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Creative Writing
The plain and simple benefits of writing absolutely anything. BY ALDOHNÉ WARD The saying “a picture is worth a thousand
Her first novel for young adult (YA) fiction was not only a New York Times best-seller in 1999, but
Paul Cleave – international bestselling New Zealand author – talks about his writing career and offers tips for new writers
Award-winning author Derek Landy shows how one bright idea can unexpectedly turn into a writing career. Read about his journey
Artists are people who stand out. Boldly individual, their styles are memorable and recognisable. Here are five lessons, inspired by
A background as a dentist – and limited writing experience – didn’t deter author Jo Nel from accomplishing his goal
Madonna may be a global music icon, but could taking some tips from the queen of pop make you a
Every story is told from a particular point of view. It is the reader’s way “in,” enabling them to experience
One of the most common problem writers have when learning to write fiction, is maintaining point of view (PoV). Here,
WEB WRITING
Your Stories
BY DAVID WHITAKER My first book was self-published. I wrote every word and illustrated it myself. I also cut
I will never forget my first published poem. Well ‘published’ may be a loosely applied term, but it was
Words have the power to alter perceptions and change lives, as KEZIAH FREIMOND discovered for herself. I have, through the
Congratulations to Christie Williams from New Zealand for her story about procrastination. Christie wins our June contest. The closing date for the next My
BY HALEY PASSMORE I’ve never received any writing tips that have helped me – but then I’m not really a
The city is pretty… These were the words I wrote in the first attempt I made of a poem
BY HEINRICH VAN DER WALT “You know, you should write this stuff down,” Anton said. We were sitting on
By ANDREW PARK The best writing advice I ever received was from Chuck Palahniuk. No, wait! Chuck Palahniuk gave me the
BY HELEN TOMPSON The thought that one day I could be a writer has bubbled inside me for
Doing a writing course can shine more light on your writing strengths and weaknesses than a 100-watt reading lamp. DANIELLE
Q & A WITH AWARD-WINNING WRITERS
Helen Brain is the author of 30 books for children, an adult memoir and many short stories. In 1998
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
Susan Williams has been the managing director of Prose & Comms – a communications company – for over a decade.
He’s the son of New Zealand’s inaugural Poet Laureate and describes himself as a freelance writer and editor.
Paul Cleave – international bestselling New Zealand author – talks about his writing career and offers tips for new writers
TRUDY DELAMARE asks veteran copy-editor Di Smith if machines can correct errors better than humans in this frank Q &
When Lotta received her ‘Local Hero’ award in 2014, she celebrated it with lime and soda rather than bubbly. Lotta
Rosemary Hepözden has three decades of editing, writing and teaching experience. She is the author of three nonfiction books, and
Trending Posts
Apps for Writers
Anyone can share their travel stories on the Web. However, it is the quality of your writing, editing and photos
Web writing is an increasingly popular specialism for writers, but it’s also highly competitive. I’m sharing my top free and
Six apps to help travel writers organise, plan and execute their day. BY CHRIS STRYDOM Travel writers rely on technology
Boost your web writing career with these powerful apps. BY SARAH LLOYD We as 21st century writers are lucky to
While your Moleskine may never go out fashion, technology changes at a rapid pace. These five apps get you
If you are a person who fears or dislikes new apps, and you also happen to be a journalist,
latest posts
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