by Joe Bunting |
In my creative writing classes in college, probably the most productive exercise is when we spent the class reading each other’s pieces. Reading the work of your peers causes you to ask two very important questions:
- How can I write as well as that girl, because I really like her writing?
- How can I avoid writing like that guy, because I really don’t like his writing?
Reading the work of your peers teaches you to write. It shows you what you like about other people’s work and what you don’t like. You can read published authors too, you can read the classics, but there’s something about reading an in process draft of your peers that helps you see behind the veil of writing at the underlying framework beneath.
by Joe Bunting |
The dramatic question is probably the single most important element in an entertaining story. Even if you are a terrible writer, if you can use the dramatic question effectively, people will read your work. The dramatic question lies at the heart of suspense, and, as my father-in-law told me recently, the rewards for writers who do suspense well are disproportionate to all other writing skills. The dramatic question is why Twilight is selling millions of copies and the average literary fiction novel is lucky to sell a few thousand.
by Joe Bunting |
PRACTICE
Write about thunderstorms.
Write for fifteen minutes. When you’re finished, post your practice in the comments. If you post your practice, please comment on a few other practices.
by Joe Bunting |
Today, I’m excited to be talking to my good friend, Jeff Goins, who writes the blog goinswriter.com. Jeff has been writing for years, but he recently had some huge breakthroughs: He built a blog from nothing to thousands of subscribers in a year. He guest posted for some of the most respected blogs on the web, like Zen Habits, the Huffington Post, and Copyblogger. He published articles in several magazines. And he got a book contract. Not a bad year for a writer.
Jeff recently released an ebook called You Are a Writer in which talks about how a change in mindset led to all of these breakthroughs. If you’re serious about improving your craft and getting published, you’re going to appreciate this interview.
by Joe Bunting |
Once a month, we stop practicing and invite you to show off your best work.
Are you interested in being published (in print)? Would you like to get better at the writing craft by working with an editor? Do you enjoy a little friendly competition? And are you a fan of The Write Practice?
Then this writing contest might be for you.
