The Writers' Studio

Read widely. By exposing yourself to different styles and genres, you can learn about the elements of effective writing and incorporate them into your own work. Reading helps to expand your vocabulary and knowledge, which can help you craft more creative and thoughtful pieces.

“Dramatic characters, inventive plot lines, exciting and intense situations are not achieved through accident or luck. Writers of great books zealously learn the craft of the profession so they can release the power and depth of their imagination and experience,” – Leonard Bishop

"The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. The only feeling that can hold back your words, your art, and your creativity is nothing but self-doubt." – Sylvia Plath How many words do you write a day? Do you have a goal? Let us know.

"What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?” —Anthony Trollope How many books do you have on your 'to read' list? Which one are you most excited to read?

“Get it all down. Let it pour out of you and onto the page. Write an incredibly shitty, self-indulgent, whiny, mewling first draft. Then take out as many of the excesses as you can.” — Anne Lamott

Many people come to our courses wondering if they have the talent to be “real” writers. Our experience is that while many have a strong desire and very often the talent to write, not everyone is prepared to learn the craft and do the work required to realise their potential.

Like every creative endeavour, good creative writing is partly art and partly skill. The art comes from within – a talent and ear for composing with words, and a passion for the subject matter at hand. Skill results from a learned understanding of the chosen genre, and practice.

”Make the story's central conflict the most compelling, juicy, interesting problem in your story so the reader keeps turning the pages to see how it gets resolved." –Jennifer Lerch

Writers have the power to create something that will live on for generations. Use your craft to create stories, poems, or other works of art that will be remembered. Think about a message that you want to share with the world and make it meaningful, powerful, and timeless.

In our Four-Week Unlocking Creativity course, we always encourage our writers to be curious and experiment with their writing. Writing is tool for self-discovery and you never know what you'll enjoy writing until you try. What methods do you use to nurture your creativity?

Do you have a dream book? Who are the characters? What would happen in the plot? If you're struggling to start a draft, try brainstorming what you would love to read instead.

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ―Toni Morrison

Adding humour to your writing can make a difficult topic easier to read and digest. Do you like using humour in your writing? How do you find the balance?

Writing a story is a journey of discovery. As a general rule, trying to have everything figured out at the beginning can be a big mistake. You need to remain open, and we believe, you need to have a process to follow that enables you to take it one step at a time.

Start with an urge to write, that's all you need. As long as you don’t let other things get in your way. What other things? They go by many names. But it all boils down to the fear of being wrong. To write successfully you have to have the nerve to look at something in a new way

If your life was a book, what would you want to happen in it? 📖 You get to choose what you do with your life — you are living your story right now!

A story is like a car that runs on emotion. The authors feeling is the gasoline in the engine. If you haven’t got a feeling, you can’t write about it, let alone arouse it in someone else.

A passion project is often an indulgence of your deep inner desire to create. A drive to bring your ideas to life, whatever form they may take. What is your passion project?

“Create. Not for the money. Not for the fame. Not for the recognition. But for the pure joy of creating something and sharing it.” ―Ernest Barbaric

"Wings are like dreams. Before each flight, a bird takes a small jump, a leap of faith, believing that its wings will work. That jump can only be made with rock solid feet.” ― J.R. Rim