• Home
  • Courses
    • Creative Writing Course
  • Mentoring
  • Retreats
    • Venice Writing Retreat
    • Stow-on-the-Wold Writing Weekend
    • Karoo Writing Retreat | Memoir & Fiction Getaway in South Africa
  • Shop
  • Resources
    • Free offerings for writers
    • Downloadable writing resources
    • Blog
  • About
    • About
    • Facilitators
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
    • How to enrol
    0

    Cart

    Writing courses, free resources and webinars, and developmental editing Writing courses, free resources and webinars, and developmental editing
    • Home
    • Courses
      • Creative Writing Course
    • Mentoring
    • Retreats
      • Venice Writing Retreat
      • Stow-on-the-Wold Writing Weekend
      • Karoo Writing Retreat | Memoir & Fiction Getaway in South Africa
    • Shop
    • Resources
      • Free offerings for writers
      • Downloadable writing resources
      • Blog
    • About
      • About
      • Facilitators
      • Testimonials
      • Contact
      • How to enrol

    Archives

    Monthly Archive for: "October, 2017"
     Monday Motivation: The bigger the story, the larger your lens
    0
    By Richard Beynon
    In Monday Motivation, Richard Beynon's blog
    Posted October 30, 2017

    Monday Motivation: The bigger the story, the larger your lens

    It’s become a trope of popular philosophy: take care of the little things (pennies, broken windows, chores) and the big things will take care of themselves (pounds, violent crimes, your […]

    READ MORE
     And the winner of our tenth anniversary challenge is…
    2
    By Richard Beynon
    In Writing Challenge
    Posted October 26, 2017

    And the winner of our tenth anniversary challenge is…

    We had a bumper crop of excellent entries for our tenth anniversary challenge – and they kept on tumbling in until the very last moment, just minutes before deadline. In […]

    READ MORE
     Writing Secrets: How to deal with back story … from a master
    2
    By Jo-Anne Richards
    In Jo-Anne Richard's blog, Tips for Writers
    Posted October 25, 2017

    Writing Secrets: How to deal with back story … from a master

    We’re often asked about that most troublesome of subjects – back story. It’s easy to tell you what not to do. Don’t include paragraphs of explanation. We don’t need to […]

    READ MORE
    0
    By All About Writing
    In Creative Writing Courses, News
    Posted October 24, 2017

    Wrap up the year with a writing workout

      We’re ending the year with a 10-Day Writing Workout and we’d love you to join us. Give us just an hour of your busy day for ten days, and […]

    READ MORE
     Monday Motivation: You are your own props master
    0
    By Richard Beynon
    In Monday Motivation
    Posted October 23, 2017

    Monday Motivation: You are your own props master

    Scratch a science fiction fan and you’ll find someone inordinately ready to suspend his disbelief.  We’re willing to throw ourselves into alternative universes in which intelligent gas clouds [...]

    READ MORE
     Writing Secrets: Life is a distraction
    0
    By Jo-Anne Richards
    In All About Writing
    Posted October 18, 2017

    Writing Secrets: Life is a distraction

    Last month we ushered a group of writers into a Venetian palazzo for week-long writing retreat. What could be more wonderful: a week spent fostering creativity in an environment filled […]

    READ MORE
     Monday Motivation: Characters need context
    0
    By Richard Beynon
    In Monday Motivation
    Posted October 16, 2017

    Monday Motivation: Characters need context

    I had a chat with a television production designer recently. This is the person who’s responsible for the look of a production, which includes the set design, and the dressing […]

    READ MORE
     Use stories to make sense of life
    0
    By All About Writing
    In Newsletters, Writing Challenge
    Posted October 14, 2017

    Use stories to make sense of life

      Welcome to this month’s newsletter! What we’ve been doing with you for the past ten years is talking to you about the stories you wish to tell. Life consists […]

    READ MORE
     Monday Motivation: Into the clear light of dramatic truth
    1
    By Richard Beynon
    In All About Writing, Monday Motivation
    Posted October 9, 2017

    Monday Motivation: Into the clear light of dramatic truth

    We’re about to cruise past Torghatten, a mountain on an island a kilometre or two off the Norwegian mainland, and just half an hour south of the Arctic Circle. It’s […]

    READ MORE
     Monday Motivation: A lesson in restraint and suspense
    0
    By Richard Beynon
    In Monday Motivation
    Posted October 2, 2017

    Monday Motivation: A lesson in restraint and suspense

    Here’s a lesson in restraint and suspense from that master of both, Michael Connelly: In Chapter 3 of his latest police procedural, The Late Show, which features a brand new […]

    READ MORE
     October Writing Challenge
    0
    By All About Writing
    In Writing Challenge
    Posted October 1, 2017

    October Writing Challenge

    All About Writing celebrated its tenth anniversary in Venice, the city which most symbolises how far we’ve come. We thought it fitting to take inspiration from the place and the event […]

    READ MORE
    INSTAGRAM
    The targets that seem extravagant—writing in a n The targets that seem extravagant—writing in a new genre, creating unfamiliar characters, attempting bold structures—aren’t really extravagant at all. They’re just unfamiliar. And we mistake the unfamiliar for the impossible.

For years, I approached writing with pre-emptive diffidence, already conceding that real imagination belonged to other people—the naturally talented, the real writers.

Then I discovered something: I can write anything. Not because I suddenly became more talented, but because I stopped telling myself I couldn’t.

The diffident writer asks permission. The ambitious writer is already working.

Whether you’re fifteen or seventy-five, the only thing standing between you and the work you dream of creating is the decision to stop asking for permission and start.

Read more on the blog - link in bio.

#WritingAmbition #WritersOfInstagram #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WritingAdvice #CreativeConfidence #WritingLife #AuthorsOfInstagram
    We’ve midwifed stories as diverse as paranormal We’ve midwifed stories as diverse as paranormal romance and historical literary fiction, seeing our participants feel their way into a new story or make headway on a longstanding project. We have felt their creative excitement and sense of achievement. What could be more exhilarating. Nice work if you can get it. #venicewritingretreat #amwriting #ponteaccademia
    #amwriting #Venice #amwriting #Venice
    #venicewritingretreat #amwriting #venicewritingretreat #amwriting
    #venicewritingretreat #amwriting #venicewritingretreat #amwriting
    Is there a code of conduct for writers? One of th Is there a code of conduct for writers?

One of the writers at our Venice Writing Retreat posed this question, and it got me thinking.

It seemed to me that there are three fundamental duties we have as writers.

To yourself as a writer: Become the best writer you can be by staying curious about craft, taking creative risks, and remaining true to your vision.

To your characters: Honour their internal logic and authenticity, allowing them to be themselves rather than convenient plot devices or mouthpieces for your ideology.

To your readers: Deliver clarity, coherence, and your best effort while respecting their intelligence – and when writing in a genre, honour the contract you've made with them.

I've written about this in detail here: https://allaboutwritingcourses.com/2025/10/10/code-of-conduct-for-writers/

What duty do you find most challenging to honour?
    #venicewritingretreat #venicewritingretreat
    #venicewritingretreat #venicewritingretreat
    #venicewritingretreat #venicewritingretreat
    Follow on Instagram
    NEWS & TIPS
    • Venice Writing Retreat: Creative Immersion and Expert Mentoring
      Venice Writing Retreat: Creative Immersion and Expert Mentoring
    • Writing Ambition: Stop Asking Permission and Start Writing
      Writing Ambition: Stop Asking Permission and Start Writing
    • A Code of Conduct for Writers
      A Code of Conduct for Writers
    • Character vs Story: What Should Come First?
      Character vs Story: What Should Come First?
    • Why Your Opening Scene Might Be Killing Your Story
      Why Your Opening Scene Might Be Killing Your Story
    • Self Publishing Revolution 2025: Tips for Building a Profitable Indie Author Business
      Self Publishing Revolution 2025: Tips for Building a Profitable Indie Author Business
    Get in touch
    Not readable? Change text. captcha txt
    Copyright All About Writing Courses, All Rights Reserved © 2017
    Contact Us

    We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

    Not readable? Change text. captcha txt
    0
    Select your currency
    ZAR South African rand
    GBP Pound sterling