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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: "November, 2024"
     Short Story Workshop
    By All About Writing
    In Invitations, Newsletters
    Posted November 26, 2024

    Short Story Workshop

    Our focus as we wrap up 2024 is the art of the short story and in particular the new call for submissions from Short.Sharp.Stories. Here are the replays of our […]

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     Unleash Your Storytelling Potential: Free Workshops for Aspiring Anthology Contributors
    By All About Writing
    In All About Writing
    Posted November 21, 2024

    Unleash Your Storytelling Potential: Free Workshops for Aspiring Anthology Contributors

    Are you ready to see your story in print? Short.Sharp.Stories and All about Writing are excited to announce a series of workshops designed to support writers interested in submitting to […]

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     Short Story Webinar replay and info about two free workshops
    By All About Writing
    In Invitations, Newsletters
    Posted November 14, 2024

    Short Story Webinar replay and info about two free workshops

    Our focus this month is the art of the short story and in particular the new call for submissions from Short.Sharp.Stories. We held a fabulous short story webinar with Joanne […]

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     How Many Jobs Can Your Story’s Setting Do?
    By Richard Beynon
    In Richard Beynon's blog, Tips for Writers
    Posted November 13, 2024

    How Many Jobs Can Your Story’s Setting Do?

    Stories play out in all sorts of locations. You might think of those venues for drama as a stage, where characters collide, declare their love or spit their vitriol. The […]

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     Mining Your Inner World to Create Characters
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    By Richard Beynon
    In Richard Beynon's blog, Writing Craft
    Posted November 8, 2024

    Mining Your Inner World to Create Characters

    Creating compelling characters can feel like an impossible task, especially when writing characters whose experiences and personalities seem far removed from our own. In both this blog and my [...]

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     Crafting Powerful Short Stories
    By Jo-Anne Richards
    In Invitations, Jo-Anne Richard's blog
    Posted November 5, 2024

    Crafting Powerful Short Stories

    We're thrilled to invite you to a free short story webinar with acclaimed writer, editor and publisher Joanne Hichens from Short.Sharp.Stories

    READ MORE
     Short.Sharp.Stories call to enter
    By All About Writing
    In Writing Competitions, Newsletters, Writing Craft
    Posted November 1, 2024

    Short.Sharp.Stories call to enter

    Short.Sharp.Stories invites you to write a short story of between 3000 and 5000 words reflecting on or inspired by their exciting theme: POWER. Submit your entry before midnight, 31 January […]

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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
    #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
    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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