About Writing

This is an excerpt from an ABC Book Show interview between Jennifer Byrne and best-selling Welsh novelist, Ken Follett. I thought it was a great interview that captured the essence of what makes a successful novel and reflects many of the key principles we apply in our courses at the Writers’ Studio.

In her background briefing of Follett she said, “I think it’s fair to say you went somewhat slowly to the top. Ten books which went nowhere, then the eleventh – Eye Of The Needle, which sold over ten million copies.

John Truby is a Hollywood screenwriting teacher and story consultant who shares many of the beliefs we hold about the process of storytelling and structure.

One of the key lessons we took away from this interview with him is that a good story and good writing comes as a result of sound structure and a well thought out, step-by-step process. You cannot really judge your work until you’ve completed the process.

Many people who take our courses are lawyers, investment bankers or other professionals who have always had that itch to do something creative instead of corporate. Matt Sherring was an advertising executive when he first signed up for Unlocking Creativity.

It was the first creative writing that he’d ever done and he said it gave him the confidence to keep writing.

We recently got the chance to chat with the lovely and talented Krew Boylan.

Krew has been taking writing courses with us for several years and is currently starring in the TV drama Wild Boys. Here’s what she has to say about her own creative journey.

Sarah Wilson recently wrote an insightful column for the Sun-Herald’s Sunday Life magazine about the creative process that mirrors many of our ideas about writing at the Writers’ Studio.

She has a great anecdote about how it took Leonard Cohen five years to write ‘ his famous song ‘Hallelujah’ and how he learned to trust the power of the process.

Writing a powerful story is a four part process – planning, writing, re-writing and editing.

In a recent interview, American screenwriting structure teacher, John Truby talks about the importance of structure and planning when writing a story.

Bob Mayer is the author of The Fiction Writers’ Toolkit.

He has published 30 fiction books and has two million books in print, translated into eight languages.