The Faber Academy Getting Started course definitely gave me the tools to tackle my short story, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

This course came at the perfect moment, jump-starting a transition out of a rut. And the book is progressing! I’ve made some significant breakthroughs that have helped me develop the organisation of the story, restore my confidence in my abilities, and feel energised about the project again. Also, I’m fully back into my yoga practice.

I plan to stay in touch with everyone after the course finishes. It has been a really valuable experience — everyone writes so well and has been so perceptive with their critiques.

My tutor had an incredibly wide-ranging knowledge of fiction and genre writing — I’ve found his help invaluable.

My tutor has been excellent: wise, astute and generous in his support and encouragement of us all. He also gave us the wonderful gift of a precise set of tools with which to proceed. The whole experience has been very instructive.

The course is really well thought out and I found it incredibly stimulating to have to consider the different genres. I loved having to read things I would not have ever considered and feel it has really helped me to extend my writing. Thanks to my tutor for so many constructive and encouraging comments. I…

Without doing this course, I wouldn’t have the idea for a crime novel, so this is interesting territory for me (as was the sci-fi, which may also continue in stages over a longer time). I’m going to continue this crime novel now while finishing the first draft of my historical novel, which was the original…

Thank you Heidi so very, very much for all your support and feedback during the course. I really appreciate you critiquing my work and also giving recommendations on how to proceed and improve my couple’s story. The course has been great. I’ve enjoyed it.

I found the range of people enrolled on the course created an environment filled with all sorts of skills, levels and genres, which created a brilliant forum of critique. From the first post, I felt accepted in the group and happy to share my work.

I have really enjoyed the course and working with the group. In particular Heidi’s input to the course exceeded my expectations — it’s been a great opportunity to learn from someone who really is an expert in the genre.

Being shown examples of marketing writing, and reasons why some are good and some are bad — this made the descriptions and tasks much more relevant. Having a systematic approach to really working out what I’m striving towards — learning how I can improve my writing skills and thinking more about the context of what…

The discipline of writing something every week, then having other people read it and give their thoughts has helped me to become a better editor of my own stories.