Welcome to The Creative Way Collective.
This is a membership space for writers (at any stage) who’d like to be inspired, earn a living from writing, connect with other writers and have regular support and mentoring via live online workshops, co-writing sessions and a writers’ circle.
We are shy and neurodivergent-friendly. You can remain camera off and muted during workshops and co-writing, if you’d prefer. No questions asked. Or camera on and chat.
In the writing workshops, I’ll be teaching you the creative way to write, online.
We’ll cover Substack, creative writing for social media, journalism, non-fiction book writing, poetry - and both traditional and self-publishing. All taught through online workshops. There is a growing library of existing workshops (recordings) here.
Thank you for setting up our group—it’s already game changing! - Katie Treggiden
Free subscribers
All readers, followers and subscribers will have free access to a weekly Writers, writing article. It might include a quote from a famous writer, a photo of a writer’s studio, notes on a writer’s writing routine and book recommendations.
Members (paid subscribers) also get access to:
Two co-writing sessions a week (on Zoom) - one evening, one morning. Show up, online, mute yourself and get your head down for 90 minutes.
A monthly writing workshop (teaching Substack, non-fiction book writing, first-person journalism, poetry)
A monthly writers’ circle, where we gather, online, and I open with coaching prompts for you to work through, then we talk about our practice.
The workshop, circle and co-writing session times and dates are here
Just to say I am absolutely loving the collective. I signed up as I needed something both creatively and to give me structure to find my writing rhythm again. It feels like a really supportive, non-pushy and creative space. Thank you for creating it! - Nicola Chantler
It’s the body doubling and accountability that I’ve always needed. I turn on the screen and see some great women talking about what they’re writing and just hearing it inspires me to go towards something I’ve been finding hard to finish for so long. Thank you Annie Ridout— being part of The Creative Way Collective is giving me a lot of personal support and freedom after so many recent knock backs and the exhaustion of the constant hustle of life! - Danielle Jones
About me
Hello, I’m Annie. I’m a non-fiction author, journalist, poet, essayist and ghostwriter.
I have a Masters in journalism and spent 15 years writing for the Guardian, the Observer, Forbes, Grazia, Red Magazine, Stylist, Metro, the Telegraph, the Independent, the Evening Standard, Refinery29, You Magazine, Women’s Health, iNews.
I’ve also launched and grown my own digital magazines.
This led me onto non-fiction book writing, and I’ve had three books published: Raise your SQ (Radar, 2023), Shy (Fourth Estate 2021), The Freelance Mum (Fourth Estate 2019). I’m also a Sunday Times-bestselling ghostwriter for celebrities.
As a poet, I’ve self-published three collections that have sold in the thousands, globally - across Europe, the US, Australia, Canada - and several of my poems have gone viral after being shared by women around the world, including Paloma Faith and Busy Philipps.
I share my poems on Instagram: @annieridout.
I’ve been interviewed on BBC Woman’s Hour, on a panel at Stylist Live, on the Sunday Times Style Secrets of the Side Hustle podcast, on Gaby Roslin’s BBC Radio London show, The Jeremy Vine Show and for the Independent.
And over the years, I’ve launched online courses and workshops that have sold in the thousands and been featured in Forbes, Stylist, Sunday Times and more. That’s the teaching side of my work. That’s what The Creative Way Collective is largely about.
I also write weekly work/life essays on my personal Substack, covering: success, failure, productivity, work-life balance, creativity, being a writer, neurodivergence, running a business, navigating challenges and finding the light, in life.
I’m delighted to be a bestseller, named as a ‘Featured Publication’ and to rank in the global top 100. You can join me over there for personal essays.
And I run a platform for - and about - neurodivergent creatives, called We Hyperfocus. There’s a digital magazine, workshops, a Substack for news, roundups and guest posts - and a creative community on Instagram: @wehyperfocus.
Annie x
