This course encouraged me to tackle a section of a novel I’d been avoiding for some time. Once I started researching through sources, first person accounts, historical books that have been written, I realised there was much material to draw from.

I really found the practical exercises to be very helpful. I enjoyed the close reading, dissecting writing practices and research methods, and liked the way everything culminated in the final assignment. I found myself digging through past journals, Word docs, etc and putting to practice what Philip has been teaching us for the past week…

I have really enjoyed the course and have felt truly alive while writing – and reading the work of others.

It is so interesting to see each writer’s personal experiences and perspectives coming out in their pieces. I’ve learned that what might seem routine or everyday to you as a writer can appear new and fresh to another reader.

The exercises are great at getting us to really focus on one particular aspect of writing, and of course it’s making me write every day which is really good.

I signed on after reading a piece by James Lee Burke, who said that he learnt more from a short creative writing course than he could ever have by floundering around on his own. That’s definitely true from my point of view.

My tutor taught me more about my writing in one podcast than I’ve been taught my whole writing life.

The extracts and tutor insights about each topic are taking me places I haven’t been, as are the recommended novels.

My tutor was superb and this has been the most enjoyable and productive course.

This course has been valuable in helping me write stronger characters, write succinct descriptions and show me how to make them more interesting, rounded and human — even fantasy characters. I thank all of my peers who commented on my work, as it absolutely helped me improve. The course also galvanized me into entering a…

The course helped me realise where some of my past characters were lacking.

It has been a pleasure to read some very good writing here week after week. I think we’ve all managed to both learn and be inspired by each other’s writing — as well as by the course materials.