Free Writing Tips and Expert Advice
Free Writing Tips and Tools
Our Students' Successes
Writing Course Success Selina Lavery
Selina Lavery completed three creative writing courses at The Writers College. She recently had two of her short stories published. Tell us a bit about
Writers College Success Story: Award-winning Novelist Martin Steyn
The dark side of human nature holds a certain allure for acclaimed crime fiction author, Martin Steyn. AWARD-WINNING NOVELIST MARTIN STEYN – SUCCESS STORY Martin
Writers College Success Story: Novelist Jo Nel
A background as a dentist – and limited writing experience – didn’t deter author Jo Nel from accomplishing his goal of getting published. After taking
Q & A With Author Of ‘Namaste Life’, Ishara Maharaj
Ishara Maharaj completed the Write a Novel Course at SA Writers College. Since then her debut novel Namaste Life (Modjaji Books) was published. We ask Ishara about her writing
Gareth Ward – Accomplished Young Adult Novelist
NZ Writers College is proud to showcase one of its Novel Course graduates, Gareth Ward. Gareth’s debut novel, The Traitor and the Thief, has been
Graduate Success Story: An Interview with Trish Nicholson
Trish Nichsolson completed the Short Story Writing Course at NZ Writers College in 2010. We tracked her progress in the literary world. An Interview with
Magazine Journalism Student Success Story: Janet Hart
Janet Hart from Nelson, New Zealand completed the Magazine Journalism Course at NZ Writers’ College in 2012. After 28 years of school teaching, we find out
‘N Onderhoud Met Oud-Student, Gina Van Staden
In 2016 slaag Gina van Staden die SA Writers College Tydksrifjoernalistieke kursus met onderskeiding. Haar alomvattende kreatiwiteit laat haar paadjie in baie verskillende rigtings kronkel – van skilder en
Reality Or Fiction: Graduate Travis Inglis Talks About The Inspiration Behind His Writing
Travis Inglis is a poet and a writer. Published in the art magazine Artascent and the literary journal Toasted Cheese, Travis is currently working on
Creative Writing Tips From Award-Winning Writer, Megan Frith
Megan Frith studied short story writing at NZ Writers College, before embarking on the Write a Novel Course.Her short story ‘Scars‘ came first in the
Journalist Rochelle Sewell On Starting Out As A Writer
Rochelle Sewell is a freelance journalist, blogger, and storyteller. She completed the Basics of Feature Writing course in 2015, followed by Advanced Magazine Journalism in
Glenn McGoldrick – Published Short Story Writer
Glenn McGoldrick completed the Short Story Writing For Magazines Course at UK Writers College in 2016. Since then he has enjoyed a spate of literary
From Blogger To Author: Lesley Sefton’s Journey
Catching up with our former student and avid writer – Lesley Sefton – is nothing short of inspiring. She is a reminder that you can
Writer Shelley Kirton Opens Up About Her Love Of Learning And Where It’s Taking Her
Shelley Kirton has been writing for years, but it’s obvious she’s truly finding her niche now. Her words are a wonderful reminder that we can
Journalism Graduate Jeanna Thomson Talks About Her Success
Jeanna Thomson recently graduated from the Advanced Magazine Journalism course. She describes how this experience has impacted her writing and propelled her into getting her
Tae Richardson Talks About Her Writing And Publishing Successes
Tae Richardson completed the Basic and Advanced Creative Writing Courses, as well as the Literary Short Story Course. We follow up with her on her
Popular Stories
Taint the Innocent
A SHORT STORY BY ADELE ANDERSON WINNER OF THE 2021 WRITERS COLLEGE CREATIVE WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD After the house came the double garage
The Best Apps and Tools for Writers
Writers today have it easier than writers of yesteryear. Gone are the days when you head to the library if you need to do research.
Eight Ways to Fast-Track Your Writing Skills
As with any skill, writing has set rules and tools that a writer needs to master in order to write well. Here are eight top
How to Improve Your Article Writing Skills
Leave a lasting impression by enhancing your journalism skills. By Lesley Grossett Good writing has enduring value. The ultimate objective is to write with meaning
How to Be Original as a Writer
Among the millions of articles available, why would anyone choose to read yours? To make your writing stand out, you need to be original. Here
A Writer’s Guide to Self-Marketing
Thanks to the internet, there are more and more opportunities to promote your business, be it e-commerce or service based. By not utilising popular platforms,
Q & A with Award-winning Novelists
Q & A with award-winning Authors Alex Smith and Tania Hutley: Getting Started as a Creative Writer
Discover answers to burning questions about creative writing:
How to find time to write on top of a day job • How to fire up creativity • How to get over rejection by publishers • The importance of a writing buddy or writers’ circle • How to get published for the first time • The value of self-publishing • Submitting to agents and publishers worldwide • Does the increasing popularity of audiobooks affect the way you write? • What to do if you keep getting work rejected • Is it realistic to be a full-time writer? • How much do you write for your reader and genre? • How to get past the first page/chapter • How much plotting and planning is required • Should you use Scrivener? • Top writing tip for aspiring writers
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Q & A's with Award-winning Authors and Tutors
Spotlight On Rosemary Hepözden
Rosemary Hepözden has three decades of editing, writing and teaching experience. She is the author of three nonfiction books, and has a fourth book due
Spotlight On Author Lisa Lazarus
Lisa Lazarus is a freelance journalist for a variety of publications, including Men’s Health, Femina, Psychologies, Shape, Cosmopolitan, Femina, Healthy Pregnancy and the Mail &
Spotlight On Writing Coach Course Tutor, Susan Williams
Susan Williams has been the managing director of Prose & Comms – a communications company – for over a decade. She has also tutored the
Q & A With Award-Winning Novelist Sonny Whitelaw
Sonny Whitelaw has enjoyed a successful career as a writer for more than thirty years. Her work as a photojournalist has appeared in dozens of
Spotlight On Copywriting Tutor At The Writers College: Mandy Speechly
Mandy Speechly has worked as a copywriter in the advertising industry for over fifteen years for leading international advertising agencies on a range of different
Spotlight On Karen Jeynes – By Kyle Keegan
Karen Jeynes is a well-known, award-winning playwright whose work includes “Laying Blame”, “sky too big”, “Don’t Mention Sex”, “Kiss Kiss”, “The Happy Factory”, “I’ll Have
A Writer’s Inner Workings: Andrew Salomon
Andrew Salomon is the author of the novels The Chrysalis (Oxford University Press) and Tokoloshe Song (Random House Umuzi). His writing was shortlisted for the Terry Pratchett First
Spotlight On Author Helen Brain
Helen Brain is the author of 30 books for children, an adult memoir and many short stories. In 1998 she won an ATKV award for
All About Journalism
Freelance Rates – How much should you be charging?
Deciding on an amount that reflects my worth as a writer is probably my biggest headache as a freelancer. With the awesome diversity that comes
How is Technology and Artificial Intelligence Aiding (or Threatening) the Writing Profession?
Over the past few years, technology has crept into the various facets of writing, aiding in its creation and its consumption. But with the advancement
How You Can Make Money Writing Articles For Magazines – 10 Tips For Beginner Journalists
Have you always wanted to write articles for magazines? Here are 10 trade secrets to help you get your name in the byline. 1. How
Eleven Ways To Draw In Your Reader
Here are 11 ways to draw in your reader and keep them hooked. Each one of these ways takes time to master, so do expect
Writing Tips from Around the World
How to Overcome Self-Doubt as a Writer
Here are some tips on kicking your inner critic out the door, so you can get back to doing what you love most, writing. As
Self-help 101: Build Trust in One Easy Step
By KIRSTY MAC DOUGALL ‘Trust in the writing process.’ ‘Trust in your innate and untapped writing abilities.’ ‘Trust in yourself.’ Great advice. Tony Robbins would
What Memories Don’t Convey
By DAMON CROCKER He moved the bodies of the fallen soldiers to a central location. No, that’s not right, I thought as I violently hit
Pretend You Know What You’re Doing
By CARTER LAPPIN You’re on a bus, about to head up the side of a winding mountain road. You’re trying to get comfortable in your
Just Hit Send
By AMY MULLIS The Enter key is a dragon with sharp claws and teeth that drip the blood of those who dared to trespass. It
The Best Writing Advice: You Can Break the Rules If You Have a Good Reason For It
By ETHAN ALEXANDER I was never the popular kid in high school. In fact, I was mostly ignored. I had just transferred to a
Perfidious Passion: Why You Should Bleed Out For Your Writing Instead
By AIMAN SHAHID Take a wound as a starting point; it doesn’t need to be a dramatic blood-splattered Monty Pythonesque affair. It can even
Do I Dare Disturb the Universe?
By NEELESH RATHI You shouldn’t be afraid of writing garbage—or of other people seeing it. But, what if it’s not garbage? What if it’s not
Playwriting 101
By EWING EUGENE BALDWIN I had ruined my voice touring for three years in a bus and truck company of Jesus Christ Superstar. I had
Even Art Should Be Taken Seriously
By JAVI REDDY There is a notion held by non-artistic people that creatives sit around half-nude for most of their days, stewing in their emotions,
We Write from Our Scars
By SARAH DITTMORE “It’s a great story,” my teacher acquiesced. I beamed with the smile of an over-achiever receiving the much longed-for validation of a
Best Writing Advice: Get a Hobby
BEST WRITING ADVICE: GET A HOBBY The lettuce wilted. The basil died as soon as it flourished, and the oregano never sprouted in the first
Writing Is a Game for Optimists
“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” This piece of wisdom came from an American baseball player long deceased.
Best Writing Tip: Don’t Wait for The Muse
BEST WRITING TIP I have always been highly susceptible to anything that promised I could become a writer. I believed in magical notebooks, charmed pens,
Web Writing Tips and Tools
Pros and Cons of Working Remotely as a Freelance Writer
Many people are only now hearing these buzz words: ‘digital nomad’ and ‘remote worker’. But for others, they have been living this lifestyle for years,
How to Grow Your Social Network as a Freelance Writer
Sure, being a freelance writer has its perks, but one of the not-so-positive aspects is that it can be a lonely lifestyle if you let
Build Your Brand with Powerful Web Writing
Explore the importance of web writing to build and maintain a strong brand presence online with three key tips. There is no doubt that the
How to Find Ideas for Articles & Speeches
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Write First, Revise Later
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Why the Editor is Not the Enemy
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What is holding you back from being the writer you want to be?
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Travel Writing Advice
Why the Editor is Not the Enemy
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Can You Make A Living From Travel Writing? We Ask Travel Writer Gabi Logan
Travel writing is a dream job for many aspiring writers. But can you really make a living at it? DONNA DAILEY chats with Gabi Logan,
Creating Your Niche As A Travel Writer
How do you follow your passion for travel, and make a living from it at the same time? Sometimes you need a little creative thinking
Tailor Your Travel Writing For A Millennial Market
With free travel sites coming under fire for fake news, respected travel outlets need to cater for a Millennial market more than ever.
Exposing The 5 Top Travel Writing Myths
You might think that travel writers explore the world for free, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Levonne Apesy separates the fantasy from
Tips For Aspiring Travel-Writer-Photographers
These days travel editors accept articles for publication based on the merits of your writing and the quality of your photos. Here’s how to take the best shots for success.
10 Travel Writing Tips Writers Must Know
Award-winning writers Julienne du Toit and Chris Marais have travelled the world side-by-side writing travel articles for more than 20 years. They answer essential questions
Why Locals Know Best In Travel Writing
Take your travel blogging from one-dimensional personal accounts to stories interwoven with local perspectives and authentic insights. Unless you’re in the Arctic Circle and harp
Know Your Writing Rights
Copyright Confusion?
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Copyright Essentials for Writers
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Copyright Office Basics – by The Copyright Office
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How To Avoid Copyright Infringement
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Copyright Q & A For Journalists
What Is Copyright? Copyright law protects the works of artists, and prevents others from publishing, profiting from or proffering an original creative work as if
How to Keep Writing
Rejection as a Writer: How to Deal with It
Here are 8 ways to turn rejection into a triumph. It’s all very well to be told not to take it personally when you’ve had
You DO Have Time to Write
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Writing a Memoir: Should You Do It?
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What Stops You from Writing?
Fear, self-doubt, procrastination, waiting for perfect conditions – there are so many reasons why we put off getting started on our writing dreams.
At The Writers College, we help writers reach their goals, by encouraging a daily writing routine and removing the doubts from the writing process.
