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 $12 (incl. GST). No refunds apply from seven days before course commencement, however you may defer to another Unlocking Creativity Online course at no extra charge, provided your deferral request is received 48 hours before course commencement. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement and after course commencement will incur a $255 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee. The $255 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee is only payable when you are ready to join a new course, and your deferral must be used within 12 months. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments affecting your ability to participate in this course.

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 $12 (incl. GST). No refunds apply from 7 days before course commencement, however you may defer to another Unlocking Creativity course at no extra charge, provided your deferral request is received 48 hours before course commencement. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement and after course commencement will incur a $295 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee. The $295 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee is only payable when you are ready to join a new course, and your deferral must be used within 12 months. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments affecting your ability to participate in this course.

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 $12 (incl. GST). No refunds apply from 7 days before course commencement, however you may defer to any other 6-Week Short Story course (Character Development, Genre, or Writers’ Gym) at no extra charge, provided your deferral request is received 48 hours before course commencement. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement, and after course commencement, will incur a $320 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee and can only be used to defer into the same Short Story course you were originally registered into. The $320 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee is only payable when you are ready to join a new course, and your deferral must be used within 12 months. We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments affecting your ability to participate in this course.

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 $12 (incl. GST). If you received a complimentary Unlocking Creativity course as part of your First Draft Online course registration, the value of the complimentary Unlocking Creativity course will also be deducted from the refund.

From 30 days before course commencement until course commencement, a $150 (incl. GST) Cancellation Fee will apply to all cancellations, in addition to the deductions outlined above. This fee reflects the administrative costs incurred by The Writers’ Studio in processing a cancellation, including staff time spent responding to correspondence, arranging and processing the refund, and (where applicable) obtaining and handling payment details for EFT refunds.

You may defer your enrolment to another First Draft Online course without a fee if your deferral request is received at least 14 days before course commencement.

Deferral requests received between 14 days and 48 hours before course commencement will incur a $150 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee. Deferral requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $255 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee. These fees reflect the increasing administrative and preparatory costs incurred by The Writers’ Studio as course commencement approaches, including tutor allocation, planning, and course setup already undertaken on your behalf.

After course commencement, there are no refunds. Deferrals may be granted after course commencement at The Writers’ Studio’s discretion, subject to full payment of all outstanding course fee instalments. The deferral fee to register into a new course is 50% of the new course fee and only payable when you are ready to register into the new course. The Deferral Offer is available for 12 months.

We cannot accept responsibility for changes in your personal circumstances or work commitments that affect your ability to participate in the course.

Your course fee entitles you to one place in one course only.

Discount offers cannot be used in conjunction with the complimentary Unlocking Creativity course offer.

(Instalment payment terms for this course are set out in Instalment Payment Option Terms and Conditions, below.)

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 $12 (incl. GST) 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 (incl. GST) Cancellation Fee will also apply 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 (incl. GST) 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 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee will apply. From 14 days to course commencement a $275 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee will apply.

Places in the Live in Studio course are limited and fixed. After course commencement, there are no refunds nor deferments, reflecting the fixed and limited nature of places in this course.

We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in your personal circumstances or work commitments.

Your course fee entitles you to a place in one course only.

Discount offers cannot be used in conjunction with a complimentary Unlocking Creativity course offer.

(Instalment payment terms for this course are set out in Instalment Payment Option Terms and Conditions, below.)

Suitability for the First Draft Course

If, after completing the 4-Week Unlocking Creativity course, whether undertaken as a complimentary course or as a stand-alone course, we consider that you are not yet ready or suitable to proceed to the First Draft course, we may require that you repeat Unlocking Creativity before commencing a subsequent First Draft Online or Live in Studio course. Where you are required to repeat Unlocking Creativity, the deferral fee applicable to the Unlocking Creativity course you are required to repeat (Online or Live in Studio, as applicable) will apply.

Alternatively, where Unlocking Creativity was provided as a complimentary course as part of your First Draft course registration, we may provide a refund of your First Draft course fee less the value of the complimentary Unlocking Creativity course, subject to the applicable cancellation and refund terms.

Novel and Script Second Draft – 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 $12 (incl. GST).

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 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee will apply. Deferment requests received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $275 (incl. GST) Deferral fee.

We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments.

(Instalment payment terms for this course are set out in Instalment Payment Option Terms and Conditions, below.)

Novel and Script Second Draft – Live in Studio

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 $12 (incl. GST).

No refunds apply from 14 days to course commencement.

Places in the Live in Studio course are limited and often fully booked. Once your course commences there are no deferments or refunds.

We cannot accept responsibility for any changes in personal circumstances or work commitments.

(Instalment payment terms for this course are set out in Instalment Payment Option Terms and Conditions, below.)

Novel and Script Third Draft Part 1, Third Draft Part 2, Third Draft Extension – Live In Studio and Online

Please carefully note that once you register for a Third Draft course no refunds will apply. You will be sent a course login after registering to start your pre-course work prior to the course commencement date.

Up until 30 days before course commencement you can defer to the next Third Draft course without fee.

From 30 days to 48 hours before course commencement you may defer to the next Third Draft course and a $150 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee will apply. A deferment request received 48 hours or less before course commencement will incur a $275 (incl. GST) Deferral Fee.

We cannot take responsibility for any changes in your personal circumstances.

(Instalment payment terms for this course are set out in Instalment Payment Option Terms and Conditions, below.)

Instalment Payment Option Terms and Conditions

If you choose to pay for your Novel and Script course fee by credit card instalments, please note now that the Instalment Option is a payment method for the full course fee. It is not a ‘pay-as-you-go’ scheme, a month-to-month enrolment, nor a subscription model.

By enrolling in a Novel and Script course and selecting the Instalment Payment Option, you agree to pay the full course fee in accordance with the instalment schedule, for the full duration of the course, regardless of your ongoing participation.

If you anticipate difficulty meeting a scheduled payment, you must contact us in writing before the payment is due. The Writers’ Studio may, at its absolute discretion, agree to a variation of the payment schedule. Nothing in this clause obliges The Writers’ Studio to agree to any variation.

Non-payment without prior notice is a default under these Terms. Circumstances raised after a payment has already failed, or after the instalment has become overdue, will not excuse or reduce the obligation to pay, and The Writers’ Studio is not obliged to take such circumstances into account when enforcing this clause or pursuing recovery of the amount owing.

You are responsible for ensuring that your nominated credit or debit card remains valid and that sufficient funds or available credit are available for each scheduled payment.

Failed or Overdue Instalment Payments

If a scheduled instalment payment is unsuccessful, a $20 (incl. GST) re-processing fee will apply, and you will be required to update your payment details or make alternative payment arrangements with us.

If an overdue amount remains unpaid after reasonable attempts have been made to contact you, we may require the total outstanding balance to be paid immediately and/or may refer the debt to an external debt collection agency or take other appropriate steps to recover the amount owing.

Where permitted by law, you may also be responsible for reasonable costs incurred in recovering an overdue amount, including the $20 (incl. GST) re-processing fee referred to above.

If you dispute an amount owing, you should contact us promptly and provide details of the basis of the dispute so that the matter can be reviewed.

Day Workshops – Live

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 $12 (incl. GST). No refunds apply 7 days from Workshop commencement. We cannot accept responsibility for changes in personal circumstances nor work commitments.

Day Workshops – Zoom

You are responsible for a reliable internet connection and a device with a working camera, microphone and speakers. Your joining link is for your use only and must not be shared. Participants must not record, screenshot or share any part of a workshop without written permission. If you cannot attend or stay connected because of a technical problem on your side, this does not entitle you to a refund.

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 registration app. fee of $12 (incl. GST) and merchant fee charges.

From 60 days to 7 days before your Assessment Commencement Date a Cancellation Fee of $300 (incl. GST) will apply. From 7 days to Assessment Commencement Date a $500 (incl. GST) Cancellation Fee will apply. These fees reflect that your Assessor is booked and allocated to your Assessment months in advance, and this commitment cannot be recovered once made.

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 or screenplay with a word or page count above the category you registered and paid for, the fee for the applicable higher category will apply, and the difference between your original Assessment fee and the higher category fee is payable prior to your Assessment commencing.

Short Story Assessments

There are no refunds once payment has been received and the Assessment process has commenced. If you submit a short story with a word count above the category you registered and paid for, the fee for the applicable higher category will apply, and the difference between your original Assessment fee and the higher category fee is payable prior to your Assessment commencing.

Gift Certificates

Gift Certificates are valid for 3 years from purchase date and can only be used for the course purchased. A refund will be provided within the three-year period less merchant fees and a $12 (incl. GST) App Fee. Refunds can only be made to the purchaser of the Gift Certificate. Gift Certificate recipients who register into a gifted course agree to these Terms and Conditions.

We Reserve the Right

The Writers’ Studio reserves the right to cancel or change course dates for any of our courses if necessary. If The Writers’ Studio cancels a course entirely, you will be offered, at your choice, a full refund or a transfer to the next available intake at no additional cost. If The Writers’ Studio materially changes the course dates, you will be notified as soon as practicable and may elect to withdraw with a full refund if the change is not suitable for you.

The Writers’ Studio may allocate a different tutor to a course at its discretion, including due to tutor unavailability. A change of tutor does not entitle you to a refund, deferral, or any other remedy under these Terms.

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.
Participate in class exercises, discussions and workshop activities.
Share your writing with the group.
Read your work aloud, or allow the tutor or another participant to read it on your behalf.
Be open to receiving constructive feedback from your tutor and fellow participants.
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.

Sharing your work and being open to feedback are essential parts of the live workshop experience. We understand that this can feel challenging, particularly for writers who are new to sharing their work, and tutors will support participants through the process. Declining to share work or participate in workshop activities may be treated as a failure to meet the participation requirements of the course.

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.

Technology & Other 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.
Follow written instructions provided in emails, workbooks and online course materials and exercises.
Copy and paste text into online submission forms.
Save, organise and locate their own files on their computer.
Complete and submit work using our online forms and discussion forums.

Participants in First Draft Live-In-Studio and Second Draft Live-In-Studio courses also need to be able to:

Print course materials and writing for live classes when required.

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

Use Microsoft Word to prepare and submit their 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.

Participants 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.

Live-In-Studio Third Draft Part 1, Part 2 and Extension 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 Third Draft Live courses. 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.

Zoom Workshops – In-Course and Information Sessions

You are responsible for a reliable internet connection and a device with a working camera, microphone and speakers. Your joining link is for your use only and must not be shared. Participants must not record, screenshot or share any part of a workshop without written permission. Workshops are recorded by The Writers’ Studio. If you cannot attend or stay connected because of a technical problem on your side, a recording will be available to watch the next day.

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.

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.

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

We do not sell or share any private information that you provide when you register into our courses. We do not sell or share your information that you have provided when registering into our courses with other third-parties 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.

Cookies and Tracking

Our public website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to understand how visitors use our site, such as pages viewed and time spent on the site, to help us understand and improve the visitor experience. We use the similar technologies to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on social media. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Tracking or cookies are not utilised nor are required in our course materials or on writing boards and forums.

Marketing Emails and Newsletters

If you have provided us with your email address, we may send you newsletters, course updates, or information about our courses and offers. You can unsubscribe from these at any time using the link provided in each email.

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.

All information on our site is subject to change without notice, and we make no representation or warranty as to its accuracy or completeness. We accept no liability or responsibility for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies on the site, or for any loss or damage you may incur as a result, however arising.

We endeavour to keep our website free from 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 update our website from time to time to improve or add to its functionality.

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.

Australian Consumer Law

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions — including the Course Terms and Conditions and this General Terms and Conditions section — excludes, restricts or modifies any rights or remedies that you may have under the Australian Consumer Law or any other applicable law.

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.