New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

How to Stay Popular in a Writers Group

by Joe Bunting | 20 Comments

Writers groups can be an incredibly rich experience. In fact, you can learn more about the craft of writing from a good writers group or creative writing club than you can learn from a thousand blog posts on writing.

However, at the same time, a bad writers group can be a waste of time, and if particularly dysfunctional, can even be incredibly damaging to your confidence and your writing.

If you’re part of a writers group, how do you take it to the next level? And if you’re looking for a writers group, how do you make sure you choose the right one?

Writing Prompt: A Show, Don’t Tell Game

by Pamela Fernuik | 95 Comments

In grade school, your teacher had Show and Tell. You brought your stuffed Teddy Bear to class to show your class the bear, and you told them how your Teddy Bear came alive at night and fought the monsters under your bed.

If you wrote a story about the Teddy Bear fighting the monsters under your bed, you could say, “I was scared,” or you could show your fear. Today, we will play a Show, Don’t Tell Game to practice showing and not telling.

Roxane Gay MasterClass Review: Will This Class Help You Write for Social Change?

by Elizabeth Nettleton | 0 Comments

Critically acclaimed and bestselling author Roxane Gay teaches a MasterClass on writing for social change. But will this course really help you with your essay or fiction writing? Today, I’m sharing my honest thoughts in this Roxane Gay MasterClass Review, and whether I think this class will benefit writers who wish to write about social change.

What Genre Is My Story? Why the Answer Matters

by Sue Weems | 38 Comments

The first time I wrote a novel, I didn’t think about genre until the first draft was done, and I began trying to untangle my mess in revision. After two painful years (mostly comprised of avoidance, procrastination, and general despair), I hired a developmental editor who began our first phone call by asking, “What kind of book is this?” and “Who is your ideal reader?”

“It’s for everyone,” I said. I could hear the rise and fall of my breathing in the silence.

“No, it isn’t,” she said in a kind, but firm voice. Within minutes, I realized I had skipped a clarifying question that would guide every step of the book process from the plot and characters to cover design and marketing.

How Long Does it Take to Write a Book?

by Sarah Gribble | 2 Comments

How long does it take to write a book? Writing the first draft of a book is a grueling, intimidating process. But it doesn’t have to be a slow process.

Ask one hundred writers how long it takes them to write their first drafts and you’ll get one hundred different answers. There is no perfect length of time to spend on a first draft.

You will find, though, that the writers whose answer is closer to a couple of months than to a couple of years are most likely more successful.

What Is a Narrative Device: 9 Types with Examples

by Joe Bunting | 3 Comments

How do you tell a story? Not how do you construct a story, or how do you structure and plot a story? How do you tell a story?

When I think about storytelling at its most basic, I think about our earliest ancestors, sitting around a campfire, sharing stories about their lives, the adventures they’ve been part of, and the history of their people.

This is what narrative devices are about, how you tell the story, and if you’re a writer, the method and perspective of your storytelling is something you must consider.

In this article, we’re going to talk about narrative devices, what they are, the different types found in the best books, plays, films, and serials, and how to use them to tell a powerful story.

20 Fantasy Short Story Ideas

by Ruthanne Reid | 84 Comments

Fantasy as a genre includes a wide range of characters, quests, mythical creatures, and fantasy worlds. I love to escape everyday life in fantasy stories where there’s powerful magic coupled with compelling storytelling.
Here are twenty fantasy short story ideas to help you create your own!

How to Write Lore That Will Deepen Your Fantasy World

by J. D. Edwin | 0 Comments

The best way to immerse your readers in your fantasy story is through world-building, which can be an arduous and intimidating process. After all, to create an entire world is no easy task.

But what if you don’t want to spend a lot of time world-building? The key lies in lore. Lore is defined as “a body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group, typically passed from person to person by word of mouth.”

Polysyndeton vs. Asyndeton: Definition and Examples

by Liz Bureman and Joe Bunting | 47 Comments

Today, we’ll look at the difference between polysyndeton vs asyndeton, share some examples, and explain how and when to use them both in your writing. Let’s get started!

Points of a Story: 6 Key Plot Points That Every Story Needs

by Joe Bunting | 0 Comments

One thing writers have told me consistently is that knowing story structure and the major plot points—or points of a story—makes writing great stories easier. But what are the main points of a story? How can you get them into your books?

I’ve personally found story structure to be incredibly helpful, not just in writing novels and screenplays, but also in memoir and even, sometimes, writing nonfiction books.

In this guide, we’re going to talk about the basic points of a story and how to use story structure to make your writing easier and more effective. I’ll share the six major plot points and talk about a few other points you might look for when writing a book that will give you a general roadmap to writing your story.

Here to learn? You’re in the WRITE place!