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This page links to topics for the Writing component of English. It provides access to information about several topics including Spelling and Punctuation, both strongly linked to the written word.
Included below is information providing general advice, creative writing techniques, essay writing, other specialised writing tasks, Spelling and Spelling rules, punctuation and the writing process. Note that Poetry Writing is found on the Poetry page.
We continually add to the information available and are willing to consider suggested areas as time permits.
Writing
Creative Writing
- Blast Writing
Materials, options from the BBC. - Creative Writing 101
‘Introduction to Creative Writing is fun and informal, and specialises in practical advice. Matters covered in this course will include Genres, Getting Started, Plots and Themes, Planning Stories, Controlling Length, Characters and Style. There will also be a segment on using your own background.’ - Creative Writing Exercises and Advice
‘Creative writing exercises and advice for creative writers, covering all aspects of craft and technique. Creative writing exercises will help get you started writing and improve specific areas of fiction writing.’ - Creative Writing Prompts
‘Use these to create stories, poems and other creative pieces from your imagination. The writing prompts can even help you come up with creative content for blogs and blog stories.’ 340+ prompts at time of inclusion. Interesting collection.
Highly Recommended ! - The Writing Centre
‘Getting started to getting published, the Writing Centre is full of practical advice to help you refine your craft, quotations to inspire you, tips on how to make the best impression when you’re ready to show your work to publishers [unless you’re writing purely for your own pleasure, of course !]. You’ll also find author interviews, a Writing Library, a list of useful links, more.’ - Writers Room
‘Writing for different genres, formats, media can make very different demands on the writer, and on the way you conceive and tell your story. Read the tips to get a head start on the different types of story that we can help you with.’ BBC.
Essay, Thesis, Dissertation Writing Resources
Analysing The Question/Topic
Essay writing is difficult enough to do well, but it is even worse if you are not actually responding to the question or topic which is the basis of the essay. These links will help you develop the skills required to do this.
- Analysing An Essay Question
Australian National University. - Analysing Essay Questions
Queensland University of Technology. - Analysing Questions
University of South Australia. Other support also available from the menu. - Analysing the Question
Part of a 9 step sequence all of which can be accessed from this page. Central Queensland University. - Analysing The Topic
University of New England. Information, Fact Sheet [PDF], quiz and more. Access related information from the main menu. - Interpreting The Assignment Question
Massey University, New Zealand. Similar information from another country. Their other Assignment Planning information can be accessed from the main menu.
- A Guide to Writing Research Papers
- Basic Guide to Essay Writing
- Basic Prose Style and Mechanics
- EssayHelp
Australian, Fee-based. Help covering several areas. - Paradigm Online Writing Assistant
- Rensselaer Writing Centre
- The Elements of Style
Introduction to the Writing Process
- Prewriting Practices
Part of The Writing Process, for secondary and higher. This section covers the Creative process prior to The Management process. Plain but lengthy presentation. - The Process of Essay Writing
‘This introduces you to the process of essay writing - from analysing the question through to the final redrafting and editing.’ James Cook University. Also try the various links here for other writing skills.
Other Advice
- 11 Rules of Writing
‘Concise guide to some of the most commonly violated rules of writing, grammar and punctuation. Intended for all writers as an aid in the learning and refining of writing skills’. - Composition
‘Handouts are broken into two categories : Essay Writing and Research Paper Writing.’ Each has handouts covering specific topics. Stone Writing Centre. - Literacy Fundamentals
Develop writing, reading skills. - Literature
‘Writing about Literature ? Then the following handouts can help you.’ Allegory to Tone & Style. Stone Writing Centre. - Online Technical Writing Textbook
General introduction. Information on all aspects, even examples and models to show how it’s done. - The Able Writer, A Rhetoric and Handbook
Advice on writing correctly. Chapters listed. Download each as a PDF file. - Writers
Writers help you develop the use of effective writing skills. - Writers on Writing
ABC [Australia] series. Worthwhile for what great writers said. Now only available for sale from the ABC. - Writers Write
Hints on how to get started writing the great Australian novel or something simpler.
Other Information
- Bullfighter - Fight the Bull
‘Works a lot like a spelling and grammar checker, but focuses on jargon and readability. ’ Free download.
Excellent ! - One Word
Take one word, generate a free flow of writing which can be edited later. You have 60 seconds and are urged not to be trite. Interesting. - Sydney Writers’ Festival
Information about everything involoved. -
Worst Manual Contest Winners
Manuals are for help, but these obviously are not. Hard to believe people produced them. EServer TC Library.
Resources
- AskOxford - Better Writing
Sections including Spelling and Grammar Tips, Letter Writing, Plain English, Effective Communication in Everyday Life. Links to related material. -
Beginning Writers
‘We hope that as you read through the articles on this site and on the linked sites you’ll find the answers to all of those questions and the tools to help you reach your writing goal. Writing is fun, when you start with the right tools and information. This is was created with the idea of giving you those’. -
Better Writing
From AskOxford. Four main sections covering Spelling & Grammar Tips, Letter Writing, Plain English and Email, SMS & Online Chat. Also has a Tip of the Week. - Freelance Writing Organization
‘2 400+ Free writing resources in 40+ categories of writing. To assist you we have compiled a detailed list of writing categories, links and resources.’ - Free Screenwriting Software
Program for the Mac system. Others are listed below.
- KidsWrite
‘Read stories, have fun with your own creative writing, submit your stories and illustrations, read jokes and do puzzles and fun pages.’ - PoeWar
Writer’s Resource Center. Articles, archive, more. Articles on genres from technical to poetry. -
Poynter Online - Reporting, Writing & Editing
Articles, blogs, Tip Sheets, more. Part of a much larger site. - Purdue University Online Writing Lab [OWL]
To assist people in Grades 7 and higher [including tertiary], this lab provides advice and support for different aspects of writing. Several main areas are linked below.
- Academic Writing
‘These OWL resources will help you with the types of writing you may encounter while in college. The OWL resources range from rhetorical approaches for writing, to document organization, to sentence level work, such as clarity’. - Avoiding Plagiarism
- Creative Writing
Multiple sections. - Developing an Outline
‘Describes why outlines are useful, what types of outlines exist, suggestions for developing effective outlines, how outlines can be used as an invention strategy for writing.’ - Eliminating Words
‘This resource will help you write clearly by eliminating unnecessary words and rearranging your phrases’. -
Grades 7-12 Instructors and Students
‘This page provides resources for grades 7-12 instructors and students’. - Grammar and Spelling
‘Handouts, exercises on grammar and spelling’. - Resources for Instructors
‘Internet resources for English and writing teachers or teachers who work with English and writing in their courses’. - The Writing Process
‘While the writing process may be different for each person and for each particular assignment, the resources contained in this section follow the general work flow of pre-writing, organising, and revising’. -
Writing Task Resource List
‘This resource will help you find OWL material for the many different kinds of writing tasks you may face in school and in the workplace’.
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Reading, Writing, Speaking
Select the relevant directories from the list provided. -
Skillswise - Writing
From the BBC. Use sections covering paragraphs, planning your writing, My Story, proofreading, format & structure and Raw Words : Story Writing. Also has connections to other aspects of language. - Storybook
‘Free, open source novel-writing tool for creative writers, novelists and authors which will help you to keep an overview of multiple plot-lines while writing books, novels or other written works.’ - The Writer Magazine
The magazine, writing resources, more. Check Free resource groups listed on the home page. Some areas require you to be a subscriber to the print magazine. -
The Writing Site - Instructional Resources
‘Here you can find companion resources that will help you develop and support student writing’. Writing across the curriculum, assessment, writing links, literature links, professional reading, genres, technology use, approaches, prompts, parent resources. -
Tito’s Writing Resource
A collection of links to information on everything from Active & Passive Voice to When and Where to Use Capitals. A mix of structure, grammar and more. -
Winning Writers
‘Websites for Poets and Writers. Winning Writers encourages you to visit the following sites, chosen for their quality, respect for talent, and usefulness. Includes places to share your work and get feedback’. - Writeboard
‘Writeboards are shareable, web-based text documents that let you save every edit, roll back to any version and easily compare changes.’ Free. - WritersWeekly
‘The highest-circulation freelance writing ezine in the world.’ Books & courses, articles, warnings, markets, forum, more. - Writing.Com
‘The online community for writers and readers of all interests and skill levels. Whether you’re an enthusiastic, creative writer looking for the perfect place to store and display your writing online or a casual reader searching for a good story, Writing.Com is the website for you !’ - Writing Lesson Plans
Links to various writing plans. -
Writing-Portal.com
26 directories of links to information on topics ranging from Author pages to Young Writers and including some such as Fiction, Screenwriting, Poetry, Creative Writing, more. - Writing Skills
Help on writing essays at all levels. Basic information to assist you.
Special Writing Tasks
- Alphabetical Autobiography
Lesson plan from Educator’s Reference Desk. -
Australia Post Education
Letter Writing. Select the level and then the topic on writing letters in each. - Business Writing
Handouts from the Stone Writing Centre. Job Search Letter Writing, Resume Writing. - Fiction Writers
Develop fiction writing skills. - Write Your Novel Now
Designed to help you write a novel. Sections cover different parts of the process. - Writing for the Web
A different format and skill to normal writing techniques. This tutorial gives hints on how to get people to read online writing. -
Writing Poetry : How to Write a Poem
‘There are several things that one must consider while wondering how to write poetry. Here is a list of things to think about that, hopefully, will make the process easier for you’. From Buzzle.
Newspapers
- Crayon
Helps produce a class newspaper online. - Create a Newspaper
Lesson plan from Educator’s Reference Desk. - Creating a Classroom Newspaper
‘Provides students with the opportunity to write authentic newspaper stories. Students will enjoy this creative, exciting, stimulating lesson in writing. As they are transformed into reporters and editors, they will become effective users of ICT to publish their own classroom newspaper.’ - Producing a Newspaper
SOSE unit from Queensland Studies Authority.
Spelling
Spelling
- 100 Most Often Misspelled Words
YourDictionary.com. Information, memory suggestions provided for each word and sometimes groups of words. - Clear Ink SpellWeb
Enter several spellings, be told the correct version for the required word. ‘While it can be useful, it is also for fun and the results are not guaranteed’. - Fun with Words - Spelling
Links to words including those commonly misspelt, words we confuse, unusual word structures, other types. - OZSPELL
National spelling competition for 10-14 year olds. - Spellwell
Commercial site. Resources to help your child be a better speller and language user. [Australian version]
Spelling Rules
- BBC Skillswise - Spelling
Information, activities ranging from Root Words to Silent Letters. A fun way to learn about correct spelling. - English Spelling Rules
Collection of rules with various examples. Produced by Dyslexia.org. - Guide to English Spelling Rules
David Appleyard. ‘Basics of British and American spelling with a minimum of effort.’ Eight major areas - examples, descriptions for sections within these. - Spelling Hints & Tips
‘A priority area in all classrooms is the teaching of Spelling. To further reinforce this initiative at home, the following Mini Posters have been developed.’ Moura State School, Queensland.
Highly Recommended ! - Spelling Rules
Collection of rules. Examples, occasional responses to queries regarding spelling rules.
Punctuation
- Apostrophe Protection Society
How to use apostrophes correctly. Find examples of incorrect usage. - Basic Punctuation
Nine pages of information beginning with the correct use of the comma. Information and examples. - Capitalisation
- Punctuation
Multiple sections on specific aspects. - Punctuation [2]
Formal presentation. University of Ottowa. -
Punctuation and Capitalisation
Scroll down the page to find the sections covering these topics. - Punctuation Made Simple
Most common punctuation forms. -
PunctuationMadeSimple.com
‘Welcome to the most comprehensive punctuation resource on the web. This site is designed for writers of novel-length fiction and nonfiction ’. A more technical approach for older users. -
Punctuation Rules
From Spacing to Dashes. Also has Capitalisation Rules. Linked to a Grammar Rules page. - Quotation Marks, Misused
Classic examples of where quotation marks have been misused. From the sublime to the simply ridiculous.
Citations
Linked to avoiding Plagiarism.
- A Brief Citation …
[Guide for Internet Resources in History and the Humanities] - Bibliographic Formats …
[For Citing Electronic Information] - Citation Machine
Free online service. - Citing Electronic Resources
- Citing Electronic Sources
- EasyBib
Online citation program. Provides multiple options from source on. We have used this. - Electronic Sources : APA Style of Citation
- Guide to Legal Citation
- MLA Style Citations of Electronic Sources
- Style Guides and Resources
Annotated links to a range of guides and resources from countries around the world. - The Ultimate Resource Guides for MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE
‘Here you will find resource pages for each different style, university tutorials, and free work cited generators. By viewing examples of research papers and using programs that are designed to facilitate your style accuracy, you can be sure that your completed paper is perfect.’