Writing Workout - All About Writing Courses

10-Day Writing Workout

1 – 10 November 2017

It’ll take you an hour of your day for ten days to add a rich layer of creativity and professionalism to your writing.
Each day, a solid piece of practical advice, followed by a simple but challenging writing exercise will not only motivate you and help build your discipline, it’ll also warm you up for bigger writing challenges.

Cost: ZAR 950 via EFT. Payable also in US$ and GBP via Paypal.

Click here to sign up today! Or email us for more information.

What exactly are our Writing Workouts?

A fresh look at hands-on writing skills run via our online network.
A fresh module will be posted each day
A short sharp programme that can be slotted into a busy day. It will take participants between thirty and sixty minutes a day to read the notes and do the exercise
A reminder of some absolute fundamentals that often get forgotten, but which can transform writing.
Participants will receive personal comments on their writing every day.

Who should do them?

People who are passionate about writing
Writers looking to hone their craft
Writers who want daily writing practice
Writers who have had a hiatus and need to get themselves writing again
Those who want to build their discipline for writing
Anyone looking for a morning exercise to use the creative brain – like morning pages

How can you use the course?

As a daily motivation
As a refresher programme
For dipping your feet into creative writing
As a creative discipline for anyone wanting to exercise that side of their brain

Click here to sign up today! Or email us for more information.

What do previous participants have to say about our Writing Workouts?

The Writing Workout last year was the most overwhelming success far exceeding our expectations as these unsolicited endorsements from many of the people of the course show:

Thanks Richard and Jo for organising the best writing boot camp ever. I can’t believe the amazing value for money this has been. Apart from the encouragement, astute feedback and sheer fun of it all I think the real gift that the course imparts is forcing one to write every day… to the point that it’s become a habit for me (yay!). Which is what writing should be, among other things! – Adalbert Ernst

Thanks for all the input and hard work you put into the course. The feed back was great and very helpful. Reading all the contributions and the comments was very productive and inspiring. The course has been quite tough at times but inspiring nevertheless. I’ve learnt a lot and thanks Jo-Anne and Richard for the gentle way you have of pointing out how we could improve and encouraging us. – Lindsey Sanderson

Richard and Jo-Anne, thank you for a fantastic month. I have grown tremendously in my writing and the discipline of having to write every day has been an eye opener. – Howard Fox

Jo-Anne and Richard thank you for this powerful series of lessons and insights. The most valuable part I gained was discovering that one never gets time to write – one has to simply make that time. – Adrienne Addinall-Kokkas

I add my gratitude for a wonderful experience. – Fiona Robinson

Thank you Richard and Jo for a great workshop. I’ve learnt so much. Jane Meenehan

I’m officially suffering from WWW (Writing Workout Withdrawal)! Thanks so much to Jo-Anne and Richard for a fab month of great exercises and kind but ‘on the nose’ feedback. And thanks to all of the writers on the group for a strong feeling of community, for inspiration and good laughs. Its been a great experience and I’ve learnt a lot! – Cathy Kelly

…and so, to bed!!! I have LOVED this, but I am SO glad we’re done!!! Jo / Richard – you are supercalifragilisticexpealidocious. – Liz Dewing

Thank you so much Richard and Jo-Anne. The course has been incredibly challenging, and I’ve learnt so much. I’ve finally (along the way somewhere) broken through my dialogue-hating-ceiling, so I’m very pleased with that! And thanks to all the participants. It’s been great to see this journey through with you all. Your talent, enthusiasm, commitment and honesty have been truly inspiring. – Megan Armstrong

Thanks so much Jo-Anne and Richard, you guys rock. There’ll be some celebration that its over but plenty of withdrawal symptoms. Everyone must keep writing. I am sure there are a few best sellers going to come out of this incredibly talented group of wonderful writers. Clive Goodchild-Brown

Thanks for the brilliant course. Amazing what one can learn in 30 days and the discipline was also good. Every success to all the brilliant writers – I hope you all become famous! – Janet Lopes

Thank you Jo-Anne and Richard, for a brilliant 30 day workout. It was everything and more than I expected. As always, the feedback was incredibly thorough and helpful. I cringe at my mistakes but am so thrilled that they are pointed out. It makes the favourable comments even more special! I don’t think we’d find better mentors anywhere in the world, so am very grateful to be part of your writing family. I am going to try and keep the discipline myself now, but if there is a next one…I’m in. – Gail Gilbride Bohle

Thanks for the course. It was most enjoyable. – Dorothy Vlietstra

Thank you for a 30-day rollercoaster ride! It was exhilarating with pre and post adrenaline rushes. Sometimes downright exhausting. Throughout it all you guided us with not only the exercises, but also constructive feedback and support. I felt how my boundaries were stretched as I ventured into new areas and ways of expressing myself. This is an awesome course! Well done. I’ll miss the group interaction and quirky commentary. It was an eye opener to see how the same exercise could spark so many different pieces. Well written pieces which I often read with a great deal of envy! So, fellow workout-ees, thank you very much for a fun 30 days and let’s keep writing. – Melanie du Plessis

Thank you for such meaningful comment, Jo-Anne – ditto both of you throughout our workout. I’ve so enjoyed it, and learnt soooo much. Anticipate withdrawal symptoms from tomorrow. A very big iDankie! – Darryl Boswell

AND a big thank you from me to Richard and Jo-Anne. I have found the most wonderful gift in this: to make time to write. I could feel the magic happening, even thought I only had 30 minutes to plan and create. Your feedback was spot on, every time. Thank you. And to everyone else here, Thank you for reading, commenting, co-creating. It has been inspiring to read your work. Write write write! I’m sure we’ll see you/ read each others work again soon in future. – Merle Grace

Thank you Josie and Richard. You’ve taught me to honour the craft of writing by refusing to be beaten by the daily challenge of writing even when I didn’t have an idea in my head. You are extraordinary teachers. You’ve taken our writing seriously and over the past 30 days with gentle nudges you have shown us what was good and what still needed to be worked on. You’ve made us believe we could be REAL writers. I’ve enjoyed being part of this group of talented and stimulating writers. They have shown me that interesting writing is about incorporating both imagination and one’s life experiences into any topic. They’ve allowed me to meet characters who are vulnerable, brave, funny, romantic… and I’ve been charmed. – Angela van Schalkwyk

I feel sad today. Every morning for the past month I have had a surprise waiting for me. It’s like having Christmas for thirty days in a row! My daily workout has become integral part of my routine. I shall miss it dearly! I have gained so much knowledge, acquired many skills and been given a plethora of fine tools that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I thank you so much for your time, your inspiration, your patience and your understanding. You are the best mentors I could wish for. Thank you for sharing your profound knowledge and experience with me. – Julien Erwin

I echo everything above. It has been a wonderful challenging month. Thank you. – Bonnie Espie

And some comments from Jo-Anne and Richard:

I loved every day of it. It was a joy and a privilege to see people expand and their writing develop. I felt proud to witness it and to have been part of the process. What made it particularly special was the way you all contributed and helped each other. I think you’re all amazing and I hope you’ll go on writing. If this was what a month could do, imagine what you’ll be like after a year of writing every day. – Jo-Anne Richards

I can only endorse what Jo-Anne says. I simply loved the prospect of reading your many different responses to the same challenge every day. You were inventive, creative, funny, witty, honest, energetic, subtle, exuberant, clever… I will miss you! – Richard Beynon

We’d love you to join us on this exciting Writing Workout!

Click here to sign up today! Or email us for more information.