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    Writing courses, free resources and webinars, and developmental editing Writing courses, free resources and webinars, and developmental editing
    • Home
    • About
      • About
      • Facilitators
      • Testimonials
      • Contact
      • How to enrol
    • Courses
      • Events calendar
      • Venice Writing Retreat
      • Creative Writing Course
      • Stow-on-the-Wold Writing Weekend
      • A memoir weekend and a writing retreat in the Karoo
    • Shop
    • Free resources
      • Free offerings for writers
      • Downloadable writing resources
    • Blog
    • Community Hub

    writers

     The hidden secrets of writing with Ekow Duker
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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 April 27, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Ekow Duker

    Ekow Duker has published four novels since attending our flagship Creative Writing Course. Over time, we’ll be featuring all four in this blog series celebrating the books published by past […]

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     The hidden secrets of writing with Joanne Hichens
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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 March 2, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Joanne Hichens

    ‘Sometimes, in writing memoir, we are faced with extreme pain, says writer Joanne Hichens. ‘It’s important to recognise that these “scenes” might be included in the story.’ Joanne is [...]

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     The hidden secrets of writing with Michele Rowe
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    By Jo-Anne Richards
    In All About Writing, Books, Creative Writing Courses, How to write a book, Screenwriting courses, The secrets behind the practice of good writing, Tips for Writers, writers
    Posted February 21, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Michele Rowe

    Andrew Sherwood is a dead man. The last time forensic psychologist Marge Labuschagne saw him, alive, was a fraught confrontation in the benign setting of a neighbourhood fair. The scene […]

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     The hidden secrets of writing with Vincent Pienaar
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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 February 2, 2023

    The hidden secrets of writing with Vincent Pienaar

    Limerence by Vincent Pienaar (Penguin Random House)* is another novel we’d like to feature in this blog series on the published books of our Creative Writing Course alumni. Nominated for […]

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     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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     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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     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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     Q&A with Angela Meadon author of Strong Medicine part 2
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    By All About Writing
    In Books, Character development, News, Publishing, Tips for Writers, writers
    Posted August 20, 2016

    Q&A with Angela Meadon author of Strong Medicine part 2

    How do you go about developing a character? I think every major character must have certain aspects to their personality in order for them to become real in my mind, […]

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     Q&A with Angela Meadon author of Strong Medicine
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    By All About Writing
    In Books, News, Publishing, writers
    Posted August 11, 2016

    Q&A with Angela Meadon author of Strong Medicine

    Angela Meadon, a past creative writing participant launches her book on 25 August. To celebrate we  asked her some questions about her writing and publishing process. How long did this […]

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    📝 The Writer's Dual Consciousness Ever caught 📝 The Writer's Dual Consciousness Ever caught yourself living a moment while simultaneously crafting it into a story? You're not alone. This week we're exploring how writers navigate being both inside and outside their stories. Writing Tips * When you’re experiencing a moment that feels “story-worthy,” resist the immediate urge to mentally frame it as a scene. Instead, stay present in the experience first, then later set aside dedicated time to reflect on it as a writer. This helps maintain the authenticity of both the experience and your eventual writing. * Keep a “dual perspective” journal where you record events twice: first as you experienced them in the moment, and then from your more analytical writer’s perspective. This practice helps you understand how your observing mind transforms raw experience into narrative. * When writing about personal experiences, explicitly acknowledge both your participating and observing selves. Try writing the same scene twice – once from deep within the experience, and once from a more distant, observational viewpoint. This can add richness and depth to your narrative. Writing Exercise Choose a significant memory from your past. Write about it twice in 15-minute sessions: First, write it as if you’re reliving it in the present moment, focusing purely on immediate sensations and emotions. Then, write it again as if you’re watching it happen to someone else, noting patterns and meanings that weren’t apparent in the moment. Compare the two versions – what different truths emerge from each perspective? . . . #MondayWritingMotivation #memoirwriting #writingprocess #writingtips #writingcommunity #amwriting
    Book launch invitation: Please join the ONE LIFE a Book launch invitation: Please join the ONE LIFE authors at two launch events on 5 and 12 December. Register here: ow.ly/HkLy50UgyGj At this celebration of ONE LIFE, the writers will share their insights and experience, and will talk about the POWER of the short story. The editors will also be present. Joanne Hichens on the 5th and 12th and Karina Szczurek on the 12th. You will have the opportunity to ask the authors questions about their stories, their writing process and short stories in general. Get inspired to write your own short story. https://ow.ly/Lt2m50UhvPw
    The many jobs that the setting of your story can d The many jobs that the setting of your story can do Tip 14/14 Sensory immersion Detailed descriptions of place engage readers' senses, making the story more vivid and immersive. Authors like Proust excel at this. Here’s a passage from his magnus opus: In Search of Lost Time: "The Swanns’ drawing-room was a room such as one no longer sees today, lofty and spacious, of the kind which expressed a certain social status, and which must have been kept in repair at a considerable cost. An odour of old furniture, of curtains saturated with dust and perfumes, of tapestry permeated with the emanations of winter fires, brought to mind the tranquil dignity of aristocratic households where life is led in seclusion, amid family relics. Against the walls the large, empty armchairs, covered in silk, upholstered with light green damask and embroidered with multi-coloured flowers, were stationed in front of the fireplace, forming a kind of solemn tribunal. The flames crackled and sent reflections flickering up to the ceiling, where the ceiling-rose cast shadows like the petals of some enormous flower opening slowly to reveal itself." Detail, remember, is what the living blood of narrative fiction. Engage as many of the reader’s sense and plunge them into your setting, and your story. . . . #SensoryImmersion #Detail #StorytellingTips #StorySettings
    Writing Wisdom from Venice 16/16 Writing with rest Writing Wisdom from Venice 16/16 Writing with restraint is about holding back, not telling your reader too much. But restraint also means we should try to write more obliquely. It’s a form of showing, rather than telling. Give us the evidence – the details which we need to interpret – but don’t actually do the interpreting. Let your reader do that. Show the smoke, let us infer the fire. #WritingRetreat #VeniceWritersRetreat #Creativity #AmWriting
    ✨ Light the Dark: Free Short Story Writing Works ✨ Light the Dark: Free Short Story Writing Workshops ✨ Spark your creativity with Short.Sharp.Stories! Explore what POWER means to you - from speech to speed, electricity to creation. 🎯 Develop your anthology submission 📝 Hands-on writing experience 💡 Fresh content each session Join us: Nov 23 & 30 14:00-16:00 SAST Register via the link in bio . . . #writingcompetition #writingcontest #writingworkshop #shortstory
    Writing Wisdom from Venice 15/16 Restraint is an Writing Wisdom from Venice 15/16 Restraint is an essential ingredient for suspense in your writing. Give your readers a nibble at the facts, rather than the whole leg of lamb, and they’ll be hungry for more. #WritingRetreat #VeniceWritersRetreat #WritingTips #AmWriting
    The many jobs that the setting of your story can d The many jobs that the setting of your story can do Tip 14/14 Sensory immersion Detailed descriptions of place engage readers' senses, making the story more vivid and immersive. Authors like Proust excel at this. Here’s a passage from his magnus opus: 'In Search of Lost Time': "The Swanns’ drawing-room was a room such as one no longer sees today, lofty and spacious, of the kind which expressed a certain social status, and which must have been kept in repair at a considerable cost. An odour of old furniture, of curtains saturated with dust and perfumes, of tapestry permeated with the emanations of winter fires, brought to mind the tranquil dignity of aristocratic households where life is led in seclusion, amid family relics. Against the walls the large, empty armchairs, covered in silk, upholstered with light green damask and embroidered with multi-coloured flowers, were stationed in front of the fireplace, forming a kind of solemn tribunal. The flames crackled and sent reflections flickering up to the ceiling, where the ceiling-rose cast shadows like the petals of some enormous flower opening slowly to reveal itself." Detail, remember, is what the living blood of narrative fiction. Engage as many of the reader’s sense and plunge them into your setting, and your story. #StorytellingTips #StorySettings #AmWriting
    Writing Wisdom from Venice 14/16 Readers enjoy fi Writing Wisdom from Venice 14/16 Readers enjoy figuring things out. They’re flattered by the realisation that the writer believes them intelligent enough to work things out for themselves. This is why it’s almost always better to give your readers too little than too much. . . . #WritingRetreat #VeniceWritersRetreat #Creativity #AmWriting
    The many jobs that the setting of your story can d The many jobs that the setting of your story can do Tip 13/14 Narrative structure The movement between places can structure the narrative. Joseph Conrad used this technique in Heart of Darkness. The novel is structured around the journey up the Congo River: "Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish. There was no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway ran on, deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances. On silvery sand-banks hippos and alligators sunned themselves side by side. The broadening waters flowed through a mob of wooded islands; you lost your way on that river as you would in a desert, and butted all day long against shoals, trying to find the channel, till you thought yourself bewitched and cut off for ever from everything you had known once—somewhere—far away—in another existence perhaps." Think of a journey, then structure a story round it. The journey becomes a metaphor, and a convenient structure to support the unfolding story. . . . . #StorytellingTips #NarrativeStructure #JosephConrad #StorySettings
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    NEWS & TIPS
    • The Writer’s Dual Consciousness: Being Both Inside and Outside Your Story
      The Writer’s Dual Consciousness: Being Both Inside and Outside Your Story
    • Short Story Workshop
      Short Story Workshop
    • Short Story Webinar replay and info about two free workshops
      Short Story Webinar replay and info about two free workshops
    • How Many Jobs Can Your Story’s Setting Do?
      How Many Jobs Can Your Story’s Setting Do?
    • Mining Your Inner World to Create Characters
      Mining Your Inner World to Create Characters
    • Crafting Powerful Short Stories
      Crafting Powerful Short Stories
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