Feedback from aspiring writers taking part in the intensive University of Otago Creative Writing School last week was overwhelmingly positive, organisers say.
Summer school director Claire Matthewson said organisers had received ‘‘excellent feedback'' from the 33 people who attended the three-day course, which finished on Sunday.
‘‘They said they were encouraged, and were able to reaffirm or evaluate where they were at with their writing . . . it was also a good opportunity to sound out ideas and establish networks with other writers. But they worked really hard,'' Dr Matthewson said.
The course was designed to cater for people who were accomplished writers, or those who were new to creative writing, she said.
A highlight of the course came when tutors Owen Marshall, of Timaru, and David Hill, of New Plymouth, presented excerpts from their work, and Catherine Fitzgerald, of Wellington, played her short film The Little Things.
The participants, from around the country and who ranged in age from secondary school pupils to people in their 60s, also enjoyed presenting their own work to tutors and other course members.
Mr Marshall gave seminars on writing short fiction, Catherine Fitzgerald on writing for the screen, and David Hill on writing for young people.
Organisers would consider implementing some suggestions made by participants, and in future might run advanced level workshops for more accomplished writers, or extend the course's duration, she said.
The creative writing course will next be run in 2010.