want to write, why I want to write, and has given me a huge boost and some confidence. That kind of went missing for a while too!

I am slowly working my way through other creative writing courses that I purchased over the years with the Centre of Excellence. Might take me a while as there are a fair few but they are also having a great affect in my determination to get back to writing again. I can also feel my mind ticking over story ideas again. I’m making progress in the right direction.

Today, I also came across another creative writing short course, Introduction to European Crime Fiction, with the Open University that begins next year, that has definitely piqued my interest. However, I am trying not to run before I can walk, but I do love learning and learning about writing is one of my favourite things.

Courses may not be for everyone but for me they are part of who I am as a writer.