Q: Where are your in-person courses held?
A: Unless otherwise stated, all our courses are held at Writing NSW in Callan Park, Lilyfield.
Q: What is the maximum number of participants in a course?
A: In general, we have a maximum of twenty people in this course.
Q: Who can enrol?
A: Anyone who is writing in English.
Q: Is there a minimum age to enrol?
A: Yes. Unless otherwise specified, the minimum age for enrolment in our in-person and online courses is 18.
Q: Are your courses accessible to writers with disability?
A: Writing NSW seeks to make its programs accessible to writers with disability. Please contact us to discuss your access needs on (02) 9555 9757 or via our contact form.
Q: Can I enrol in a separate phase, rather than the full course?
A: If the full-course is not sold out prior to the commencement of Phase One, the individual phases will be made available for separate enrolment. Please note that the full-year course has generally sold out prior to commencement in recent years, and it has not been possible to open individual phases for bookings.
Q: Can I enrol with only partial payment?
A: All participants must book and pay the course fee in advance to secure their place in the course. Anyone who has not enrolled and made payment prior to the course commencement date will not be permitted to attend.
Q: Are course dates, times and tutors subject to change?
A: Advertised dates and times of courses may change or be cancelled without warning. If this is the case, all reasonable attempts will be made to contact you via email and telephone. However, confirmation of starting time remains the responsibility of the student. Occasionally, due to unforeseen circumstances, we may have to replace a tutor with another experienced presenter. If this is the case, attendees will be notified in advance.
Q: What do I need to bring?
A: We advise participants to bring pen and paper and/or their fully charged device. Individual courses may have other requirements, so please check the course description.
Q: Is food provided?
A: We provide tea and coffee making facilities. Course participants are advised to bring their own meals as there are no cafes within close walking distance.
Q: Is it possible to form a writers’ group with fellow writers after the course ends?
A: Absolutely, several of our courses have led to groups of participants forming their own writers’ groups, many of which still meet regularly at Writing NSW. You can find out more on our website.
Q: If I workshop a draft in this course, am I able to submit it to publishers?
A: Yes! One of the realities of being an engaged writer is sharing your work with other writers, receiving feedback and reworking through multiple drafts. We hope you’ll go on to have the writing you’ve workshopped in our courses published – and we’d love to hear about it when you do! If your manuscript is published after taking this course, please contact us to let us know.
In the third phase of this course, you will receive some information about publication avenues once you have a completed draft.
Q: Should I be concerned about plagiarism?
A: Plagiarism is actually rare in the industry, and we’ve never had a complaint about it related to any of our classes. In fact, workshopping a draft in an online class is a good way to protect your ideas: it means you’ve got a whole group of people, including the tutor, who witnessed you post that work first.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
A: Your enrolment is non-refundable. If you need to withdraw from a course, you must inform Writing NSW at least 14 days prior to course commencement to receive a full credit. Withdrawals made seven to thirteen days prior to course commencement will be eligible for a 50% credit. Any withdrawals made after this point will not be eligible for credit.
Community Guidelines
Writing NSW is committed to fostering an inclusive and safe environment across its courses and other programs for writers. As a participant, you are expected to contribute to this by respecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of other members of our community (including race, gender, class, sexuality, faith, ability, etc.). When sharing work or making comments in forums, you should be careful to avoid anything that might have a harmful impact on your fellow participants. Writing NSW reserves the right to remove any submissions or comments that do not adhere to these guidelines. Please contact us if you are concerned about any situation that may have arisen.
If you’re not sure if our online courses are right for you, please email our program officer to discuss your concerns via our online contact form.