THE QUIET WORDS.
A Gentle Online Course on the Craft of Writing Creatively with Award-Winning Author, Huma Qureshi
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The Quiet Words
A Gentle Online Course on the Craft of Writing Creatively with Award-Winning Author, Huma Qureshi
Carefully chosen, well-crafted words have the power to open minds, enchant and inspire, so let the words inside you pour out, let them flow.
The Quiet Words is my flagship eight-week online writing course on the craft of writing creatively. To me, ‘writing creatively’ means writing in a creative way for any genre or format, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, blog posts or essays, memoirs or journals. It’s about connecting with language, finding your creative flow, and letting the words inside you pour out. It doesn’t matter if it’s for a future bestseller, or for your eyes only in a private journal.
Without being formulaic or overly prescriptive, The Quiet Words will allow you to explore your writing voice and fine-tune your craft. You’ll learn how to create and develop your own process for gathering ideas, how to write with ease and intention, and to edit with a professional eye.
By the end of the course, you’ll have challenged yourself, stretched your writing muscles, and grown as a writer. You’ll have developed a quiet, steady confidence in your writing voice and committed to a regular writing practice. More than anything, you’ll be ready and eager to start a new, fulfilling stage of your writing journey, and to see where your words might take you.
Marie
‘This course you created is a little treasure I will keep close to my heart along my writing journey. It confirmed my utter love for writing.’
Kim
‘Huma’s warmth, passion and expertise shines through in The Quiet Words.There are so many practical elements of the course that I will take away with me, but most importantly it was this message: that she believed we could.’
This course is for you if…
You’ve always wanted to write but have never known how to start OR
You’ve tried writing in the past but keep getting stuck.
You’re nervous about other people reading your work but would secretly love to
receive feedback on your writing.
You love reading and have always been inspired by words, fictional or otherwise.
You feel like creativity is missing from your life and long to make it a priority.
You crave a safe, quiet space in which to write.
You want to reduce the chaos of daily life and reclaim some time for yourself to
improve your wellbeing.
By the end of this course you will…
Have produced a piece of writing and, if you choose to upgrade, received personal
feedback from me to help you develop your writing further.
Have committed to and established a daily writing practice.
Have learnt how to declutter your mind to let your creativity flow.
Have learnt to read books and stories the way a writer would, watching closely for
the details.
Know how to spot a good idea to write about and feel confident enough to follow
through.
Understand how to craft memorable, moving descriptions.
Know how to edit your work so it reads effortlessly.
Be able to infuse your writing with a sense of true emotion that will bring your work
alive, regardless of the context.
Be on the path to living the creative, fulfilling life you’ve been longing for.
‘‘The course did far, far more than just instruct me in the art of writing. It caused me to pause; to really delve into why I want to write, and to contemplate what creativity means to me and how I might add some brush strokes to the canvas of words, narratives and stories out there, that we all live by. I feel like it’s given me calm but also courage.’’
— Ali
Unlock your creativity
Did you dream of being a writer when you were little? Were stories forever spilling out of your heart? I bet there was so much you wanted to write back then, so many tales you wanted to tell.
Then you grew up. Life happened. But you’ve never forgotten your dream.
Perhaps you made a start. Perhaps you kept a notebook by your bed, or a secret document hidden somewhere on your computer. But it’s hard. You don’t know what to write about and when you do, the words don’t come. You simply can’t find them. Occasionally you can, but rather than celebrate, you tell yourself your words are not good enough to read. You tell yourself you can’t possibly share your writing with anyone else.
As a published author, I know first-hand the struggles of writing. I know how hard it is to find something worth writing about. And I know how hard it is to put those ideas, those feelings, into words. I know how overwhelming it is to commit your words to paper, how terrifying it can be to show them to someone else to read.
But I also know how amazing it feels when you connect with your creativity, sit down to write, and the words start to flow. Something just clicks. You read back what you’ve written, and you can’t quite believe those words came from you.
I want to help you feel this way too. I want to help you dream again.
Why Take This Course With Me?
‘Qureshi creates gripping plotlines and vividly drawn characters and - most importantly - she is a writer with something to say.’ - i newspaper
I wrote the original version of The Quiet Words for myself at a time in my life when I was feeling lost. All I wanted to do was write, but I didn’t believe in myself enough to begin. I wished I had someone, a mentor of sorts, to show me what I was capable of.
I created the course as if I was someone else, sharing the advice I needed to hear, advice I’d often given others. I needed that voice to tell me what I already knew deep inside. I had everything I needed to be a writer. The only thing holding me back was fear.
The Quiet Words gave me the confidence to believe my writing was important. It gave me permission to prioritise my creativity. Since then, I’ve acquired a literary agent and had three books published, including Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love and How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures. I’ve also gone on to teach writing courses with institutions such as The Arvon Foundation, Guardian Masterclasses and CBC Creative.
Before I was published, I took lots of writing courses but often felt shy and self-conscious. I didn’t enjoy responding to writing prompts that felt unnatural, filling in spreadsheets and sharing my work with people I didn’t know. When I started designing my own courses, I knew I wanted them to be different. I wanted them to be non-prescriptive, playful, curious and inspiring. Above all, I wanted to remind people that writing is first and foremost a pleasurable pursuit.
Many of my students have gone on to have their short stories, essays and articles published.
I can’t promise this will be the case for everyone who completes The Quiet Words, but I’m certain this course will help you unlock and explore the creativity within you. You’ll discover what it is you want to write about and why, what you love about the craft, and the reason it’s so important to you. You’ll learn how to lift your writing off the page and make it feel alive. These are the things that helped me at the beginning of my own writing journey, and years later they still do, every time I sit down at my desk.
Alicia
‘The Quiet Words gave me a renewed sense of energy and reminded me why I love writing so very much. Huma’s warmth and dedication to her craft shines through in every lesson and I’m always referring back to her gentle words of encouragement.'
‘I can’t recommend The Quiet Words enough.’
What’s Included
Eight in-depth essays shared weekly for you to read.
Weekly writing tasks to help you form the building blocks of your own work while
also learning how to meet deadlines and hold yourself accountable. From week 4-8,
you will produce a piece of writing. This might be your first newsletter, your first
personal essay or blog post, a short story or the first chapter of a novel or memoir.
Extra reading so you can immerse yourself in the craft of writing.
The chance to submit written questions each week, the answers to which will be
shared with the group so everyone on the course can benefit.
For an additional fee, the option to upgrade your purchase and receive 500 words of
personal feedback on something you have written (up to 1200 words in length).
Access to the essays and other course materials via my website for six months after
the course ends.
Course Contents
The course is designed to fit into your daily life around work and family commitments. Each week, essays will go live in the members-only area of my website at 7am, UK time.
These weekly essays can be read or listened to on the go and writing tasks can be completed at your own pace. The more time you can commit to these tasks, the more you will learn and benefit from each one. You will have access to the essays for six months after the course ends.
Week 1 - Exploring and unlocking creativity
All writing can be creative, but first you need to uncover what creativity means to you. Learn how to get into the creative mindset needed to be able to write.
Week 2 - The overwhelming importance of calm.
The calmer you are, the more creative you can be. You will explore free writing techniques which will clear your head of all the clutter that is blocking your path to creativity.
Week 3 - Bringing your writing alive
Being a writer means being an observer, both of other people but also, most importantly, of yourself. We explore the craft of connecting with and writing from our feelings in order to bring your writing to life in way that resonates beyond the page.
Week 4 - Where to find ideas worth writing about and how to read with a writer’s eye
We explore the value of ‘write what you know’ and ‘write what you don’t know’ as well as developing the art of reading with a writer’s eye
This week you will also begin writing a piece of work with the option to upgrade and receive feedback here.
Week 5 - The beauty of descriptive writing
Learn how to craft descriptive writing and when to use it, and understand its beauty, impact and nuances.
Week 6 - How to be a storyteller
Unlock a subtle, yet powerful storytelling technique that will transform your writing and help you create an intimacy within your words.
Week 7 - Cheat sheet
Work through my cheat sheet that will always help you whenever you face creative blocks.
Week 8 - The art of editing
We end two months of creative exploration with the final layer – editing tricks to help smooth and sharpen your writing so it reads effortlessly.
You Will Need
You will need some form of device that can connect to the internet, but it doesn’t have to be a desktop or laptop computer. You’ll be able to navigate the course via a phone or tablet.
What my students are saying
‘The Quiet Words is changing my life, one word at a time. Through this course, and with Huma’s encouragement, I have started my blog and put myself out there. I never used to believe in investing in myself, but this course was so worth it. If you’ve always wanted to write, but didn’t know where or how to start, this is the course for you.’
— Beth
‘Crafted beautifully, Huma’s weekly lessons were a pleasure to read and an inspiration for me to model. Her gentle, quiet encouragement and suggestions for looking at things in new and different ways have opened my eyes to the possibilities that are within me. Thank you, Huma.’
— Christine
‘Thank you for taking us on a beautiful journey. You led us to explore our voice and relationship to writing in a playful, curious and mindful manner, letting us run freely while always close by for guidance and encouragement. This course you created is a little treasure I will keep close to my heart along my writing journey. It confirmed my utter love for writing.’
— Marie
‘The Quiet Words is about writing, yes, but Huma also shares her approach to creativity as a whole. I now find myself carving out more time for myself, to create and to explore my thoughts about the world a little differently. I’m putting words together far more intentionally. I am so glad I invested in this course, which I have no doubt I will return to again and again.’
— Ruth
‘The Quiet Words is simply magical. It’s not about following rules, it’s about listening to what’s inside and learning to trust that we know what sounds just right to us. It’s about getting back in touch with yourself, your creativity. The Quiet Words gently reminds us that this is there inside us all along. You’ve helped us reconnect with that and nurture trust in ourselves.
The Quiet Words is invaluable. Thank you.’
— Claire
‘The course itself is much more holistic than simply lessons on writing. Huma’s gentle and thoughtful method helped me reflect on why I write at all and then on how I can make it more enjoyable, both for myself and any potential reader. I’ve benefited in ways I didn’t expect to; I feel generally calmer and clearer, and more at ease with the idea of being the sort of person who calls themselves a writer.’
— Vanessa
FAQs
How much does The Quiet Words cost?
£350 as a one-off payment or four monthly payments of £96.
Where are the essays?
The essays are in a private, members-only area of my website. While the course is running, they will be released every Monday at 7am UK time. You will be prompted to create a log-in for the member’s only area when you join.
What time commitment is involved?
As with most courses, the more time you can dedicate, the more you will benefit. Some of the essays are longer than others, and some weeks there is a lot to take in. There’s so much I want to share with you, but I have deliberately designed the course to slot into your everyday routine.
It’s not for me to tell you how much you should be writing every day. However, I would suggest one to two hours a week to read the essays and extra recommended reading, plus whatever you can manage on top of this to work through the writing tasks. More importantly, you’ll also need and want to carve out time to let everything sink in.
Why are there no live classes?
On the whole, I find a written course gives students time to reflect and refer back to the work in a way live classes do not.
Can I meet other writers on the course?
I am all for community and I love meeting fellow writers and students at my in-person writing workshops. However, when I am writing, or thinking seriously about writing, I prefer to be on my own. I have designed this course to reflect my personal introverted preferences. If you’re not ready to share your writing journey with others and just want to get on with it in your own space and time, I believe you will feel at home taking one of my courses.
If I have a question during the course, can I reach you?
Absolutely! Each week, you can submit course-related questions through the members-only area. With your permission, I will share your question and my answer with the group, so everyone can benefit.
Will you read a piece I’ve written?
Yes! For an additional fee, I will read up to 1200 words of work produced during The Quiet Words and offer concise, constructive feedback via email. Simply add the personal feedback option here. Before upgrading, please ensure you’ve purchased The Quiet Words first.
I must receive your piece of writing by the last day of The Quiet Words, so there’s a deadline for you to stick to. I know you can meet it!
Terms and conditions: online courses are non-refundable
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