12 Steps in The Write Direction

There are twelve units that each have:

• Self-Tasks that you must research and complete in your own time.
• Tasks that you must submit to your coach to make sure that you are on the right track – during this process, your coach is there to help you understand the material and solve problems.

Each course is individually tailored for screenwriters, novelists or playwrights.

• STEP ONE: Who Are You as a Storyteller? Before crafting your masterwork, start by understanding your identity as a writer. Begin with the fundamentals of storytelling and how inspiration shapes creativity.
• STEP TWO: What Does It Take to Be a Writer? Take a reflective journey to uncover your personal strengths and challenges as a writer. Discover your place in the creative universe by exploring the mediums you’re capable of writing for and identifying those that will best showcase your story.
• STEP THREE: Knowing What to Write. Now it is time to explore what you want to write. A great story starts with a compelling idea that captures the imagination and lays the foundation for a captivating story. Before you can put one word on paper, you must know what and who your story is about. Research is the Foundation of Your Story.
• STEP FOUR: Genre and Worldbuilding. Before you start developing the idea you have for a story, you need to know what genre you want to set your story in and what type of story you want to write. Worldbuilding gives your story its gravitational pull; it shapes the rules, textures, histories, and emotional logic of the world your characters inhabit. This becomes essential when choosing your genre.
• STEP FIVE: Premise, Concept, and Title Begin with a seed—a strong premise that anchors your story and sells its soul. The premise spotlights the central conflict, while the concept or logline captures motion: a character, in a place, doing something, and wanting something. It’s the heartbeat of your pitch. And don’t forget the title—it’s your story’s first impression and its silent promise.
• STEP SIX: Thematic Purpose Once you have something you want to write about (Idea), have defined the Premise and Concept, and know what your Genre is, you need to know what the intention, objective or controlling idea (theme) of your story is.

Story is what happens. Plot is how the what happens. Character is who the what happens to. Setting is where the what happens. Theme is why the what happens

• STEP SEVEN: Who Are You Writing About? Now it is time to focus on the people who live your story. All memorable and successful films have one thing in common. Not genre. Not budgets. Not even a good story. They all have memorable characters that have become part of our culture. The protagonist, antagonists and villains, supporting and function characters, the elements that build character, visual dynamics, dialogue, character biographies, and research all work together to shape a compelling and fully realised story world.
• STEP EIGHT: Structure and Plot Now it’s time to explore the importance of structure, the relationship between character and structure, the relationship between structure and the story, composition – the ordering and linking of scenes, turning points, transitional values. You will also explore what a plot represents, different genre plots, and four traditional plots to structure your story. You will also take a closer look at 13 structural points /structural signposts that will help you to write a solid story outline. The structural points will ensure that theme, character, and plot are united.
• STEP NINE: Story and Scene Outline. Now it’s time for you to write a story outline. The function of your story outline is to identify the story events (scenes) of the most important events in your protagonist’s life. The function/ goal of the scene outline is to build and dramatise each story event, and to explore the exterior and internal lives of your story.
• STEP TEN: Format as Form Once you’ve outlined your story, you’re ready to start writing the first draft of your story. Before you dive into writing, it’s crucial to understand the importance of properly formatting your draft.
• STEP ELEVEN: The First Breath of the Story You’ve shaped your world, your characters, and your structure. Now, begin. Write your first draft with purpose, knowing it’s the beginning, not the end. Trust that the story knows the way forward.
• STEP TWELVE: Taking Ownership of the Page As you complete your first draft, you become the proud guardian of your creation—words, images, characters, and dialogue that pulse with your vision. Now it’s time to take ownership. Learn how to protect your intellectual property, write a confident and professional top sheet, and position your screenplay for the market. Selling your story means selling yourself—with clarity, intention, and pride.

You’ll then write the first 10 pages of your story and submit it with a Top Sheet to your coach for evaluation before you continue writing your first draft.  Your coach will also be available for questions during the process of writing your draft and keep you updated with relevant features on the world of writing and filmmaking.

HOW DOES THE ONLINE COURSE WORK?

• Once we receive your registration form and deposit details you are ready to take the journey.
• You will have the choice of commencing at your own pace or work according to set deadlines.
• The course is done online, via email, offering a one-on-one interaction between yourself and your coach.
• There are 12 units (with sub-sections); each section consists of user-friendly and comprehensive notes that include self-tasks (which you complete at your own time), and a task.
• You will read through the notes which include self-activities (for you to complete in your own space and at your own pace) and tasks (for you to complete and forward via email).
• Once your coach has read through your task and there are no questions about the specific unit, you commence to the next step. 

COST

The cost of the correspondence course is R5000.00. This includes comprehensive notes on the 12 units, as well as one-on-one feedback, interactive correspondence and assistance during the course via email.   As of the most recent exchange rates, R5000.00 is approximately $300 in US Dollars, €250 in Euros, £250 in British Pounds, and A$450 in Australian Dollars.

• These values are estimates and may vary slightly depending on the currency converter or bank rates used. Since exchange rates fluctuate daily, especially with economic shifts or market dynamics, it’s wise to consult a live converter or set up alerts if you’re budgeting for travel, transactions, or pricing international content.

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