ICS Creative Writing: A Profession in Print

ICS Creative Writing: A Profession in Print

Do you dream of writing your first book but don't know how or where to start? Are you in the middle of producing that novel but struggling to find focus or direction? Our Creative Writing: A Profession in Print course will help you channel your creative skills, enabling you to achieve your writing goals.

You will learn how to get started through establishing a routine, exploring research strategies and understanding the importance of copyright and plagiarism. You will study techniques for writing effective dialogue, and explore the importance and setting and mood.

You will also learn how to pace your writing to create suspense and tension within a story. The final section explores in depth different literary genres including Science Fiction and Fantasy, Crime, Mystery and Suspense, Romantic Fiction and writing for young people. You will examine how to promote yourself within the writing and publishing industry and how to effectively kick start your career as an author.

Entry Requirements

You don't need any previous experience or qualifications to enrol on Creative Writing: A Profession in Print. That's because we believe in making home study - and a rewarding future - as accessible as possible.

Where will I go from here?

This course may set you on the road to becoming a fully fledged writer, or may find opportunities writing freelance for a range of publications, including magazines, newspapers or trade publications. You may also want to consider pursuing formal writing qualifications after completing this course.

What will I gain?

On completion you will receive an ICS Diploma, reflecting the fact that you have successfully studied a course which has been developed by experts, to industry standards. You can use this diploma to present to potential employers as evidence of your learned knowledge and skills, display on your CV and use as a basis for further study.

Assessment

Assessments are a great way of checking your progress. Throughout your course, you'll complete three written assessments which you will send to your tutor for marking and feedback.

By completing all assessments you will demonstrate that you are developing technical and creative writing skills, while learning more about the publishing industry and setting up on your own.

Generally, assessments can be sent to us online via the ICS Student Community: it's the fastest way to receive your results.

What will I get?

Because we're experts in home learning, ICS knows about and offers all the support you need along the way. An ICS team of student service professionals and specialist tutor will work with you to guide you successfully through your course. When you become an ICS student you will receive full support benefits, including expert authored course materials, a free text book and personal tutor support.

You'll also be part of the ICS Online Student Community, where you'll have access to library materials and your account information, as well as the chance to form vital links with your fellow students.

Study Period

9 months

Hours of study

90 hours

Support period

9 months

Course code

D53

Course cost

£429.00

Additional fees

There are no examination or registration fees for our Creative Writing course.

See your course content

Key Topics

First Steps

Whether you want to write a novel, a non-fiction book or your memoirs, this course offers an accessible route into the challenging world of professional writing. As you work through the study guides, you'll find out more about:

  • Tried and tested techniques that successful writers use to get their thoughts onto paper
  • Different types of writing that you may want to try
  • Presenting your work to agents and editors
  • Potential markets for your work.

To be a writer, you need a feeling for words, an understanding of how the publishing world operates, discipline, persistence and a painstaking eye for detail. Even if you have all these qualities in abundance there is still no guarantee that your work will gain a wide audience, but this course will help you to refine and develop your skills so that you gain in confidence and professionalism.

Getting into Print

  • So far in this course, you have examined your own motivation for wanting to write a book, studied plot and characterisation, and produced your first piece of work. In this unit, you will continue your studies and develop your skills still further. You will also learn about creating settings for different genres of fiction and find out about how to prepare and submit your work for publication.

Writing for Specific Genres

This section offers more detailed information on a number of genres that you may be planning to write for.

  • If you have already chosen your preferred genre, you may choose to focus on the sections that are most relevant to you. Alternatively, you may find it useful to work through all the sections so that you broaden your knowledge of potential writing markets. You may also enjoy trying to write for different genres - and discover interests and skills that you didn't know you had!
  • The final part focuses on supporting you in your new career as a writer and covers a range of topics from networking to managing your finances.

You can either pay for your course in full or opt for a monthly payment plan.

Course fee: £429 (excluding discounts)

Speak to one of our course advisors now for payment plans.