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Face Challenges, Take Risks and Write About Them
BY ROBERT B. ROBESON If I’d wanted an easy life, I could have taken up quantum physics, brain surgery or attempted to open a McDonald’s
Best Writing Tip: Just Get On With It
BY SIOBHAN MURPHY Writing. It’s hard. Everyone who writes has been told this more times than the word count of The Lord of the Rings.
Best Writing Advice: Allow All the Parts of Your Life in Your Writing
Spiegel im Spiegel BY PETRA HILGERS Mirror pieces have their own way of travelling into people’s hearts, as I know from Die Schneekönigin. Mine found me, fortunately
Best Writing Advice: Show Me
BY KRISTIN HOYT My numb, icy fingers grasp the frozen metal handle. Whoosh! A burst of warmth wraps around me like a familiar hug as
The Best Writing Tip: Cut with a Razor
BY AMELIA RAY Don’t ask me where but once I read that Keith Richards reportedly has a unique songwriting approach. Supposedly, he writes down every
Enhance Your Writing by Avoiding These Words
When reading a piece of writing, whether it’s a blog, an email or an article, you may find tell-tale signs that it’s written by an
Our Students' Successes
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
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
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
Travel Writer Rosanne Turner About Her Writing Life On A Thai Island
Rosanne Turner completed the Travel Writing Course at the Writers College in 2008. Dozens of published travel articles later, she finds herself an expert on Koh
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
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
Catching Up With Copy-Editor, Lesley Wyldbore
Copy-editing is a vital yet often overlooked part of the writing process. Effective copy-editing adds polish to writing, ensuring clarity and removing errors that a
Drawing Inspiration From Reality: Graduate Catherine Jarvis Talks About Her Award-Winning Debut Novel
INTERVIEWED BY SAM NARRAZID Catherine Jarvis is a graduate of the Write a Novel Course at the Writers College. An English teacher by day, and
And Now We Wait…. An Author’s First Experience Of Getting Published
– BY HILARY MURRAY For those not familiar with my journey, I recently had my debut novel published (recently, as in ten days ago!). The build-up to the
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
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
Sally’s Secrets of Self-Publishing Success
Sally Gutteridge has found her niche and she has a tribe: she makes a living writing about dogs for people who love dogs as much
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
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
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
‘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
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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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
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
All About Journalism
How to Set Boundaries with your Clients as a Freelance Writer
Freelance writers need to be able to switch off at the end of the day and enjoy a great work-life balance. Here are tips to
The Way We Ask
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Thirty Tools For Writers
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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
Writing Tips from Around the World
These essays on writing are written by writers from around the globe. Read the best writing advice that they have ever received.
Best Writing Advice: Allow All the Parts of Your Life in Your Writing
Spiegel im Spiegel BY PETRA HILGERS Mirror pieces have their own way of travelling into people’s hearts, as I know from Die Schneekönigin. Mine found me, fortunately
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
Best Writing Advice: Show Me
BY KRISTIN HOYT My numb, icy fingers grasp the frozen metal handle. Whoosh! A burst of warmth wraps around me like a familiar hug as
My Mother-In-Law could be an Orc
By Taryn Hochstrasser During my last year of high school, I wrote an essay picked from one of the given topics. I don’t really remember
Best Writing Advice: Simplicity is Key
By Baks Wa Muthamia English is neither my first nor my second nor my third language. It comes in at a distant fourth! But I loved
Face Challenges, Take Risks and Write About Them
BY ROBERT B. ROBESON If I’d wanted an easy life, I could have taken up quantum physics, brain surgery or attempted to open a McDonald’s
Best Writing Advice: Embrace Your Craft Completely
By Sujana Vangala For years, I lived in a space of hesitancy, in Plan B’s and safety nets. In the same way, my writing survived
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
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 Advice: Give Your Characters Life
By Sufia Aleia For a story to exist, it must have characters. For characters to exist, they must be given life. After all, lifeless, inanimate
Best Writing Tip: How to Get Away with ‘Murder’
By Tarumbidzwa Chirume I was 15 when my English teacher, Mrs Williams, told me to commit murder. It was Speech Day, and we all had
Best Writing Advice: Write About Things You Can Drop
When I was a child, I understood grief because I’d had an elephant cookie jar on my shelf that was missing a lid. I’d watched
Best Writing Advice: Don’t Write It, Be It
By Chase D. Cartwright That’s it. That’s the best advice I can give. Don’t write it, be it. Don’t live your life to become a
Best Writing Advice: Aim for Rejections
By Dorotea Saputo The best writing advice I’ve ever received came from my grandfather who bragged about never having read a book in his life.
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
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,
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
The Only Failing is Never Trying!
By Helen Aitchison Our lives are riddled with self-doubt. Some more than others. We worry, analyse and focus on the negative. ‘I can’t do it!’
Remember the Reason Why You Write
By Elouwdi Smit The first piece of advice I received about writing was to have fun! Don’t be serious – just enjoy it. I will
Best Writing Tip: Just Get On With It
BY SIOBHAN MURPHY Writing. It’s hard. Everyone who writes has been told this more times than the word count of The Lord of the Rings.
Web Writing Tips and Tools
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 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
How Changing Technology Is Changing Advertising: Six Copywriting Trends For The New Year
The Writers College Copywriting Course tutor MANDY SPEECHLY explains six trends that are directly impacting the copywriting industry. In Part One Mandy Speechly explained how technology has
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 Find Ideas for Articles & Speeches
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The Advertising Industry Has Changed. Here’s What Copywriters Need To Know
The Advertising Industry Has Changed. Here’s What Copywriters Need To Know by MANDY SPEECHLY For most of the twentieth century, television was the preferred channel
Overcome Your Fear of Publishing your First Blog in 5 Steps
Publishing your first blog can be daunting. Here are some tips to help you overcome the fear of getting your debut blog article published. BY
Travel Writing Advice
8 Essential Apps To Boost Your Travel Writing Career
Anyone can share their travel stories on the Web. However, it is the quality of your writing, editing and photos that distinguish a professional from the run-of-the-mill tourist.
Here are eight apps to help you become the most efficient digital nomad.
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
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
Travel Writing From Home
Overseas adventures face an uncertain future after the COVID-19 pandemic. ANDREW EARL-PEACOCK explores ways you can keep your inner wanderer satisfied while staying local. “Travel
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,
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.
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.
Writing On The Move: A Motorhomer’s Top Tips For Travel Writers
Writer JUNE RICHARDSON shares the secrets to successful travel writing from the backseat of her motorhome. What can be a better life for a travel
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
Write Your Novel in 30 Days: A 10-Step Guide
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Time Management For Journalists: From An Ayurvedic Perspective
Life as a freelance journalist can get a little hectic. There is a lot to juggle between sending out query letters, researching, interviewing, writing, and
Time Management For Journalists – Why Do We Procrastinate?
With social media and dozens of other wonderful distractions filtering in and out of our daily lives, is it any wonder that we find it
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.
Latest Apps for Writers
6 Time-Saving Apps For Travel Writers
Six apps to help travel writers organise, plan and execute their day. Travel writers rely on technology – even in the most remote places on
Five Apps To Kick-Start Your Magazine Journalism Career
While your Moleskine may never go out fashion, technology changes at a rapid pace. These five apps get you to work more effectively and can
8 Essential Apps To Boost Your Travel Writing Career
Anyone can share their travel stories on the Web. However, it is the quality of your writing, editing and photos that distinguish a professional from
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.
6 Vital Apps To Rapidly Transform Your Writing
Boost your web writing career with these powerful apps. We as 21st century writers are lucky to have an arsenal of online tools at our
Why You Need These 5 Apps To Improve Your Web Writing Career
Web writing is an increasingly popular specialism for writers, but it’s also highly competitive. I’m sharing my top free and most useful apps that have
USER-FRIENDLY APPS FOR TECHNOPHOBE JOURNALISTS
If you are a person who fears or dislikes new apps, and you also happen to be a journalist, then this article is for you.