Share your story about the best writing advice that has shaped your writing journey. In 600 words, inspire and touch us with your writing experiences. Whether it’s insights on grammar and style or the personal qualities like courage, determination, and willpower that fuel your writing journey, we want to hear about the most valuable writing tip that has shaped your path.

Since our first My Writing Journey Essay Competition in 2011, the Writers College has gathered your stories about being a writer. For over a decade, you’ve been educating and entertaining us with your best writing advice and how it has influenced your writing journey.

The winning entry will be awarded NZ $200 (equivalent to R2,000 or £100), and we will feature the top essay on our blog and include it in an anthology of essays.

We will notify the winner by 10 February and publish the winning entry by 14 February 2023.

Read dozens of past entries and see the full rules and guidelines on our website.

We are keen to encourage quality submissions, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives.