Angela Lewis

Born in South Africa, Angela returned to Europe with her parents at the age of sixteen. She spent fourteen years in an office career, in England and Germany, in diverse positions that required her to use her mother tongue German. She first had an inkling to write twenty years ago. Then, in 2001 she felt she wanted to do something about the desire to write, that had surfaced again. Just before her second child was born, she enrolled on a distance learning course with the National Extension College entitled 'Creative Writing and Writing for Money'. She had about three pieces accepted by a local and a regional magazine. In 2006, she enrolled on a new local evening course with Caroline Foster. Caroline was interested in what students wanted to do at the end of the course, and issued individual, very helpful comment sheets to each student, with their assignments.

Since embarking on the course, Angela has had work accepted by various regional and local magazines and newspapers over the last two years, including Suffolk & Norfolk Life, EADT Suffolk Magazine and Summer in Suffolk 2008. As well as writing for a few private clients she is also writing two life stories for friends.

Angela believes the beneficial factors for wannabe writers are enrolling on a creative or commercial writing course, as well as submitting illustrations or photos with manuscripts that often add colour to the words.

Anne Louise Hall

I have always had a passion for writing. Since being a child, I would attempt poems, enter short story competitions, write songs, attempt novels and even send letters to newspapers. I was never successful, apart from once: I sent a letter to my local paper in 1976 declaring my fear for the future of society if Punk Rock was allowed to become popular. I was sixteen at the time and not surprisingly, got such a hard time from my peers, I was forced to take three weeks off school! It’s a wonder I kept going really.

But I did, thankfully. It wasn’t until two years ago that I managed to succeed at last in making my elusive dream come true, and it was directly as a result of studying with Caroline Foster. My mission had been to write a best selling novel, make millions of pounds and retire with Brad Pitt to the South of France. My husband said he’d make do with Angelina. This has evolved slightly, or should I say devolved, because instead I now contribute regularly to EADT Suffolk Magazine, writing factual pieces about some of my other passions; shopping, art and antiques. My husband is still here somewhere, buried under the reams of paper. I earn enough to indulge my other interests, get the overwhelming sense of satisfaction every time I see my name in print and have set to work more seriously on that best selling novel.

I cannot recommend Caroline’s course highly enough, and her secret is in the attention to detail she delivers in her lessons. If you want to be published you need to listen to her every word and apply everything she says to your writing. It’s not enough to be a good writer. You need to know how to market yourself and your work. If you do all this you will be rewarded with superb feedback, helpful, positive constructive criticism and introductions to writers, publishers and journalists. If like me you are a lover of words, go for it and good luck. Change your life like I did mine.

Now where did I put Brad’s number...?