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It’s become one of the most frequently repeated phrases in the film industry, traded among writers of all stamps, derided by the cognoscenti, while it continues to offer guidance to […]

The Hero’s Journey is the paradigm for story-tellers of all sorts, whether your focus is screenplays, short stories, novels or (and perhaps especially) memoir. And now, for the first time, we’re [...]

Yes, yes, you’ve heard this before. Be observant. Listen to interactions in the world, to the way people speak. That goes without saying. But your listening practice should go deeper. […]

How do you generate story? There seems an obvious answer to that: you imagine a series of events involving and challenging a character whose responses will then constitute your narrative. […]

  Join Fred de Vries, award-winning journalist and non-fiction author, for a free travel writing webinar. This is your chance to ask everything you always wanted to know about any […]

This August through September, we’re offering various courses, workshops, and free webinars for writers of every stripe. Watch the video above or scroll through the option below to find [...]

We all know the old writing truism: never tell when you can show. But I’ve recently come to realise that many people misunderstand what it means to “show”. I’ve come […]

I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship that springs into being whenever a reader picks up a book, opens it and begins the journey to which it is an invitation. […]

Back in the misty dawn of time when I was a working journalist, two jokey truisms were common currency among hacks. “I love being a journalist. You meet so many […]

Story is woven through the fabric of human society, through our history, our customs, our institutions. It is the vector of communication and persuasion. It supports relationships. It generates [...]

Today, 9 August, marks Women’s Day in South Africa, where half of our team is based and where (in normal times) many of our courses and workshops take place. It’s […]