The Complete Writer is full of exercises and assignments for you to complete. They are designed to teach while being stimulating and great fun. You send in six exercises - from a choice of twenty-four - for assessment by your tutor. Each will be returned with helpful and sensitive advice.

As you can see, it is a weighty, comprehensive course but you go at your own pace: tutors will encourage you but never put pressure on you. You may take as long as you like. Six months may be an average time but there are no limits.

A good income may be your goal and we will do our best to help you achieve this. But, whatever your aims, we will do all we can to help you enjoy the course and realise your potential as a writer.

Volume 1 The Practice and Art of Writing Module 1 – Being a Writer Your space as a writer Finding inspiration Get writing! Module 2 – Research and Planning Organising your time Keeping a “writer’s journal” Researching and writing Module 3 – Writing Techniques Writing in the first person – techniques and examples Thinking about the third person – what it can lend to your writing Successful techniques from the masters – how Henry James organised his work Module 4 – Opening Paragraphs First impressions count! – starting off on the right foot Classic openings – Moby Dick and Pride and Prejudice – what it is that makes these great Assignments that will help you improve the opening to your work Module 5 – Thickening the Plot Helping your imagination grow – how to get from an idea to a finished story Organised plotting – what you need to know to succeed Conflict and progression – the meat and drink of the writer Examples of plot ranging from Lord of the Flies to Homer’s Odyssey Module 6 – Creating Characters Writing believable and enjoyable characters The importance of considered description in your writing Examples from literary greats – from Chaucer to Treasure Island Module 7 – Dialogue Writing realistic dialogue Avoiding clichés Finding voices for your characters Assignments for you to complete, focusing on Oscar Wilde and Sherlock Holmes Module 8 – Descriptive Passages Setting the scene for your reader Choosing your words carefully The techniques of D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf – what you can learn from writers like these and how to put these ideas into action Module 9 – Endings Concluding with clarity Finding a satisfactory resolution Editing and revising your manuscript

Volume 2 Writing Genres Module 10 – Autobiography How to research Getting the right angle Working with different kinds of evidence Successful techniques for writing autobiography Module 11 – Spy Fiction The importance of suspense – learn by example from the masters le Carré and Deighton Convincing characters and avoiding clichés Spy settings – from exotic to Ealing Module 12 – Crime Writing The murder mystery – its popularity and appeal Suspense – keeping the reader guessing The importance of character – how your detectives will make or break your story Learn from the greats – from Arthur Conan Doyle to Ian Rankin Module 13 – Romantic Fiction From Mills and Boon to Danielle Steel – the market and the techniques involved Helping your reader escape – creating realistic love scenes and tension Following the formula – hints to help you write a marketable story Module 14 – Writing Children’s Fiction Age groups and genres Writing your book Marketing your work Module 15 – Humour in Fiction Developing comic characters – with examples from Shakespeare to The Importance of Being Earnest to Hugh Laurie Plotting for comedy What makes us laugh How to bring humour into your writing Module 16 – Writing for the Theatre How to keep your audience hooked Learn the techniques of plotting, dialogue and characterisation from the masters Getting your work onto the stage Module 17 – Writing for Magazines How to make money from your writing The market and how to crack it Tips and checklists Module 18 – Television and Radio: Plays and Sketches How to be a scriptwriter What it pays How to get your work in front of the right people Module 19 – Writing Poetry Rhyme and rhythm Examples from the masters How to make your voice heard

Volume 3 The Business of Writing Module 20 – Writers and the Law: Libel Trouble and how to avoid it Libel and slander Defences to libel Module 21 – Writers and the Law: Copyright, Moral Rights, Plagiarism and Photocopying How to protect your work Your liability as an author How far you can protect plots and ideas Module 22 – Writers and the Law: Obscenity, Blasphemy, Racial Hated How far you can go Dangers and penalties An assignment to help you get to grips with your legal position Module 23 – English for Writers: Structure of Language Word types and problems Structuring your sentences Nouns, adjectives, verbs, conjunctions, prepositions Module 24 – English for Writers: Creative Punctuation An indispensable trouble-shooting guide for writers The comma – a little mark but a big subject Full stops, brackets, colons and semicolons – how to put them to good use Module 25 – English for Writers: Usage, Style and Spelling A refresher in English usage How to present your work professionally Commonly misspelled words – a compendium Module 26 – Successful Self-publishing What is self-publishing? Is it the route for me? How to produce your work How to market and sell your book Module 27 – Selling Your Work Approaching publishers and agents The money involved Helpful expert tips How to give yourself the best chance of success