Your goal for 2018 is to become a better writer, but where do you start? We believe passionately in skills. You may be born with a particular talent for writing, […]
As our tenth anniversary year draws to a close, we are feeling very grateful. We’d like to say a huge thank you to our supportive community. We would never have […]
It’s the time of year we either look forward to or dread (or both in equal measure.) It’s holiday time, the kids are home and the family needs to spend […]
Our challenge for December and January involves a monkey wrench, a fit of depression and a first edition of Bleak House. Combine all three as cunningly and naturally as possible […]
We have invited the finalists onto the stage, we’ve examined them carefully as they paraded their virtues and their finery, and we have come to our decision. Yes, the winner […]
I don’t think I’m naturally ruthless. I find it hard to be tough on others, and still harder on myself. My tendency is to tell myself: “You don’t feel like […]
Here’s a decision that writers are frequently called on to make. It’s the choice between creating dramatic irony – in terms of which your protagonist remains ignorant of facts [...]
When you’re struggling with a piece of writing, you long for a breakthrough. But when it comes, it’s not always comfortable. Two of our mentoring participants recently experienced significant [...]
What is fiction best at? Opening up other worlds? Introducing us to people beyond our usual circle? Enabling us to escape the quotidian into landscapes in which love, justice and […]
There’s a paradox to writing: it is at once an intensely solitary activity, and at the same time is dependent on the good opinion of a vast community of readers. […]