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When you start working on your next novel or short story, give a little thought to your opening paragraph. It’s easy to rush through to the exciting bits of your story, but keep in mind that if your opening doesn’t grab your reader’s attention, it might be the only part of the story they read! A strong opening is the key to getting your rea...

If you’re like me and you love to do a bit of nosy-ing in someone else’s life, then writing up your family history might be a great project for you to get started on. Not only will you get the chance to investigate other people’s lives, but you’ll also find some weird and wonderful stories about the kind of family you come from. You’ll ...

With only a few days to go until the closing date for The Writers Bureau Short Story Competition 2014, it seems like the perfect time to dish out some advice on what the judges might be looking for. If you’re still working away at your entry – take note! We’re giving you some of our top tips for writing a winning story.It might seem like an o...

There’s an old saying that “manners cost nothing” and it couldn't be closer to the truth. Taking the time to be friendly and polite, whether you’re on the phone, writing an email or sending a query letter costs you maybe a few seconds of your time, but it could be the difference between an acceptance or a rejection.Imagine for a moment that...

Children’s books might seem like an easy way to get started and get your first book published, but it really isn't as simple as it looks. Madeline L’Engle, the author of “A Wrinkle in Time” once said: “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children...

So, you've completed your course and you feel like you’re ready to start working and earning money - where do you start? If you are working as a freelancer, you have the luxury of being your own boss. It sounds great to begin with, but remember that this also means you are responsible for finding your own work and getting in touch with editors....

What is SEO? SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is essentially how you make your website visible to people using search engines like Google, Bing or Yahoo. If you’re writing for the internet, be it your own website or blog or someone else’s, then it’s something you need to think seriously about before you start writing. Using SEO effectively...

You might think that you already know everything you need to know about writing in the workplace. After all, anyone can send an email, can’t they? But even though an email can seem more informal, if you’re using email in the workplace then you need to make sure that the correspondence you send out is appropriate and professional. Your emails wi...

We’ve already talked about finding new markets and ideas for your non-fiction work, so it seems only fair that we do the same for fiction this week! Some writers find that writing fiction can be a lot more fun, because it gives you complete freedom to come up with new ideas. The problem is that the market for fiction is much more competitive, wit...

Writing non-fiction is by far the easiest way to get published and start making money from your writing. The market is bigger and less crowded, and the market for non-fiction work is wider and more varied.The problem most new writers seem to face is finding an idea for an article, and we completely understand! It can be a little bit intimidati...