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The Advanced Creative Writing Course is not a typical ‘online creative writing course’. This two-month program of live seminars, masterclasses, writing targets and group workshops has all the rigour of a university masters course. It is for those writers who have raw talent and a commitment to excellence, but the costs and/or the time commitments of a MA in Creative Writing have put it out of reach.

This program is unique. It has been developed from core creative writing modules I have previously taught at University College Dublin and for the University of Iowa. It heavily draws on my decade’s experience working in the publishing industry and my first-hand knowledge of successfully publishing seven books.

No. This course focuses on fiction: the novel, the short story and flash fiction.

The reason is a personal one. I (Jamie) have lived many places, but my roots will always be in Ashgrove Cottage, my paternal grandparents home overlooking the Blackwater River in North Cork. It is where I was happiest as a child and the reason why I named my creative writing business Blackwater Writing.

Yes. There is a code of conduct which will be included in your course handbook. The ethos of the course is that of decency and respect, both by the tutor/lecturer and the students.

I understand that. Your caution is completely understandable. Google me, Jamie O’Connell, and you’ll see many well-established websites that I have been featured on, as well as companies I have worked for. Check out my Google reviews, given by writers whom I have worked with in the past, either in seminars or one-to-one mentorship.

Do checkout below my refund policy also. I don’t wish to put anyone into a situation they are unhappy about. If the course is not for you, you can cancel with a full refund up to the end of the first week.

If you come to the first week of The Advanced Creative Writing Course and realise it is not for you, no problem. Simply return your course pack and upon receipt, you will be issued a full refund. Contact admin@blackwaterwriting.com before the second seminar commences and it will be organised.

I would recommend that you carefully read the course outline here before you sign up. It is designed for students who are interested in completing a Masters in Creative Writing, not those looking for an evening course in creative writing. This course is rigorous. It requires commitment from its students.

The course must be paid in full two weeks before commencement to hold your place. If you cannot make this date, email admin@blackwaterwriting.com.

A good internet connection is essential. If your WiFi is intermittent or patchy, move closer to your router. Ideally, you should be in the same room or as close as possible to it. If you can plug your router into your device, you should try this. A wired internet connection will be faster and more stable than WiFi.

I ask that students wear earphones, where possible. It helps with any background noise issues.

They are currently hosted on Zoom. We recommend that you download the Zoom app and set up an account ahead of the event if you haven’t used it before. At some point ahead of the course, we advise that you test your audio and video settings on Zoom.

Check your junk and spam folders for emails from the Blackwater Writing, using the email address, admin@blackwaterwriting.com. If you still cannot find the link, email admin@blackwaterwriting.com and I’ll resend a link to you.

For now, the course is only taught through Zoom. For the best user experience, we recommend using a laptop.

Ideally, if you feel you will miss any of the dates before signing up, email admin@blackwaterwriting.com and I can arrange a deposit to hold your place on the next course. It runs three times a year.

If, mid-course, you find you can’t make one of the seminars or masterclasses due to unforeseen occurrences, please give as much notice as you can. If the other students on the course confirm they are happy to have it recorded (a legal requirement), I will be able to send you a link after the seminar for you to watch in your own time.

This is a live course best suited for students in Europe or on the East Coast of the USA/Canada. You are welcome to join, of course. However, you might have to get up early/stay up late!