The Writer's Compass Resources

1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas offers teachers endless ideas and inventive suggestions, opening up new opportunities for creative writing lessons. With over a thousand different 'story-starters' across a vast range of genres and narrative styles, this versatile book provides food for thought for pupils of a wide range of ages and abilities. Read more...

A book of twelve practical steps that help to stimulate your creativity.  Read more...

Many character roles have been around since man started telling stories and Victoria Lynn Schmidt identifies 45 of these - goodies, baddies and all the supporting characters.  Read more...

For those who want to write, on any basis, this reference book has the answer to more than 500 of the most common questions asked Read more...

This writing handbook contains 52 activities for writers to get out and do – from climbing a hill to visiting a favourite café, from sampling a new mode of transport to taking part in a hi-tech treasure hunt Read more...

A Better Pencil puts our complex, still-evolving hate-love relationship with computers and the internet into perspective, describing how the digital revolution influences our reading and writing practices, and how the latest technologies differ from what came before.  Read more...

Specialists from across the fast-changing world of TV, radio, film, video and interactive media have contributed behind-the-scenes advice to provide the definitive careers guide. Read more...

An award-winning psychologist and professional photographer join forces in this unique creative guide to exploring and understanding your life: who you are, what you value, and what you wish to achieve. Read more...

Packed with stimulating writing exercises, numerous quotes and over 30 extracts from literature across a wide variety of genres, the book can be followed as a complete course or dipped into throughout. Read more...

This book focuses on the creative and therapeutic processes of writing on recovery from serious mental illness. This author knows first hand what a depressive incapacitating illness is all about. A compelling and uplifting read which shows how powerful the act of writing can be through poems, narrative prose, dialogues, the unsent letter and the canny use of lists (instead of lengthy memoir material). These strategies are a beacon for the life of the imagination, which offer healing to traumatic memories. Read more...

Sarah Butler has created a new web resource, A Place For Words, which explores the potential for writing-based projects that meaningfully engage with the process of regeneration and place-making. Read more...

A Place For Words is a web resource which explores the potential for
writing-based projects that meaningfully engage with the process of regeneration and place-making.
 Read more...

Stephen Wade's book is a comprehensive and valuable guide for the 'wannabe' practitioner: eighty-eight pages with chapters on 'Putting Performance Poetry in Context', 'Monitoring the Preparation Required', 'Applying Working Methods', 'Acquiring Performance Skills', 'Working With Others' and 'Resources'.  Read more...

This set of guidelines complements the Artsplan course of the same name, developed in partnership with Dada-South. These guidelines focus on ways in which barriers to participation can be removed for young disabled people. Read more...

This report offers revealing, and sometimes challenging information to theatre companies, policy makers and those involved in generating productive working relationships between arts practitioners and the world of education. Read more...

The 3rd edition of this popular book includes two new chapters on non-American screenplays, plus popular case studies and exercises from the first edition that give realistic challenges to your ideas of how to write screenplays. Read more...

A memoir of a bibliophile and a celebration of books.  Read more...

Award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves reveals how joining the Murder Squad has helped her to reach readers and promote her books - and brought her a support network.  Read more...

An invaluable practical resource for literature and other arts professionals involved in supporting professional development planning (PDP). The 30-page guide introduces a range of tried and tested helping strategies with practical suggestions for using them in a PDP context. Written by Peter Beven, an experienced trainer and lecturer in the field of advice guidance and counselling.  Read more...

The recently formed All Party Writers Group (APWG) is delighted to announce the launch of its website.
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