Creative Writing Course Terms & Conditions

Course Terms and Conditions

4-Week Unlocking Creativity Course – Online

Places are only guaranteed when full payment is received. A full refund will apply for cancellations up to 7 days before course commencement less credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10. No refunds apply seven days from course commencement however you may defer to another Unlocking Creativity Online course at no extra charge. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement and after course commencement will incur a $255 Deferral fee. There are no refunds after course commencement. We cannot accept responsibility for changes in personal circumstances or work commitments. We reserve the right to change course dates if necessary.

4-Week Unlocking Creativity Course – Live in Studio

Places only guaranteed when full payment is received. A full refund will apply for cancellations up to 7 days before course commencement less credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10. A $50 cancellation fee will apply up to 7 days before course commencement. No refunds will apply 7 days from course commencement however you may defer to another Unlocking Creativity course at no extra charge. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement and after course commencement will incur a $295 Deferral fee. There are no refunds after course commencement. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments. We reserve the right to cancel or change class dates if necessary.

6-Week Short Story – Character Development, Genre and Writers’ Gym Courses – Online

Places are only guaranteed when full payment is received. A full refund will apply for cancellations up until 7 days before course commencement less credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10. No refunds apply seven days from course commencement however you may defer to another Six Week Short Story course at no extra charge. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement and after course commencement will incur a $320 Deferral fee. There are no refunds after course commencement. We cannot accept responsibility for changes in personal circumstances or work commitments. We reserve the right to change course dates if necessary.

10-Month Novel and Script First Draft Course – Online

Up to 30 days before course commencement, a full refund will apply less any credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10, and if you received a complimentary Unlocking Creativity course upon registering, the value of your Unlocking Creativity course will also be deducted. From 30 days to course commencement a Cancellation Fee of $150 will apply to all cancellations in addition to the above. You may defer to another First Draft Online course without fee for up to 14 days before course commencement. From 14 days to 48 hours before commencement a $150 Deferral Fee will apply. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $255 Deferral fee. After course commencement, there are no refunds nor deferments. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in your personal circumstances or work commitments. Your course fee entitles you to one place in one course only. If you have chosen to pay your course fee by instalments you are signing on for a 10 month course and all course fee instalments will continue to be deducted whether you discontinue the course for whatever reason. If your instalments are not up to date and we do not hear from you, all course fee instalments owed will become immediately due for payment. Discount offers cannot be used in conjunction with the complimentary Unlocking Creativity course offer. We reserve the right to cancel or change course dates if necessary.

If after completing the 4-Week Unlocking Creativity course (either as a complimentary course or as a stand-alone course) we feel that you are not ready or not suitable for the First Draft course, we will recommend that you either repeat Unlocking Creativity (and then go into the next First Draft Online course), or we will provide you with a refund for the First Draft Online course less the value of your complimentary Unlocking Creativity if you have undertaken Unlocking Creativity as part of your First Draft Online course registration, and as per the regular course terms and conditions.

10-Month Novel and Script First Draft Course – Live in Studio

For cancellations 60 days or more before course commencement, a full refund will be provided less any credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10 and if you received a complimentary Unlocking Creativity Course upon registering, the value of your Unlocking Creativity course will also be deducted. From 60 days to 30 days before course commencement, a $150 Cancellation Fee will also in addition to the above. From 30 days to course commencement there are no refunds unless there is someone to take your place in the course. If someone can take your place in the course before course commencement, a Cancellation Fee of $150 will apply in addition to the course terms and conditions above. You may defer to another First Draft Live course without fee up until 30 days before course commencement. From 30 days to 14 days before course commencement a $150 Deferral Fee will apply. From 14 days to course commencement a $275 Deferral Fee will apply. After course commencement, there are no refunds nor deferments. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in your personal circumstances or work commitments. Your course fee entitles you a place in one course only. If you have chosen to pay your course fee by the instalment option you have signed on for a 10 month course and all course fee instalments will continue to be deducted whether you discontinue the course for whatever reason. If your instalments are not up to date and we do not hear from you all course fee instalments owed will become immediately due for payment. Discount offers cannot be used in conjunction with a complimentary Unlocking Creativity course offer. We reserve the right to cancel or change course dates if necessary.

If after completing the 4-Week Unlocking Creativity course (either as a complimentary course or as a stand-alone course) we feel that you are not ready or not suitable for the First Draft course, we will recommend that you either repeat Unlocking Creativity (and then go into the next First Draft Live course), or we will provide you with a refund for the First Draft Live course less the value of your complimentary Unlocking Creativity if you have undertaken Unlocking Creativity as part of your First Draft Online course registration and as per the regular course terms and conditions.

2nd Draft Live in Studio & Online

A full refund will apply for cancellations up until 14 days before course commencement less any credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10. No refunds apply from 14 days to course commencement. From 14 days to 48 hours before course commencement you may defer to the next course and a $150 Deferral Fee will apply. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $275 Deferral fee. Once your course commences there are no deferments or refunds. Please note that if you have chosen to pay by instalments, you have signed on for an 8 month course and that all instalments owed will continue to be deducted if you discontinue the course for whatever reason. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments. If your instalments are not up to date and we do not hear from you, all course fee instalments owed will become immediately due for payment. We reserve the right to cancel or change course dates if necessary.

3rd Draft Part 1, Part 2 & Extension – Online

Please carefully note that once you register for a Third Draft Online course no refunds will apply. You will be sent a course login immediately to start pre-course work prior to the course commencement date. Up until 30 days before course commencement date you can defer to the next Third Draft Online course. From 30 days to 48 hours before course commencement you may defer to the next Third Draft Online course and a $150 Deferral Fee will apply. A deferment request received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $275 Deferral Fee. Once your course commences there are no deferments. We cannot take responsibility for any changes in your personal circumstances. If you have chosen to pay your course by instalments, your instalments will continue to be deducted if you discontinue the course for whatever reason. If your instalments are not up to date and we do not hear from you, all course fee instalments owed will become immediately due for payment. We reserve the right to cancel or change course dates if necessary.

3rd Draft Part 1, Part 2 & Extension – Live in Studio

Please carefully note that once you register for a Third Draft Live course no refunds apply. You will be sent a course login after registering to start your pre-course work prior to the course commencement date. Up to 30 days before course commencement you can defer to the next Third Draft Live course without fee. From 30 days to 48 hours before course commencement you may defer to the next Third Draft Live course and a $150 Deferral Fee will apply. A deferment request received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $275 Deferral Fee. Once your course commences there are no deferments. We cannot take responsibility for any changes in your personal circumstances. Please note that if you have chosen to pay by instalments, your instalments will continue to be deducted if you discontinue the course for whatever reason. If your instalments are not up to date and we do not hear from you, all course fee instalments owed will become immediately due for payment. We reserve the right to cancel or change course dates if necessary.

Day Workshops

Places are only guaranteed when full payment is received. A refund will apply for cancellations up to 7 days before Workshop commencement date less any credit card merchant fees and a registration app. fee of $10. No refunds apply 7 days from Workshop commencement. We cannot accept responsibility for changes in personal circumstances nor work commitments.

Manuscript & Screenplay/Script Assessments

There are no refunds once a Manuscript or Screenplay/Script Assessment has commenced. For up to 60 days before your Assessment Commencement Date a full refund will apply less a $10 app fee and merchant fee charges. From 60 days to 7 days before your Assessment Commencement Date a Cancellation Fee of $300 will apply. From 7 days to Assessment Commencement Date a $500 Cancellation Fee will apply. To postpone your Assessment you need to contact the office to re-book a new Assessment Commencement Date and a postponement fee may apply. If you submit a manuscript with a word count above the category word count that you registered for an additional fee will be applied.

Short Story Assessments

There are no refunds once payment has been received and the Assessment process has commenced.

General Terms & Conditions

Intellectual Property Rights

We claim no intellectual property rights over materials that you submit or post to our website, our writing forums and boards. You acknowledge that you are responsible for the content of material that you post to our website, our forums and our boards including its compliance with all relevant laws, its originality and its copyright.

Code of Conduct – Live in Studio Workshops

Our Live-in-Studio Workshops are places to explore ideas, develop your craft and connect with other writers. We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive and respectful environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing.

By participating in a Live Studio workshop, you agree to:

Treat fellow writers, tutors and staff with courtesy and respect.
Listen generously and allow others the opportunity to share their work and perspectives.
Offer feedback that is constructive, thoughtful and focused on the writing.
Respect the confidentiality of work and personal experiences shared within the workshop.
Embrace diverse viewpoints, experiences and creative approaches.
Follow the tutor’s directions to help maintain a positive and productive learning environment.

Safety:

We do not tolerate disruptive behaviour, harassment, bullying, intimidation, threatening behaviour, unwelcome sexual attention, inappropriate physical contact, or any disruption of the workshop.

If concerns arise:

If you experience or witness behaviour that concerns you, please speak with the tutor or a member of The Writers’ Studio team. Concerns will be handled as confidentially and sensitively as reasonably possible.

The Writers’ Studio reserves the right to take appropriate action where this Code of Conduct is breached. This may include being asked to leave the workshop at the discretion of the tutor, or a member of The Writers’ Studio team. It may also include being issued a warning, restricting participation in course activities, or removing a participant from the course without refund where behaviour is serious, repeated, or negatively impacts the learning experience, wellbeing or safety of others.

Our shared goal is to create a supportive space where writers can learn, experiment, take creative risks and enjoy the writing process.

Code of Conduct – Online Writers

Our online courses are spaces for creative exploration, learning and connection between writers. We aim to maintain a welcoming, inclusive and respectful environment for everyone participating.

By participating in an online course, you agree to:

Be respectful online

Treat fellow participants, tutors and staff with courtesy and respect in all written and verbal interactions.
Engage thoughtfully when giving feedback to others, even where opinions or interpretations differ.
Avoid language that is offensive, abusive, intimidating or disruptive.
Communicate with consideration and goodwill, recognising that written communication can sometimes lack the nuance of face-to-face conversation.

Support a constructive writing space:

Offer feedback that is supportive and focused on the writing.
Respect the confidentiality of any work shared by other writers in the course and do not share, reproduce or distribute it without permission.

Online safety:

We do not tolerate harassment, bullying, discrimination, unwelcome sexual attention, or any behaviour that makes others feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

This Code of Conduct applies to all course-related interactions, including forums, emails, video calls, messaging platforms and any other associated online spaces.

If concerns arise:

If you experience or witness behaviour that concerns you, please contact your tutor or a member of The Writers’ Studio team. Concerns will be handled as confidentially and sensitively as reasonably possible. The Writers’ Studio reserves the right to take appropriate action where this Code of Conduct is breached. This may include issuing a warning, restricting participation in course activities, or removing a participant from the course without refund where behaviour is serious, repeated, or negatively impacts the learning experience, wellbeing or safety of others.

Our goal is to create a supportive online space where writers can take creative risks, share work, and grow their practice with confidence.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Participants must not submit AI-generated writing or AI-generated feedback in any part of their coursework, including peer feedback, group work, or written assignments, unless explicitly permitted by their tutor for a specific exercise. Participants must not input another participant’s writing into any AI system without that participant’s explicit written consent.

Privacy, Copyright, and Data Protection from AI:

Participants must not upload any part of another participant’s writing, tutor feedback, or course materials into an AI tool (including free versions of ChatGPT and other AI services).

AI tools use submitted content to train their models and uploading another person’s writing, or our materials, or tutor feedback constitutes unauthorised publication and/or disclosure of personal data.

Participants are responsible for obtaining written consent before sharing any third-party creative content with an external service.

Monitoring and Verification:

The Writers’ Studio may review submissions or feedback where AI-generated content is suspected. AI-detection tools may be used as part of a broader assessment, though they are not solely determinative. Where concerns arise, participants may be asked to clarify their process or resubmit work.

Limited Permitted Use of AI:

In certain courses (e.g., the Second Draft program), tutors may provide guidance on optional, transparent, and ethically appropriate ways for participants to use AI for their own planning or structural exploration. Any permitted AI use will be clearly outlined within that specific course module.

Updates to AI Policy:

The Writers’ Studio may develop additional AI-supported tools or processes in the future. Any such use will be clearly described and will only be introduced in ways that protect each writer’s privacy, authorship, and creative development. The Writers’ Studio may update this AI Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, industry standards, or legal requirements.

Creative Well-being and Learning Boundaries

Creative writing can be deeply therapeutic, however, our courses are not a substitute for therapy.

Our tutors are trained to offer guidance on story craft and storytelling. They are not counsellors nor mental-health professionals and are not equipped to provide emotional support.

If your writing brings up difficult memories or unresolved personal issues, we encourage you to seek the support of a qualified therapist or counsellor outside the course.

Please discuss with your current healthcare provider to ensure undertaking a creative writing course complements your wellbeing and current treatment plan.

If you are currently experiencing significant emotional distress or instability, we recommend consulting your healthcare professional before enrolling.

Our online boards include an option for mature-content warnings, but each participant is responsible for maintaining their own emotional boundaries and wellbeing.

Technology & Participation Requirements

To get the most from our courses, all participants need to be able to work independently with the course materials and online systems used throughout the program.

Our courses are designed to develop your writing. While we’re happy to answer occasional questions about accessing our course systems, we are unable to provide ongoing technical support or training in the use of computers, software, email or the internet. Participants are responsible for operating their own computer and managing the technology required to participate in the course.

Before enrolling, you should be confident that you can:

Access the internet regularly throughout your course.
Send, receive and read emails.
Follow written instructions to complete course tasks without ongoing one-to-one assistance.
Navigate websites using written instructions and links we provide.
Read and follow written course materials and exercises.

Participants in First Draft and Second Draft courses also need to be able to:

Complete and submit work using our online forms and discussion forums.
Copy and paste text into online submission forms where required.
Print course materials and writing for live classes where required.
Save, organise and locate their own files on their computer.
Follow written instructions provided in emails, workbooks and online course materials.

Participants in Third Draft Online courses also need to be able to:

Use Microsoft Word to prepare and submit work for tutor feedback.
Upload documents to our online submission systems or shared folders, where required.
Organise and submit files in the format and by the deadlines specified.
Work independently with tutor feedback and written course instructions.

Participation in Third Draft Live courses also need to be able to:

Use Microsoft Word to prepare and submit work for tutor feedback.
Upload documents to our online submission systems or shared folders, where required.
Organise and submit files in the format and by the deadlines specified.

Third Draft Part 1, Part 2 and Extension Live courses rely on each participant making a meaningful contribution to the learning of the group. Participants are expected to:

prepare for each live session by carefully reading the work of the other members of their feedback group
prepare thoughtful written feedback before each live session
engage constructively, respectfully and generously with the work of others during group discussions
contribute consistently throughout the course.

These participation requirements form an essential part of the course. Where a participant repeatedly fails to prepare adequately, fails to provide meaningful feedback, or otherwise does not contribute appropriately to the group learning process, The Writers’ Studio may, at its discretion:

require the participant to improve their level of participation before continuing
remove the participant from the live component of the course and just continue with their online tutor

Any decision will be made reasonably and with regard to the learning experience of the group as a whole.

Failing to Meet Participation Requirements – All Courses:

Where a participant is withdrawn for failing to meet these participation requirements, The Writers’ Studio may, at its absolute discretion, offer a full refund, partial refund, transfer to another course, or no refund, depending on the circumstances.

If, during your course, it becomes clear that you are unable to participate independently at the level required, we may recommend repeating a course before progressing to the next level. In some circumstances, we may decide not to offer you a place in a more advanced course until these requirements can be met. Any such decision will be made on an individual basis and with the aim of giving you the best opportunity to succeed.

Saving copies of your work

We take no responsibility and assume no liability for retaining copies of your work. Please ensure that you keep copies of all work that you post to our forums and writing boards.

Posting on our site

You must not post any threatening, libellous, defamatory, or pornographic materials to our site or contrary to the law. Nor any materials with direct and specific threats of violence against others.

Nevertheless, we take no responsibility and assume no liability for the content of posts submitted in regards to defamation, libel, slander, omissions, falsehoods, obscenity, or pornography that you might encounter on our site.

We will endeavour to remove any offensive material from our site as soon as we become aware of it.

Privacy

The only personal information collected by the Writers’ Studio is what you provide when you register for a course for the purposes of course registration and when undertaking a course.

We do not sell or share any private information with any other third-party for the purposes of selling their products or for the purposes of trading your private information and we never will knowingly do so, except where it is necessary to deliver the services you have requested.

Use of Course Reports and Feedback

From time to time, The Writers’ Studio may reproduce short excerpts from course reports and feedback submitted to us for educational or promotional purposes. Where such excerpts are used publicly, participants will not be identified by their full name. We may identify participants by first name only, unless they have requested otherwise.

Our Website

All materials on our website are protected by copyright unless stated otherwise. You need our written permission to reproduce any materials on our site.

We accept no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions on the site. All information on our site is subject to change without notice.

We make no statement or representation or warranty in regards to the accuracy or completeness of information on our website.

We disclaim all responsibility and all liability whatsoever (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information on our website being inaccurate or incomplete in any way, and for any reason.

We are not liable for any damages you suffer when you use our website, in particular, including direct, incidental, or indirect damages arising out of your use of our website.

We endeavour to keep our website free from any viruses or malware, however we are not responsible for any damage to your computer system which may arise in connection with your use of our website or any linked website.

Links to other sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement of the information contained at those sites. We accept no responsibility for material contained in any site that is linked to our website.

We will automatically update and upgrade the website from time to time. Updates are designed to improve our site and may take the form of enhanced functions or new modules.

In return for an entitlement to use the site you expressly agree that you will not rely on any representation of any nature whatsoever said to be contained on the site for any purpose whatsoever.

Jurisdiction

Our terms and conditions are in accordance with the laws of NSW (New South Wales) and any claim which arise out of our terms and conditions will be heard in NSW and you agree to this.