In principal, I am opposed to courses.I don’t see the point of aiming to turn out clones of the This is Best School of Literature. What good would that do? You’d have shelves of books in the bookstores and titles of ebooks all in the same mold. Boring, or what?

On my Home Page, I’ve already said how variety is the spice of my life. I grow jaded with repetitive activities such as dragging out the vacuum cleaner and planning meals. Odd, isn’t it, that sitting at the keyboard doesn’t have the same effect?

But, I digress. Creative writing courses. I went on one once. It came at a time when I needed a break from domestic dolour and an injection of uplifting motivation. I’d had my share of rejections and was looking for other avenues to explore.

I found the book doctor. The course, held in the Dordogne, which happened to be a convenient train ride for me, was a combination of motivation and relaxation. The setting was peaceful and nurturing. Our hosts were kindly and nurturing. Their food was delicious and nurturing. Above all, Philippa Pride was friendly and, you guessed it, nurturing.

I wouldn’t say I came away with startling new perspectives about the complicated world of publishing. After all, I wasn’t an absolute beginner: I knew something about what I was attempting to get myself into.

It was such a delight to meet with people who had similar ambitions, who were supportive of each other, who had no ulterior motives. Needless to say, I loved this course and returned home feeling refreshed, ready to get back to work and thoroughly nurtured. Philippa provided a perfect combination of workshop/retreat. Here’s a link to her website:

http://www.thebookdoctor.co.uk

Happy writing!