Totleigh Barton Manor House Devon
A writing week with the Arvon Foundation

A writing week with the Arvon Foundation

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to spend a week away writing? I am an enormous fan of spending creative time away with others on an organised writing holiday. So, I am really pleased to be sharing this fabulous guest post by writer, Hilary Smith. Hilary, who is co-author of a non-fiction book for primary school teachers published by Routledge, wanted to refresh her creative writing skills, so she attended a residential writing week hosted by the Arvon Foundation….

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The avenue in Chipiona

The avenue in Chipiona

There’s an avenue I like to walk along in Chipiona. It has a large white villa, a semi-modern apartment block and restaurants; a mini boulevard lined with eucalyptus trees that leads you straight to the sea. In January it is quiet. I walk across the empty square at the top of the avenue passing Manolo’s ice cream kiosk, boarded up for winter. A handful of cars are randomly parked. The only bar open serves afternoon coffee to an elderly couple. …

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Get ahead writing a typewriter with a sunflower on it
Get ahead writing: 5 ways letters can motivate you to write more

Get ahead writing: 5 ways letters can motivate you to write more

From gaining clarity to giving you inspiration or providing props, there are many ways letters can motivate you and energise your writing. Here are five that can help you find energy and inspiration 1. Writing to your novel, poem or other project A technique I came across recently via an interview on the Professional Writing Academy with author, teacher and co- author of Writing Works, Victoria Field, is to write a letter to your novel asking what it needs from…

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mixed salad
Eat out in La Sierra de Cádiz; Prado del Rey

Eat out in La Sierra de Cádiz; Prado del Rey

It’s hard not to eat out well in the province of Cádiz and Prado del Rey is no exception. This small town has an amazing range of gastronomic delights, local wines, an ecological farm and its own salt mine dating from Roman times. The busy high street is packed with bars and excellent restaurants and there’s a wonderful ambiente (atmosphere), especially on Friday evenings and weekends. In this post, I am going to tell you about Venta Rosario, a roadside…

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ensalada de queso de cabra goat cheese salad with two glasses of red wine
Eat out in La Sierra de Cádiz; Benaocaz

Eat out in La Sierra de Cádiz; Benaocaz

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So, for me a healthy approach is an important part of good writing and good, home-cooked food forms a part of that approach. When we take our retreat guests out for dinner, we look for places that use local products, cater for dietary requirements and provide good service. Benaocaz is home to two of my favourite restaurants. Nestled in the mountains on the road from Ubrique to Grazalema, Benaocaz has a long tradition of producing cheese, cured meats and leather…

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Exeter canal with canoeists
A working holiday; 4 reasons why a working holiday is a great way to fund your trip

A working holiday; 4 reasons why a working holiday is a great way to fund your trip

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A working holiday is a great way to get to know a place, have fun, earn money and travel at the same time. Unlike a whistle stop tour of a place or a couple of days overnight in a destination, a working holiday gives you a different perspective of the place you are staying in. As well as getting to live like a local and experiencing the area in an authentic way, rather than rushing around trying to cram in…

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writing group open notebook
Writing groups: 7 reasons why it’s a good idea to join one

Writing groups: 7 reasons why it’s a good idea to join one

Writing groups are often free or low-cost and are a great way to meet like-minded people and develop your skills as a writer. For me, joining a writing group is probably one of the most important things I have done with regard to my creative writing. Whether you join a regular group, a short course or a writing retreat, the experience can be extremely valuable. So, here are 7 reasons why I think joining a group is a good idea….

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Open book with a background view of the Spanish mountains
Book choice: 5 great books that take you places

Book choice: 5 great books that take you places

Do you love reading books that take you places? Read on to find five fabulous book choices that will transport you to different countries, eras and cultures. Disclaimer: In order to keep this blog running, this post contains affiliate links. This means that, if you click on one of the links and buy something, I may receive a small commission. Please note that I make every effort to work with sustainable companies that are ethical and environmentally conscious. Thank you….

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Open book with a background view of the Spanish mountains
10 Reasons why you should run a writing retreat

10 Reasons why you should run a writing retreat

Have you ever thought about running a writing retreat? There’s no doubt that retreats are great opportunity to do something different that your writers will love. I hosted my first writing retreat in our tiny mountain village in Andalucía, Spain for a UK based client. The client, a coach who writes non-fiction for business purposes, brought three emerging writers with her to spend five days focusing on their writing. The writers loved it. They got the opportunity to spend quality…

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How a Problogger content sprint reignited my interest in blogging

How a Problogger content sprint reignited my interest in blogging

My blog had been off track for a while due to a lack of energy and a heavy workload. I knew that if I was to continue blogging, I needed to take action. So, when the email from Problogger popped into my in-box with news about a ‘content’ sprint, I checked it out. The reasons Darren Rowse, creator of Problogger, gave for setting up the content sprint resonated with me. I have been following Problogger since I started this blog…

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