New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Fear Setting: How to Overcome Your Fear of Writing

If you’re not finishing your writing, it’s because of fear. Fear is far more influential than we like to think. We like to believe that we’re not succumbing to fears because we are good at goal-setting, or perhaps we stick to a writing schedule of some kind.

Yet fear is insidious. It is subtle. It speaks with voices you can’t hear, and unless you weed those voices from your psyche, they will forever impede your writing dreams.

Here’s how to overcome your fears and finish your writing with confidence!

5 Reasons Why You Should Write Short Stories

by The Magic Violinist | 0 Comments

“Writer” is an extremely broad term; after all, there are dozens of genres in which you might write. Poetry, novels, memoir, historical fiction, picture books, cookbooks, instruction manuals, fan-fiction, all of these barely scratch the surface of what you can do with your talents. No matter what you write, though, there are significant benefits to writing short stories that will help you learn and grow within your craft.

Top 150 Short Story Ideas

by Joe Bunting | 140 Comments

Do you want to write but just need a great story idea? Good news! Below are 150 short story ideas for all your favorite genres. You can use them as writing prompts for writing contests, for stories to publish in literary magazines, or just for fun!

Get started writing with one of these short story ideas today.

How to Stop Overthinking Your Writing: One Author’s Journey in Surrendering to the Process

by Guest Blogger | 2 Comments

My motivation for writing my first book was to understand my unique approach to helping schools and nonprofits. You could say that my enthusiasm and curiosity had been leading me, and my mind needed to catch up.

Then my life fell apart.

A dream about my teeth falling out of my mouth pushed me to surrender, so I let go of my business-plan approach to life in favor of answering a calling.

It Bears Repeating: Is It Bears or Bares?

by Alice Sudlow | 30 Comments

It bears repeating that the English language is full of odd sayings. Never fear, though—we’re here to break them down.

Today, we’re taking on a hairy turn of phrase: “it bears repeating.” Or is it “it bares repeating”?

Writing Anxiety: Why Does Writing Sometimes Make You Anxious (And How to Overcome It)

by J. D. Edwin | 2 Comments

Have you ever felt a rush of writing anxiety when trying to finish your story?

Whether you view this as resistance or low self-esteem, writing anxiety can prevent you from finishing that beautiful, unique story that only you can tell. Here are four common problems that feed writing anxiety and tips on how to overcome them.

Flash Fiction: Mastering the Art of the Shortest Short Stories

by The Magic Violinist | 0 Comments

In the writing world, flash fiction is like an appetizer. These “short short” stories may be small and end quickly, but they can be so satisfying. The trick isn’t to treat them like a short version of a longer work, but rather as an art form all its own. That’s not to say it isn’t challenging to write, because it is, but there are several strategies you can use to help you perfect your work.

30 November Writing Prompts

by Sue Weems | 2 Comments

November is here! It’s a perfect time to dust off your writing journal (the one you got for the holidays last year?) and start exploring some creative writing ideas before the end of the year. Today we have 30 November writing prompts to get you started. Let’s go!

4 Reasons to Write Short Stories

by Joe Bunting | 163 Comments

For most of my creative writing life, I’ve tried to write novels. Novels are the pinnacle of fiction writing in the same way oil painting is the pinacle of art. I thought that if I were going to be a writer it meant I didn’t have a choice but to write novels.

However, recently, my thoughts have changed. In fact, for a few years I locked my novel away in my desk drawer to focus all my attention on short stories.

Here are four reasons why you should consider writing short stories instead of novels.

Elements of Story: How Genre Impacts the Importance of Five Story Elements

by Joslyn Chase | 0 Comments

Have you ever wondered how the elements of story impact your book’s genre? Do some elements of story have greater importance in a book because of the book’s genre?

I can think of several times when I’ve gone to a restaurant and taking the time to slowly chew my food, so I can experience how each of my senses is impacted by the food: from taste to smell to sight.

The level of importance the elements of story have on genre isn’t so different. We all have certain tastes—factors that appeal to us in different ways on our taste buds—and it’s the same with our reading preferences. I came to understand this in a profound way when I worked for our local library system, which I’d like to share with you today.

Readers crave certain “flavors” and genre helps them define what they like and discover more of it.

How the five elements of story vary in level of importance because of the genre may impact your perspective—and in a good way, for writers trying to satisfy their target readers!

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