WRITERS' HUB

Your destination for writing tips and exercises from Arvon tutors, and writing opportunities from the literary community. You can join as an Arvon Friend, Writer, or 18-25 member to motivate you to keep writing with exclusive access to content.

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Become an Arvon Friend to get full access to tips and exercises from Arvon Tutors sent in a fortnightly email, plus priority booking on 2019 courses.

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Young writers can join Arvon 18-25 for half-price discounts on courses with late availability and signposting to young writers’ opportunities.

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TIPS & EXERCISES

Tips

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Become a Magpie

I was shopping in a supermarket recently and I overheard a conversation between an elderly male customer and a female member…

Christopher William Hill

All

Purposeful Dialogue

Dialogue doesn’t just happen. It is crafted to serve a purpose. So, don’t have your dialogue just sit there like a…

Kerry Young

All

Creating Dialogue with Purpose

Create a character. Imagine them in as much detail as you can. For example, in terms of their gender, age, race,…

Kerry Young

Tips

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Do It Yourself

So much of writing is focused on ‘getting published’ by someone else: a magazine, a newspaper or a publishing house.
If…

Joanna Walsh

More tips and exercises

The Stories We Tell

In our new blog series, The Stories We Tell, leading writers share with you some of the inspirations, challenges and discoveries that led to the writing of their own stories, novels and poems.

My Arvon Journey – Sarah Baylis

17 Aug 2021 / My Arvon Journey

Perhaps it all begins with the voice.
What I remember most clearly now is Mrs Jenkins reading to us from …

My Arvon Journey – Hannah Storm

14 Jul 2021 / My Arvon Journey

As a child I dreamt of being a writer, of travelling the world and telling stories. Journalism offered me the opportunity…

Tim Pears – The Stories We Tell

21 Jun 2021 / The Stories We Tell

Unsettled Weather
Out of conflicting pressures in the unsettled weather ever present in a writer’s head – in all…

My Arvon Journey – Tim Relf

10 May 2021 / My Arvon Journey

I first went on a residential Arvon course more than 25 years ago.
It was at Moniack Mhor, a remote farmhouse…

Animal Aspiration’s National Short Story Competition For Children Now Open For Submissions

Animal Aspiration's short story prize is now open for submissions for children aged 12-14. AA are encouraging writers to think about welfare and conservation issues and come up with creative solutions, however, these do not need to be accurate! All stories should be submitted by 11:59pm on the 19th November 2021 via the Writing Competition Submission Area on the Animal Aspirations website. To learn more/apply, please click this post.

The Women’s Prize ‘Discoveries’ Programme – Now Open for Applications!

The Women's Prize are excited to tell you about their brand new talent development programme Discoveries, which invites UK women of all ages and backgrounds to submit their works of fiction, with the possibility of securing They don’t require writers to have finished a novel – only the opening three chapters or up to 10,000 words – and it is free to enter. To learn more, click this post.

NAWE’s Creative Writing in Education Conference 2022: Call for Proposals

Calling everyone who teaches, studies, or organises creative writing in education! Proposals for workshops, talks and panels exploring the theme of renewal and resilience in creative writing and teaching practice at all levels, and in all education and community settings, are invited for NAWE’s 2022 conference. Taking place virtually from 10th – 12th March 2022, NAWE 2022 will see a mix of curated strands programmed alongside contributions from NAWE members and non-members. Find out more by clicking on this post.Deadline for proposals: 1st November 2021

More opportunities

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