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    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: "January, 2023"
     The hidden secrets of writing with Tracy Todd
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    By Jo-Anne Richards
    In All About Writing, Books, Creative Writing Courses, How to write a book, The secrets behind the practice of good writing, Tips for Writers, writers
    Posted January 31, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Tracy Todd

    We at All About Writing are proud to have seen Tracy Todd’s memoir, Brave Lotus Flower Rides the Dragon (Tracey McDonald Publishers)*, from its inception to its final published state. […]

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     December/January flash fiction challenge ending Midnight 31 January
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    By All About Writing
    In How to write a book, Newsletters
    Posted January 30, 2023

    December/January flash fiction challenge ending Midnight 31 January

      This is also your last chance to enter our December/January Flash Fiction Challenge and stand a chance to win a literary assessment on 5000 words of writing worth R 2750 […]

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     Monday Motivation: Walking on water
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    By Richard Beynon
    In Monday Motivation, Richard Beynon's blog, Tips for Writers
    Posted January 30, 2023

    Monday Motivation: Walking on water

    We thought we’d escaped the worst effects of the latest cold spell to grip these emerald isles. In December, ten days of sub-zero temperatures left the lake on which our […]

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     The hidden secrets of writing with Lisa-Anne Julien
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    By Jo-Anne Richards
    In All About Writing, Books, Creative Writing Courses, How to write a book, The secrets behind the practice of good writing, Tips for Writers, writers
    Posted January 27, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Lisa-Anne Julien

    I would like to introduce you to a fascinating novel called If you Save Me, by Lisa Anne Julien (Kwela Books)*, in another of our blogs showcasing the work of […]

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     Last chance – 25% off our Online Creative Writing Course
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    By All About Writing
    In How to write a book, Invitations, Screenwriting courses
    Posted January 26, 2023

    Last chance – 25% off our Online Creative Writing Course

    This is your last chance to get a massive 25% off our Online Creative Writing Course. The sale ends at midnight. Don’t miss out. The online course allows participants to […]

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     Winners of the October/November Flash Fiction Challenge
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    By All About Writing
    In Newsletters, Writing Challenge
    Posted January 25, 2023

    Winners of the October/November Flash Fiction Challenge

    For our October/November Writing Challenge we invited you to write a piece of flash fiction in which at first everything seems normal, but then your character starts to realise that […]

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     The hidden secrets of writing with Adam Kethro
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    By Richard Beynon
    In All About Writing, Books, Creative Writing Courses, How to write a book, The secrets behind the practice of good writing, Tips for Writers, writers
    Posted January 25, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Adam Kethro

    We’re launching a series of blogs, The hidden secrets of writing,  that will, we hope, achieve two things. Firstly, they’ll introduce you all to extracts from various books that past students [...]

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     Monday Motivation: The challenge of Voice
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    By Richard Beynon
    In Monday Motivation, Richard Beynon's blog, Tips for Writers
    Posted January 23, 2023

    Monday Motivation: The challenge of Voice

    I’ve started off the new year with a close and thorough examination of a list of the four hundred plus literary agents of the United Kingdom – in search of […]

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     Jump-start your journey to writing success
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    By All About Writing
    In How to write a book, Invitations
    Posted January 19, 2023

    Jump-start your journey to writing success

    You don’t have to spend 20 years learning to be the best writer you can be. Our flagship Creative Writing Course contains everything we wish we’d known when we were starting out […]

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     Join an inspiring and supportive writing community
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    By All About Writing
    In How to write a book, Invitations
    Posted January 16, 2023

    Join an inspiring and supportive writing community

    We are delighted to be kicking off our Writers’ Circle again for 2023. Our first live session will take place on Tuesday 17 January at 16:00 UK time/ 18:00 SA […]

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     Free webinar: Plan your writing year
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    By Emma Hutton
    In How to write a book, Invitations, Newsletters, Tips for Writers, Webinars
    Posted January 9, 2023

    Free webinar: Plan your writing year

    All About Writing, in association with Pan Macmillan, invites you to join Tony Park and Jo-Anne Richards, two novelists from opposite sides of the world, as they meet on the common ground of [...]

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     Happy New Year: Start the year off with our Thirty-Day Bootcamp
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    By Emma Hutton
    In How to write a book, Invitations
    Posted January 2, 2023

    Happy New Year: Start the year off with our Thirty-Day Bootcamp

    Happy New Year to our loyal and supportive community. We hope this year will bring great things to everyone and we thank you once again for your support of us […]

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    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
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    #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
    For years, a single comment kept me from writing. For years, a single comment kept me from writing.

A university professor told me I'd never make a writer because I spoke about loving words - not about having "something important to say."
 That comment silenced me. I convinced myself I needed to wait until I had profound insights, until I was ready, until I could be perfect. I was wrong about all of it.

This week at our Venice writing retreat, I gave a talk called "The Courage to Create: Finding Your Voice in a Noisy World." The courage to create isn't about being fearless. It's about writing despite the fear. It's about showing up to the blank page again and again, even when you're certain you have nothing worth saying.

You do. I promise you do.

What's the belief that's been holding YOUR writing back? Tell me in the comments.
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    NEWS & TIPS
    • 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
    • Why Readers Stop Trusting Your Story (And How to Fix It)
      Why Readers Stop Trusting Your Story (And How to Fix It)
    • How to Write a Memoir: Essential Tips from Published Authors
      How to Write a Memoir: Essential Tips from Published Authors
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