Is Home Study Program Will Suit for Everyone

I am a product of a home study program. I started my creative writing course with The Writers Bureau in Manchester, London in 1999 by mail. Now I can say that home study program is best for people who have no time to go school and who are busy working like me - who at that time was working with the company Kawasaki Helicopter (S.A.) Ltd., Saudi Arabia as an account analyst.

I had enjoyed the training during the course. I found it that it's a first-class comprehensive course written by successful professional writers. I had enjoyed the caring, constructive help from my expert tutors who're all published writers. I was attracted to the four excellent guarantees to safeguard my interests such as:

• A full refund of my tuition fees if I have not earned by the time I have finished the course
• I have the course on 15 days inspection and evaluation
• There's refund of 5 sterling pounds for each assignment not properly corrected
• And if my English is found not good enough for the course, the Writers Bureau will refund the money I have paid in full

The course has a flexible study program to suit me. There were twenty individual writing assignments for my practice and guidance. With most of my assignments I will be writing material which can be submitted for publication. There're specialists who helped me and guided me on how to sell my writing. The best was that I studied the course anywhere in the world where there's a postal service as all study material, returned and corrected assignments and etc. are sent off to me by air.

I also have the choice to pay my tuition fees by installments. I could have the choice to study and to progress at my own speed to suit my circumstances. During the course I was given six specialist handbooks and an 80 minute cassette tape. And after finishing the course a certificate of competence was awarded to me. For the whole course, I spent at least 680 sterling pounds - this includes expenses I had spent for postal services when sending off my assignments back to the Bureau for corrections plus other miscellaneous expenses. The course was actually designed for two years though I finished it for only one year.

The whole course was divided into two parts: Writing non-fiction and Writing fiction. During the course I received 30 modules with twenty assignments. Fifteen of the course modules were for non-fiction writing and the other fifteen for fiction writing.

Following is the layout of the course. I would like to show them to everyone that this home study program I ventured in 1999 with the Writers Bureau was real and very effective teaching method that I enjoyed away from school through a self-study at home but without intending to promote the institution. I only included the titles of the modules without highlighting them.

Here are the 30 modules for non-fiction and fiction writing

1. A welcome introduction to the Writers Bureau
2. Truth for all writers - making a writer out of you
3. Basics right to developing your writing style
4. How to develop your writer's craft
5. How to sell your writing
6. Presenting your work
7. Essential legal aspects
8. Readers' letters and fillers
9. How to write articles for women's magazines
10. Writing articles of general interest
11. Travel writing
12. Writing for trade and technical publications
13. Writing non-fiction for children and teenagers
14. Writing humorous articles
15. Religious and inspirational writing
16. On the editors desk
17. Journalism and reporting
18. Planning and preparation of non-fiction books
19. How to write biographies and autobiographies
20. How to plot
21. Creating realistic characters
22. How to write good dialogue
23. Setting the scene - atmosphere
24. Writing specialist fiction
25. Writing the short story
26. Writing for radio
27. How to write radio talks
28. Writing radio drama including cassette tape
29. Writing for TV
30. and Writing for the stage

Aside from the 30 modules I received from the course for my practice and guidance. I also received six bonuses of handbooks written by remarkable authors. These handbooks are totally helpful for me with those 30 modules that until now I am using as my references for my online blog and blogging hobby.

Here are the six bonuses handbooks which also I thought available at some book stores around the world and maybe available at Amazon too and other online book stores.

On Writing a Novel by Eva Hanagan - here Mrs. Hanagan gives me an overview of writing a novel in addition to her specific advice in modules 20 to 23. Here is guidance which is I thought also is invaluable to any fiction writer, including my approach, attitude and all the little do's and don'ts required for success.

Writing the Category Romance by Rowan Edwards - this is about writing romantic fiction requires its own particular approach. This handbook covers the subject in depth and is I thought a must for anybody who wishes to write for this category and type.

How to Write Your Text Book by Gordon Pemberton - this handbook gives me a real insight into the whole field of how to write a non-fiction book. Not only does his mastery of his subject shine through but his style and clarity of expression are excellent examples and I thought this is also for any writer to follow.

Information Research by Ann Hoffmann - she is considered as the leading authority on research for authors - she is also an author herself. The knowledge and information she gives to me is essential and I thought this is also good for any writer - no matter what type of writing he does.

Writing Series and Sitcoms by Lawrence Grey and Allan Sutherland - This handbook carries on from module 29. Here two very experienced writers go into the detail of writing series and sitcoms. This handbook is also a must for anyone wishing to write for these particular aspects of Television.

Punctuation and Spelling by Diana Nadin - this is a guide and reference for those who have ever had doubts about their ability to spell and punctuate correctly. This is an excellent reference book to help me and others.

The two very important people I know at the Writers Bureau - who actually have encouraged me to pursue my tutorial course on creative writing are no other than Mr. E.H. Metcalfe, the principal and Mrs. Diana Nadin, the Director of Studies.

Mr. Metcalfe has worked in home-study training and distance learning since 1962 and this has involved him a substantial amount of technical and non-fiction writing. His experience with many thousands of students has convinced me that to achieve success with a home-study course I need these three things:

• a comprehensive, thorough, high quality course
• caring, conscientious tutors
• regular application from myself

Mr. Metcalfe has gathered around me a first-class team of writers and tutors to provide me the first two. And for the third, he encouraged me to take full advantage of the very personal tuition service and teaching - the institution offers to me.

Mrs. Diana Nadin is an honors degree graduate in English from Nottingham University and she has worked in home-study tuition since 1978. Her experience has given her a deep insight into student needs and how to help student progress with his studies. She said, "It is particularly important that a student has competent, conscientious tutors throughout his course."

Here Mrs. Diana is at her best. She takes particular care to select just the right tutors to help the students. Thus anyone can rely on Mrs. Diana and her tutors - to give him the sort of caring tuition service that can make all the difference between failure and success.

After the course, I applied what I learned from my tutorial course. I started my blog and blogging hobby and also writing for other publishing sites like Hubpages, Triond, Wikinut, Allvoices, Bukisa, Redgage, Squidoo and Expertscolumn.