The Quiet Words

The craft of writing creatively

You've dreamt of being a writer ever since you were little. Stories were forever spilling out of your heart and you had so many to tell back then. But then you grew up. Life happened. Yet you still feel words tug inside you, as if they're hanging off a thin tangled thread waiting to be unravelled. You've never forgotten your dream.

Perhaps you'd even started to write - a notebook by your bed, a secret document hidden somewhere on your computer. But it's hard. You don't know what to write about and then when you do, the words don't come. You simply can't find them. And perhaps when you do write, 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 at all.

As a published writer, I know firsthand the struggles of writing. I know how hard it is to find something you feel is 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 and dare to show them to someone else to read.

But I also know how magnificent it feels when you read something you wrote yourself and realise you have created something beautiful, meaningful and creative, words that lift lightly off the page and linger long in your readers' hearts.

I want to help you feel that way too. I want you to dream again.

What is writing creatively about?

Writing creatively is the craft of writing in a creative way for any sort or style of writing, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, blog posts or essays, memoirs or journals. It’s a way to pour out all the words inside of you, and it doesn’t matter if it’s for a bestseller or for your eyes only in your journal. I consider both the act of writing and the act of being creative to be equally important and equally active pursuits and this is where we start our journey together in The Quiet Words.


Your Instructor


Huma
Huma

Hi, I'm Huma, writer of the thoughtful living blog, Our Story Time, and published award-winning author of short stories. I'm so honoured to be spending this time with you, helping you gently navigate your very own writing and creative journey. I can't wait to see what magic comes of this.

Why take a writing course with me?

Because I have been where you are. I wanted to write but didn’t know how to start. I yearned for creativity for so long and felt it missing from my life. I never showed anyone my work. Self-doubt has always plagued me and sometimes it still does but finding something I am good at, writing creatively, has helped me grow. Writing has brought me so much joy and a quiet, inner strength that helps me stay grounded. I would love to be able to pass that along to you.

I am also an award-winning published author of short stories represented by the literary agency Bell, Lomax Moreton, and a former national newspaper journalist for the Guardian and Observer. My freelance work has appeared regularly in numerous national publications, including The Times, The Independent, New Statesman and Psychologies magazine. You can find more of my personal writing in my weekly long reads over on my blog and meanwhile, here's what a few people have said about my book, In Spite of Oceans.

"‘Huma Qureshi’s beautifully written prose is filled with heart-breaking details." The Guardian

"Memorable and moving." The Observer

"Huma Qureshi's stories shine a bright light into hidden corners; they ring with a resonance that remains with you after louder and showier narratives have faded." Roopa Farooki, acclaimed novelist

"A gifted writer; a remarkable insight into the human experience." Desi Blitz


Course Curriculum



Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The next course for The Quiet Words will run from 4th February, 2019, for 8 weeks. Every week, I release new reading modules and homework and there is a writing project to submit. If you wish to receive feedback on your project, then you must stick to the eight-week timetable. If, on the other hand, you prefer to work at your own pace then you absolutely can - it just means you won't receive personal feedback on your writing project.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
I would never want you to be unhappy. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact me within the first 30 days and I will give you a full refund.

This course is closed for enrollment.