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Exercises

Writing for Children & YA

Telling Tales

If you’d like to eat chocolate and pass it off as research, this may well be the exercise for you. Get…

Christopher William Hill
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Tips

Writing for Children & YA

Telling Tales

Children are innate storytellers. It’s an ability born out of necessity – tell a story that drags, and you’ll quickly lose…

Christopher William Hill
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Tips

Poetry

Plainness

Poetry is best when it’s not trying to be poetic. I know that sounds paradoxical but it’s true. When I think…

Andrew McMillan
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Exercises

Poetry

Plainness

Get a draft of a poem that you’ve been working on but can’t seem to get right. You know the one…

Andrew McMillan
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Exercises

Theatre

Someone Who’ll Write… To Me

We often articulate our feelings with more honesty and passion in writing than we do in conversation. Perhaps it’s easier to…

Jessica Swale
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Someone Who’ll Write… To Me

A playwriting tip and exercise inspired by Frank McGuinness’ beautiful play, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.
We often…

Jessica Swale
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Exercises

Comedy

Finding a comedy setting and narrative style from a blank page

Force yourself inside a local café and while you drink your coffee and eat your panini (hard, I know) start writing…

Helen Lederer
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Tips

Comedy

Tips for finding rich comedy scenarios through example

A good way to find out what you feel strongly about (for comedic inspiration) is to watch a comedy programme on…

Helen Lederer
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Exercises

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Design a Retreat in a Day

I swear by solo writing retreats as a way of engaging more deeply with my writing. Once a year I go…

Emylia Hall
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Tips

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Retreat in a Day

Solo retreats have become essential to my writing process. I book a cottage somewhere remote – coastal spots are my favourite…

Emylia Hall
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Exercises

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Storyline

Write a synopsis of your story/book. But write it more like a storyline. Detail the series of events, over time. Make…

Kerry Young
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Tips

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Storyline

A story/book has themes. It is about something – for example love, loss, grief, happiness, forgiveness, guilt, the meaning…

Kerry Young
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Tips

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On Being Lost and Finding Yourself

Some writers need to have everything planned out before they can put pen to paper. Planners make complex charts, maps, character…

Wyl Menmuir
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Exercises

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On Being Lost and Finding Yourself

Once you’ve written a full first draft, distil your novel or short story to a single sentence: This is a…

Wyl Menmuir
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Tips

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Reward your Writer-Self this Winter

Midwinter is a notoriously difficult time of year. It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s cold, and every screen and shop window and…

Clare Fisher
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Exercises

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Writing Resolutions for the New Year

Find a comfortable spot where you can write undisturbed for fifteen minutes.
First, write down three to five things about your…

Clare Fisher