Stop Waiting for Permission to Write
BY BELINDA MOUNTAIN The best piece of writing advice I ever received? It was from a professor of journalism in my hometown of Makhanda, Eastern Cape. He looked the 18-year-old me dead in the eye one fine September day and said, ‘What are you waiting for to begin your writing career, a letter of permission?’ […]
The Best Writing Tip: Remember Why You Write
BY LIZ AMOS I have a confession to make: no one told me this. No one sat me down, looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Liz, remember why you’re doing this.’ But I say it. I tell myself – repeatedly – because, at this point in my journey, it’s the distillation of every helpful […]
Best Writing Tip: I Write As If Nobody Will See My Work
BY SIMON WINTER Bill Nighy, the famous English actor, recently celebrated his 74th birthday. Interviewed, he said, ‘I am a world-class procrastinator. I’m only an actor because I’ve been putting off being a writer for 35 years.’ He’s in good company. There must be millions of aspiring writers who’ve lacked sufficient impetus to put pen to […]