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Participants in face to face courses must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must comply with any other precautionary measures Writing NSW puts in place.

How do you write a captivating book that inspires others? What key skills will help get you over the line? What is it that readers of mind, body, spirit books seek? How can you be sure? Join author Maggie Hamilton and discover the secrets of the mind, body, spirit genre. A former publisher at Allen & Unwin, she created and ran the Inspired Living imprint, producing over 75 books in the mind, body, spirit genre.

In this lively hands-on workshop for unpublished and published writers, you’ll discover how to settle on the best way to describe the inspirational experiences and approaches you wish to share, and how to build on these insights to make each chapter count. Learn what to leave in, and what to take out. Find out how to arrive at your own voice, and to weave the voices of others into your creative nonfiction narrative.

We’ll cover:

• The current trends in mind, body, spirit books
• Who your book is for – and how to ensure you’ve got this right
• How to draw up a solid chapter plan
• The secrets of a punchy opening
• What to do when a chapter or section feels a bit thin
• Why use case studies
• Mistakes mind, body, spirit writers make
• What the rules are when interviewing others
• Why layering is so important
• How to keep readers with you to the last page
• Essential tips needed to edit your work
• What you’re looking for when asking for feedback
• Why endnotes help keep your text moving

Is this course right for you? Read our FAQ >

Expected learning outcomes

Participants will learn:

1. Understanding your audience for inspirational writing
2. How to arrive at a workable manuscript
3. Knowing when your inspirational manuscript is complete

Participant requirements

Please read our FAQ before enrolling.

Bring your own paper, two different colours of pen and two samples of your writing for workshopping, time permitting. The two samples must include the following two sections, double-spaced and on separate pages:

• the opening (max three paragraphs)
• two or three additional paragraphs

Before the course, please read the following essays:

If you are feeling unwell and experiencing any COVID-related symptoms on the day of the course, you must stay at home and contact us to let us know. As a participant in this course, you will be required to follow all COVID safety measures in place by Writing NSW to ensure the health and wellbeing of our community.

If you have questions about this course and/or COVID-safe guidelines, please contact us.

More from Writing NSW

Check out our full range of in-person writing courses in Sydney, our online writing courses and our feedback programs to see how we can help you on your writing journey. Find out about our grants and prizes, as well as writing groups across NSW, and sign up to our weekly newsletter for writing events, opportunities and giveaways.