The Writers Bureau Reviews 332

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.4

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I've done the Comprehensive Creative Writing Course with the Writers Bureau and absolutely loved it! The main thing it has done for me was to encourage myself to write regularly and make it a part of... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I was a bit apprehensive about starting a writing course, but I'm so glad I did. My tutor gave me the confidence to embark on writing my memoir. If anyone is considering taking any of the courses, I... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have a top notch tutor in David Kinchin. He returns marked assignments within 48 hours. I am completing the course at a very slow pace and have to register for another year to complete the course. I... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I certainly would recommend a friend or family to consider courses run by The Writers Bureau. They give you substantial support with all their courses. You can take part in other short courses to lear... See more

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Company details

  1. Educational Institution

Written by the company

The Writers Bureau was formed in 1989 to help people take their first steps into the world of writing with confidence. Students are shown how to develop their writing style and how to sell their work under the guidance of a personal tutor – a professional writer. Courses are open to all. There are no age limits or educational requirements to enrol. Every course comes on a 15 day trial so you can be confident that it’s the course for you.


Contact info

4.4

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

332 reviews

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Hasn’t replied to negative reviews

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Fast response and encouraging

April 24, 2020
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Hi Jenny,
Very glad you're happy with the course - just hope it continues to meet all your needs. But remember, we're always here to help!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I am on my last assignment for the…

I am on my last assignment for the Writers Bureau and have found the course enlightening and educational. Tutors give thorough and honest feedback. Well worth the money invested.

February 10, 2020
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review, Susan, we are really glad that you have enjoyed your course.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The Proofreading and Copy Editing course

I've recently finished the Writers' Bureau proofreading/copy editing course. This is certainly worthwhile as an initiation to these skills and I found the tutor's feedback and guidance to be just as valuable as the actual coursework. Thank you very much!

January 13, 2020
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you very much for your review, Kim.

We wish you the best of luck in your new career!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Had to give a star rating to ask…

Had to give a star rating to ask question. I have a lot of ideas and have written a few short stories but when I read them back they seem flat and boring. Would this course help me?

January 4, 2020
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your interest in our courses, Kenneth.

Our contact details are available via the Contact Us page on our website but if you give us a call on 0161 819 9922 or send an email to studentservices@writersbureau.com, we would be happy to discuss our courses with you.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

What a big let down?

Half way through the course it got very boring, unchallenging and monotonous so I stopped doing it.

November 30, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review, Pam.

As per recent correspondence, we are sorry that you have found the non-fiction assignments not to your liking. We did offer the opportunity to move onto the fiction assignments but if these are still of no interest to you, there are further options available.

An advisor will be in touch shortly to discuss these.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Well done-

I am still working on this course and it is brilliant. It shares good and important advice which can make such a difference.

November 30, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you, Karen, for your review of the Creative Writing Course. You're making great progress!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I am thoroughly enjoying my course

I am thoroughly enjoying my course. I feel I have learnt a lot so far and still am only halfway. I would certainly recommend The Writers Bureau. I just wish I had started my course earlier.

November 29, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you so much for your review of the Writing for Children Course.

We're sure you will continue to enjoy your course!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Extremely informative and helpful

Extremely informative and helpful. I now read books from a totally different angle. It is also very relaxed learning. No pressure. This is useful fo anyone with other commitments.

October 11, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review, Madelaine. We're glad you're able to fit your course in around other commitments.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Honest And Sincrere Feedback for my best institution ever- The Writers Bureau.

The Writers Bureau is definitely the best and genuine institution anywhere around the world that is capable of turning a potential writer into a real writer. This is my honest opinion which I feel I must give for this wonderful institution that in just a short five months, has made me understand that writing is just a skill and so long as you have the talent you can write without the much sought after academic credentials,which may be an important added advantage for a writer but clearly not a necessity.I have been taking the creative writing course since March this year and I can confirm that The Writers Bureau is equal to the task.

However the downside of this marvelous institution may lie in the way those charged with the responsibility of its administration handle students like myself who have a passion for writing but who are not well endowed as yet in making prompt payments for their course studies,due to financial constraints. I have previously felt harrassed and humilated by the responses I have been getting in mails from the Writers Bureau because I could not pay my fees in time and because the same are in areas of about three months. Currently I'm fearful of making any enquries about anything concerninig writing lest I receive a humbling response which may turnout to be a discouragement from what I initially sought to achieve from my training. And this has got nothing to do with the tutors whom I believe are doing an excellent job and have huge talents, potential, knowledge and experience to take the institution to the next level and ensure that The Writers Bureau stays at the top when it comes to tapping the potential of writers around the world.

Thank you most sincerely.

September 1, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review Daniel and for your comments on the course.

Our organisation doesn't receive government funding, meaning we rely on the fees that students pay to cover our costs, such as paying tutors, the cost of creating and updating courses, postage etc. When a student does not keep to the payment plan they chose on enrolment but continues to submit assignments, it means the cost of the service provided to them can exceed the fees paid depending on how far into their course they are.

When a student faces financial difficulty we try to be as understanding as possible and offer options such as payment breaks and the option to split payments over a longer period. We ask that students keep us up to date in all situations so we can continue to offer support and make changes where necessary. Students do receive an automated email from our website to inform them when a payment fails and this contains instructions on how to update card details and how to contact us if they are facing issues. Further contact is only made when these reminders are ignored or when a student doesn't contact us in response to the email sent.

If a student has asked us to reschedule their payments and still cannot make a payment on the date arranged, we ask that they let us know beforehand so we can look into further options. We are a very understanding organisation and unlike most, do not charge late fees or amendment fees when a student isn't able to make a payment on time.

If a student continues to miss payments then we may have to pause marking on their assignments, but we do explore further options of rearranging payments before doing so.

We hope you continue to enjoy your course.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

So far so good

I haven't been that long with The Writers Bureau. However, I find the course well designed and structured. Lots of tips and constructive advise and loads of information. I enjoy the assignments because they are inspiring, broaden the imagination, make you think beyond your comfort zone, I believe that is important for any writer.

I like the tutor, always helpful and positive. I feel comfortable to communicate with her.

August 29, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review of the Novel and Short Story Writing Course, Afaf. You're making brilliant progress!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Good experience

Comprehensive, well put together courses. I can't complain about anything. The tutors are tough in their marking, but always a source of encouragement. My experience has been a good.

August 29, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review of the Copywriting Course, Indi. We hope you continue to enjoy your course.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed the course

I enjoyed the course. It is wonderful to have the chance to study from distance in my own time with a tutor. The responses from her as well as from the Students Center were very quick and useful. I am glad that I studied with Writers Bureau. I received plenty of advice and guidance.

August 23, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review Ivelina and well done on completing your course!

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Poor service and attitude

Poor service and attitude. Contacted months after starting demanding extra payment because I was allegedly under charged. Felt intimidated into paying with threat of court and bailiffs.

August 17, 2019
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

We're very disappointed to read this review and surprised by the statement made. We would like to look into this matter further; if we have made a mistake in not charging a student the correct fees then we would not chase them for the outstanding balance, we would waive the remaining fee.

We make every effort to contact a student directly to discuss any outstanding balances on their account and it is usually only after several attempts have been made without response that we proceed with further action.

Students have two years from the date of enrolment in which to complete their course and whilst assignments can be submitted at any point during this period, if a student has opted to pay for their course in instalments then all payments must be made on the dates agreed unless an alternative arrangement has been made with either Student Services or our Accounts department. Payments run on a particular schedule and students should not deviate from a set plan without first discussing this with us.

If we have made a mistake then we would like to try and rectify this. Please contact us directly on 0161 819 9922 or at studentservices@writersbureau.com and a member of staff can look into this for you and resolve the issue.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this course

I thoroughly enjoyed this course. My tutor, Esther Chilton, provided constructive and extremely encouraging feedback and was always prompt with marking. The assignments took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to see what I can achieve.
The marketing modules were an eye-opener, making me realise the importance of taking responsibility for raising my own profile. I now have a better understanding of how to market my work and feel confident enough to move forward.

August 5, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you so much for your review, Jenny. We're glad you enjoyed your course!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Professional writing made easy

I've been enrolled with The Writers Bureau for the past 5 months and am very happy with the overall experience. The modules and assignments are designed with 'real-world' feature writing and publication in mind. My tutor's advice and feedback is timely, honest and highly constructive. If you want to write professionally, this course is the place to start. Highly recommended!

July 6, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review of the Comprehensive Creative Writing Course, Phil. We're glad you are enjoying your course!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I highly recommend the Creative Writing…

I highly recommend the Creative Writing course, the course material provided together with the knowledge and experience of my tutor is first class. Anyone looking to take the course, please don’t join under the illusion that it will be easy, success is achieved by a combination of hard work and application. Having only started the course in April, I am on track to receive payment for articles published, that will cover the cost of the course. Thank you Writers Bureau.

June 29, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review, Mick, we are happy that you think so highly of your course.

Make sure you inform Student Services of your earnings, they can then arrange for your Certificate of Competence to be issued.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

Fantastic. Well worth the money.

June 29, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review, Luke!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The Comprehensive Creative Writing course is demanding, very profitable, but somewhat dated

The Comprehensive Creative Writing course is proving demanding and, for that very reason, also very profitable. I find the material somewhat dated, however: we don't need all that stuff on paper and much of it is common knowledge. Also, the idea of writing unsolicited filler or feature articles for various magazines isn't the way most such publications operate these days, so the exercises caused me a great deal of unnecessary headaches.

June 28, 2019
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Writers Bureau

Thank you for your review and for your feedback on the course, Viktor.

We are actually in the middle of reviewing areas of the course that are in need of updating and try to do this as often as is necessary.

Fillers aren't as popular as they used to be but are still used by many magazines. Tools such as Readly, Issuu and the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook are great for finding different markets. You will find that those available in your local area may be quite limited, so apps like these can really help to discover new markets.

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