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Copywriting 101: How to Craft Compelling Blog and Social Media Posts
By VESELINA YANEVA Copywriting is a powerful tool for convincing and inspiring potential customers or clients online. It’s the craft of using compelling words for
How much money can you make as a writer in New Zealand?
Writing is a fascinating field. It is not only personally rewarding but also financially feasible if done right. The writing industry in New Zealand is vast and covers various genres, including journalism, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and academic writing. The industry has changed significantly due to technology and digital publishing, and is thriving as a result. […]
How To Write a Compelling Plot: A Guide
Have you ever been so engrossed in a novel that time seemed to run away? That’s the power of a compelling plot. But as a writer, outlining a real page-turner demands effort and focus. Here’s a brief guide to the essentials of plot and some useful tips for designing an immersive storyline. BY ANDREW BAIRD […]
6 Essential Skills for Journalism
Considering being a journalist? Here are six essential skills any journalist needs. The digital landscape of media may have shifted the skillset for journalism, but the essential skills remain the same. Some might argue those primary attributes are more important than ever. Here are six core qualities required by every journalist. Journalism skill number 1: … Continue reading 6 Essential Skills for Journalism
Eight Common Grammar Errors (That We All Sometimes Make)
BY VESELINA YANEVA Does seeing a grammar blunder online drive you apoplectic? You’re not alone. Together, we can make the Internet a better place. Let’s harness the magical power of good grammar! We can be heroes: epic blunder slayers! Just remember, making the following eight common grammar errors is human; to eradicate them, however, is […]
Q&A with Andrew Wassenaar, Author of ‘Mystery Under Maungauika’
New Zealand author Andrew Wassenaar spent his teenage years hanging around places he wasn’t meant to be. Trouble may have followed, but so did a novel. Mystery Under Maungauika is a thrilling story about a group of teenagers who uncover a decades-old secret in Auckland’s abandoned war tunnels. Inspired by his own adventures and fuelled […]
Accomplished Writer Rebecca Hayter Shares Tips and Tales
Author, award-winning freelance journalist and editor-with-accolades Rebecca Hayter shares insights from her journey as a writer. At 29 years old, when Rebecca Hayter woke to read ‘Journalism‘ scrawled upon her bedroom ceiling, she knew what she had to do … Following her epiphany, Rebecca enrolled in a six-month writing course and easily achieved top of […]
What Writing Skills Do You Need to Write Well?
Here are five vital skills for every writer to master. So many people ask us: what writing skills do I need to improve my writing? There are thousands of rules and skills that go into writing an engaging piece. Many writers take these skills for granted: they don’t realise they are doing many of the … Continue reading What Writing Skills Do You Need to Write Well?
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Could Copy-Editing Be Your Career? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
When AI burst onto the scene, many people assumed the days of the copy-editor were numbered. Why pay a human to check commas and catch
How Do You Get Your Web Content to Show Up in AI Searches?
Over 70% of searches are now AI-driven. Adapting your content strategy is becoming increasingly important for staying visible and relevant. Not long ago, every digital
Re-wilding language with Robert Macfarlane
How Robert Macfarlane is opening our eyes to the natural world and advocating for its protection, one word at a time. By JANA BEER. I
Practical Strategies for Fearful Writers
BY JANE DANIELL If you, too, struggle with self-doubt when writing, the following tips may help you overcome some of the more common insecurities, while
The Modern Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Essential Tools to Supercharge Your Writing
Focusing on writing can feel impossible in today’s world full of deadlines and distractions. EMMA CLARKE shares six free digital tools to help freelance writers
How to Succeed in Content Writing
If you’ve ever wondered what makes the digital world tick, the answer is simple: content. It’s the words, images, videos and messages that keep audiences
Destigmatising AI: Why ChatGPT Isn’t Here to Replace You
For eight years, Amanda Penton of QuickFuse Studios has handled marketing for prominent clients such as Only Organic, Takapoto Estate, Morris & James Pottery, and Natural Things. She has seen the before-and-after of doing business with AI tools like ChatGPT. So in a world of generative AI, in which swathes of text are only a […]
A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming a Writer – Part Two
Earning an income from freelance writing can be daunting. In part two of her series, KATE TAYLOR breaks the process into easy-to-follow steps. Writing is
The Healing Power of Writing
When life unravels, committing to a daily practice of writing can be tremendously healing and helpful. SUE FENTON explores the benefits of writing. Writers seem
Is My Freelance Writing Awful?
Does your passion for writing outweigh your skill? KATE TAYLOR explores what to do if you suspect your friends aren’t telling you the truth about
A Copywriting Deep Dive: The Role of Words in Modern Marketing
Many brands and marketers know what they want to say. Few know how to say it. That’s where copywriters come in. BY AMY TJASINK ‘Just
An Interview with Emma Russell, Award-Winning Investigative Journalist
WORDS BY JESS COOMBES Award-winning journalist Emma Russell has built a praiseworthy writing career in only six years. In 2017, she wrote for her home
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Why Do a Travel Writing Course?
When every man and his dog thinks he’s a great travel writer, WENDY MONTROSE explains why she did a course before embarking on the road to travel journalism. ‘I’m doing a travel writing course,’ I told my daughter. With retirement
Q & A With Travel Writer and Award-Winning Author: Joe Bennett
An ex-pat Brit who travelled to NZ 35 years ago and settled in Lyttelton, Joe Bennett is an award-winning travel author, writer, and columnist. His work has been described by fellow travel author Bill Bryson as ‘brilliant’ and ‘deadly accurate
Travel Writing: 5 Travel Writers Who Show It’s Never Too Late to Start
It’s never too late to start a career in travel writing. Here, Chris Shorrock focuses on five travel writers who show that with hard work and perseverance, you can succeed. Travel writing is what dreams are made of. Whether it’s
Talking Travel Writing With Award-Winning Journalist Ewan Mcdonald
Travel writer Mark Mitchell interviews leading New Zealand journalist Ewan McDonald, exploring his travel writing inspiration, highlights and writing tips and advice. Ewan McDonald had a great gig at the Waikato Times in Hamilton. He was a sub-editor, writing headlines and checking facts. But he also interviewed the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Elton John, Desmond […]
Watch a Q & A with Award-winning Tutors at Our College
Our team of Writers College writers/tutors answer your questions about the creative writing industry – and about getting published!