FAQ

Our Courses

View our full course calendar

How do our online writing classes work?

See our full description in “How our courses work.”

How do tutoring, coaching, editorial services and private classes work?

See our full description in “How our courses work.”

The class I want has already started. Can I still get in?

If the class is not already full, the answer is usually “yes” during the first week of class. Each class is different, however, and the final decision depends on the class structure and the instructor. Please email us and we will quickly see what we can do.

What is your refund policy?

We understand that life circumstances and writing priorities change, and we have a flexible refund and course credit policy. We offer the following refund policy to all Writers.com students:

Before the first week of class: If you withdraw from a course before it begins, we will offer your choice of either a full refund of 100% of your course fee, or equivalent Writers.com course credit.

During the first week of class: If you drop a course after it has started, we will refund you everything except the platform fees we pay for our course software, as well as the transaction fees from our payment processor. For most courses, this is around $25. We will not take this fee out if you decide to transfer your enrollment to a different course, or ask us to hold onto it as course credit.

During the second week of class: Beginning on the first day of the second week of the course (usually a Wednesday), we will offer you either a prorated refund or prorated course credit. For example, if you enroll in a 10-week course and withdraw during the second week, you can choose from either a refund of 90% of the course fee, or that amount as credit for a future course, whichever you prefer. Additionally, we will hold onto the above roughly $25 transaction fees.

During or after the third week of class: Beginning on the first day of the third week of the course and thereafter, we will not offer any refunds, except for extenuating or unexpected circumstances. This reflects the importance of the writing communities that develop during our courses, which late withdrawals disrupt. If unexpected circumstances prevent you from continuing with a course, please contact us, and we will work to find a solution together.

Live workshops: Our one- and two-session live workshops cannot be refunded after the start time of the first workshop.

We are also always open to working to accommodate your needs. Free to email us anytime at writers@writers.com.

Can I get college credit for the classes I take through Writers.com?

We’re not a college and cannot give credits toward a degree. However, some schools will allow credit for independent course work, portfolio work, and “life experience.” If you think your school will give credit for a Writers.com class, be sure to confirm this with them in writing before you register with us. We will be happy to provide any pertinent information required.

Payment and Registration

How much do the classes cost?

Most eight week classes cost US $395. Ten week classes usually cost US $460; there are a few exceptions. All classes must be paid in full before the first day of class. All dollar amounts are US dollars.

How do I pay for classes or other services?

It’s easiest if you pay by credit card. We accept VISA, MasterCard, and American Express. You can use our secure registration form, or send an email to writers@writers.com setting out the card type, card number, expiry date, and your name as it appears on the card. Don’t forget to specify which class you are paying for! All classes must be paid for in advance. Tutoring and editing services are billed at the end of each month; you will be sent an invoice by email, and your credit card debited.

I am having problems registering for a class. What’s wrong?

Please email us right away and we’ll solve the problem one way or another.

Our Email Newsletter

Why should I be on the Writers.com mail list?

In addition to our upcoming class schedule, our free weekly newsletter contains interesting and helpful information for writers. We want to keep you informed of our classes and services through which you can meet other writers, learn about writing, and just have fun. We never allow anyone to even peek at our mail list and will never give, sell, or distribute your email address to anyone or anything.

How do I subscribe?

You can subscribe to the mail list at any time here:

You can also email us at writers@writers.com. Since we do not give out your email address for any reason whatsoever, please use the email address you check most often and keep us informed if your address changes.

I’m having trouble receiving the Writers.com newsletter. What should I do?

  • Please check your junk-mail inbox settings to see that your newsletters are not being flagged and auto-deleted as junk mail because they are bulk mailed. Many mail programs, such as Hotmail, have a junk mail folder that you should also check.
  • Addresses can “fall off” the list, so if you stop hearing from us please resubscribe.
  • Please use your most frequently checked email address. Remember, you get only two emails a month from us!

Additional FAQs

I don’t understand how to do things that seem to be taken for granted online. Is there hope?

We are here to help. Since we are creative, language-oriented folks ourselves, we aren’t exactly the most cutting-edge high techies on the web. (We are also old enough to remember all telephones used to have dials.) You can always email us at writers@writers.com.

I’m having problems with viewing or using the website. What do I do? Write to us: We’ll figure it out.

Can you help me get my work published? Find an agent? Sell a screenplay? Etc.

No, sorry. We cannot offer any advice except that given by the teachers in our classes.

I have a great idea for a book but no time to write it. Can you put me in touch with a ghostwriter?

Unfortunately, Writers.com doesn’t offer ghostwriting services at this time, and does not have the resources to connect idea people and ghosts. We do, however, offer some contractual customized writing services.

How do I know you’re a legitimate business?

People are understandably suspicious about the Internet. However, we’ve been in business since 1995. If we were not an honest enterprise, one of several states would have shut us down by now. You’d also be reading nasty postings about us on the web, but you won’t find such. Besides, if we cashed checks and charged credit cards as part of a fraudulent enterprise, we would be engaged in criminal activity. Since we are a very small company without the resources to effectively cheat and steal from consumers, we would have been caught by now. It’s only the big guys who get away…

What if my instructor and I don’t connect well?

Sometimes an instructor or course is not an ideal fit for a student. This is rare, but it does happen in a field as vulnerable and subjective as creative writing.

If you feel that a course or an instructor is not working for you, please contact us at writers@writers.com or review our refund policy. Please note that our refund policy does not cover late-in-course drops, as they disrupt course cohesion.

If an instructor feels that he or she is not the best fit to help you progress on your writing journey, he or she may request that we find a different instructor, course, or option that may fit you better. We will honor these requests, and will work within our policies to minimize disruption and to help suggest alternatives that we believe will be generative for you as a writer. In these cases, we appreciate your understanding, and we especially want to underline that the instructor’s request is in no way a reflection on you as a writer or on the work you may have submitted.

Is there any way to guarantee that my idea won’t be stolen by someone in the class, or by my instructor?

We’re often asked this. The truth is that there is no guarantee, just as there is no guarantee in a college course, a writers group, or a workshop. It’s rare for a story idea to be so innovative that many other writers haven’t thought of it. Consider the films that are made, the popular books that are published – you’ll notice a striking redundancy in story line. This can be explained in various ways, but the point is that the originality of the story idea seldom determines the success of a book or script, but rather the skill and creativity with which the story is envisioned and then written.

However, if you do feel that you have a real innovation and wish to keep your idea completely secure while you work with it, the only certain way to do so is to not reveal it to others. This needn’t prevent you from taking a class: work with another story idea for the class, receive feedback on it, and then transfer what you learn to your primary manuscript. You may also prefer to work one-on-one with an instructor.

We aren’t aware of many cases of true story-idea theft except in the film business where ideas are bought and sold at premium prices.

I have a great idea for a class or project I’d like to see Writers.com offer. May I make a suggestion?

Yes, please do! We love suggestions! Email us at writers@writers.com and tell us about it.

Is Writers.com hiring new editors or teachers?

Yes! See here for more information. Feel free to send us a copy of your list of credits, teaching experiences, and some information about what you’d like to teach. Email it to writers@writers.com.

Is it possible for me to “meet” the instructor before committing to a whole class?

This usually isn’t practical for classes, though it is normal with tutors. We will, however, try to answer questions and see if the teacher has the time avaliable to answer questions. If you’re concerned about whether you’re compatible with one of our teachers, we suggest for an hour of tutoring with that teacher.

What have other students said about Writers.com?

Read comments from our alumni on individual instructors’ pages. We also have a comment page you may be interested in.