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Creative Writing
Every story is told from a particular point of view. It is the reader’s way “in,” enabling them to experience
BY HANNAH GREEN The horror genre has a special appeal to its readers, and its writers too. It is
By Hannah Green How do you create that nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat page-turner? How do best-selling authors create tension in their writing?
After over a decade of judging thousands of short stories in our national writing competitions, our Writers’ College
Author Linda Dawley Ask award-nominated author Linda Dawley for her advice on developing as a writer and she will mention
Wanting to portray how women really felt about their lives has been a constant theme for acclaimed New Zealand
The following unedited snippets of creative writing come from students’ assignments on our Short Story Writing Courses, Novel Courses, Scriptwriting and
“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” – Joseph Heller “Never, never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill One
I started to write years ago, when I had small children. We’d moved to a fishing village on the West
WEB WRITING
Your Stories
BY JOHN McCAFFREY Many years ago, I met with an agent friend and asked his advice on how I might
Amber Walker should be used to death by now, but she wasn’t. Her stiletto heels clicked against the ceramic
I will never forget my first published poem. Well ‘published’ may be a loosely applied term, but it was
BY STEPHANIE MILLAR “We’re moving to Durban next month,” my dad nonchalantly announced. He and my mum had
BY HALEY PASSMORE I’ve never received any writing tips that have helped me – but then I’m not really a
BY ANNE MARAIS Writing is a passion for me. However, when I look back to where I started, it was
BY ELEANOR TALBOT I’ll be honest. I don’t really consider myself a writer. John Steinbeck is a writer. Cannery Row
BY GLENN McGOLDRICK My writing journey? Ha-ha. Sounds pretentious. Where to start? I liked writing as a kid.
I’m standing on the side of a road. It’s an unremarkable road, but then, why would it be otherwise? Its
The best advice I ever received about writing came from highly successful Australian children’s author John Heffernan about 25 years
Q & A WITH AWARD-WINNING WRITERS
Successful journalist Sarah Lang may have started her working life sleeping in her mother’s garage, but she has quickly climbed
For someone with a curious streak and a passion for Japanese design, Fiona Wilson may have one of the
When Lotta received her ‘Local Hero’ award in 2014, she celebrated it with lime and soda rather than bubbly. Lotta
Sonny Whitelaw has enjoyed a successful career as a writer for more than thirty years. Her work as a photojournalist
Fiona Ingram is a multi-award-winning author of adult and children’s fiction. She has won, or been a finalist in, over
Paul Cleave – international bestselling New Zealand author – talks about his writing career and offers tips for new writers
Alex Smith’s most recent novel ‘Devilskein & Dearlove’ is a YA Fantasy, described by the ‘Sunday Times’ as “a magical
Helen Brain is the author of 30 books for children, an adult memoir and many short stories. In 1998
BY THABISO SEKGOBELA He made cars.co.za one of the most trusted brands in South Africa. He published a book in
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Apps for Writers
While your Moleskine may never go out fashion, technology changes at a rapid pace. These five apps get you
Boost your web writing career with these powerful apps. BY SARAH LLOYD We as 21st century writers are lucky to
If you are a person who fears or dislikes new apps, and you also happen to be a journalist,
Six apps to help travel writers organise, plan and execute their day. BY CHRIS STRYDOM Travel writers rely on technology
Web writing is an increasingly popular specialism for writers, but it’s also highly competitive. I’m sharing my top free and
Anyone can share their travel stories on the Web. However, it is the quality of your writing, editing and photos
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Well, it’s all about power, isn’t it? That’s where and why my life intersects the here and how
This competition was discontinued in 2025. Read recent winning entries in our e-anthology ‘The Writers’ Journey’, a free download
Logical flow is one of the trickier writing skills to master, but it is vital for good writing. Here’s a
Finally finished a piece of writing that you want to submit to an editor? Woohoo! But before you hit the
Need some writing inspiration and courage to keep going? Here are wise words from famous writers. “A professional
Here are 11 ways to draw in your reader and keep them hooked. Each one of these ways takes time
For most of the twentieth century, television was the preferred channel for advertisers to promote their goods to the masses.
The plot twist is the writer’s equivalent of magic: a sleight of hand, a puff of smoke and kazam! You
After over a decade of judging thousands of short stories in our national writing competitions, our Writers’ College
In most stories, people talk to each other. Many readers enjoy the “talking bits” the most, and will happily