How to Be a More Interesting Writer, Session II: Tricks and Techniques

A short course for poets, fiction writers,
journalists, journal-keepers, travel writers,
essayists, reviewers, and in fact
pretty much anyone who puts pen to paper or finger to keyboard.
The way to develop your writing, no matter what kind or genre of writer you are, is not to ask “How can I be a better writer?” That leads to all kinds of self-sabotage.
No, the trick is to ask, “How can I be a more interesting writer?”
Starting in early July, I offered a five-session course devoted specifically to that goal, with all kinds of interesting (yes) and unusual activities.
After two weeks’ break (no meeting on August 23rd or August 30th), the next session will start at the same time, 8-9:30 PM BST, and will run from September 6th to October 11th with no class on September 20th, as I’ll be coming back from giving a talk in Paris.
In this session, we’ll be moving on from the profound question of finding your subject to focus on how best to use your voice—how to make your prose fizz and sparkle without sounding as though you’re trying too hard.
Once again, the cost will be $75 for the session, payable through the button below.
Join me!
Charmaine Montgomery
June 29, 2026 @ 12:13 am
Hi,
I’m very interested in the how to be a better writer course but am not sure that I can make it due to time zone constraints. Will there be recordings that I could access?
Kind regards,
Charmaine Montgomery
Tim Brookes
June 29, 2026 @ 12:31 am
Dear Charmaine: I can’t offer recordings, as the meetings will be very interactive, but I can promise that the second five-week session will be at a different day/time, as yet to be determined. Stay in touch! Tim

Facts Only

* The course is for poets, fiction writers, journalists, journal-keepers, travel writers, essayists, reviewers, and other writers.
* A five-session course was offered starting in early July.
* The next session runs from September 6th to October 11th.
* The time for the session is 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM BST.
* There will be no class on September 20th due to travel.
* The cost for the session is $75.
* A follow-up inquiry regarding recordings received a response stating recordings are unavailable due to interactive format.

Executive Summary

A course titled "How to Be a More Interesting Writer, Session II: Tricks and Techniques" is offered by Charmaine Montgomery for writers across various genres. The course targets poets, fiction writers, journalists, essayists, and others who write. The focus of this specific session is on using one's voice effectively to make prose engaging without appearing forced. The course was originally planned for five sessions starting in early July. A follow-up session is scheduled from September 6th to October 11th, running from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM BST, with a break following two weeks' time. Charmaine Montgomery stated that recordings will not be provided because the meetings are intended to be interactive.

Full Take

The framing of writing improvement as achieving "interestingness" establishes an immediate, self-directed cognitive objective, shifting the focus from technical correction (grammar, structure) to subjective impact (voice, sparkle). This moves the reader away from purely mechanical learning toward rhetorical artistry. The refusal to offer recordings reinforces a specific value proposition: the learning experience is designed to be lived and interactive, positioning the knowledge as experiential rather than passive consumption. The exchange between the course organizer and an interested party reveals a transactional dynamic where access is granted based on participation (avoiding recordings), which implies that the perceived value lies in the live engagement with the instructor's method. A key tension exists between the promise of easily digestible techniques and the reality of interactive, immersive learning; this setup leverages the human desire for mastery while simultaneously structuring the exchange to maximize the perceived exclusivity and depth of the knowledge transfer. What assumptions are made about what constitutes an "interesting" voice, and who benefits from positioning sophisticated writing skills as tools for subjective self-fulfillment?