The story about how this organization began is a bit long and involved, but I'll cut it down to bite size, as I think it is important.
It was the spring of 2005, and I was searching for myself, as a writer. I happened across one of the best writing groups on the net, Writing.com, and I joined it. My motive was selfish. I needed motivation and I thought Writing.com would have free writing classes. I soon learned I was wrong. As I talked to other authors on the site, I found that they wanted classes, too.
It had taken me 15 years of scratching and scraping to get my writing education. I wanted to make it easier for others. With the help of a friend, we outlined a school within the walls of Writing.com (now defunct). Within four to six months I wondered what I had gotten myself into, but six months later, the school had 600 students.
My heart's desire was to make a good writing education available to writers everywhere. I wanted the prices to be so affordable that every writer could have an education if they wanted it. That was accomplished by using mentors from my previous school (teriffically talented people) and by becoming a non-profit organization. These things enabled us to drop our prices 40% lower than most competitors.
Creative Writing Institute's mentors are writers who have been where you are, and they haven't forgotten what it was like. They are family people who are devoting themselves to this ministry in a sacrificial way. They will give of themselves until there is nothing left to give. If you have a question and they can't answer it, they will find the answer.
This is a serious school with excellent curriculum. It is here to escort you from your present level to your individual, highest potential. You might say, this school is tailor made for you. When you write for help, you will be answered quickly. When you call, you'll talk to a real person.
WHAT WE EXPECT of YOU
If you fail, we have failed you. If you prosper, we rejoice with you. Enjoy the fruits of our labors, but we expect you to study hard and turn in your homework every week. Your mentor will not disappoint you, and neither will the school. Don't disappoint yourself.
Our lessons are challenging. If you are looking for easy work, you're at the wrong school. Please evaluate yourself without bias before you join an advanced course, as you can easily get in over your head.
If I could give writers only one piece of advice, it would be to start at the bottom and work your way up. Don't try to skip classes to the advanced level (like I did), as you will only end up in discouragement and mediocre achievement. The chances are, you will have to return to take the courses you missed (like I did), or the whole writing picture will not gel properly in your mind. These courses are laid out to coordinate, and each course builds on the one before it. At the end, you will see the whole picture, and you will thank me for this advice.
If you have a problem finding your level, send me a 1,000 word story, (or for non-fiction writers, send a 200 word article) and I'll give you my personal opinion as to where you should begin. Feel free to write to me any time! My address is deborahowen@cwinst.com. I'll be happy to help in any way I can.
