The Write Practice: The Online Writing Workbook

The Secret to Bringing Your Characters to Life

by Jeff Elkins | 54 Comments

It’s Atticus Finch giving advice to Scout that shows us he is a man of empathy and compassion. It’s Frank Underwood banging his class ring on the table that reminds us he is in command. It’s Holden Caulfield using phrases like “vomity” and “grow up” that helps us remember that he is an adolescent.

Using indirect characterization can make our heroes and villains leap from the page and come to life in our readers’ minds. Showing our readers who our characters are through indirect characterization allows our readers to draw their own conclusions about our characters, intensifying our readers’ engagement with our stories.

Flash Giveaway: Our Fun Writing Toolkit

by Joe Bunting | 21 Comments

This Friday, we’ve got an awesome surprise for you: a flash giveaway!

We love to share awesome stuff with our community, so today, we’re giving you a chance to win some fun writing tools.

Hurry, though—the giveaway ends tonight!

P.S. You may want to write a short story sooner than you think. Next week, we’ll be announcing an exciting reason for you to sit down and write.

Get prepared by entering this giveaway for our story writing toolkit now!

6 Characters Your Protagonist Needs to Have Around

by The Magic Violinist | 55 Comments

Your protagonist may be the star of the show, but they can’t do everything alone. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire cast of characters to help your hero along on their journey.

Do you think Harry Potter could’ve accomplished all that he did if it were just him on his own out there against Voldemort? Of course not. He had friends who stuck by him, teachers who came and went, and a whole assortment of villains that drove the plot forward. Your main character needs those people, too.

Let’s take a look at the people who surrounded Harry and the roles they played in his life. Which of these characters appear in your story?

How to Learn to Write by Reading

by Monica M. Clark | 47 Comments

A pop-up bookstore opened up next to my job, full of used books. One antsy afternoon, I took a stroll around the store looking for anything on my “to-read” Goodreads list.

That’s when I found it: Francine Prose’s “Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them.” This helpful book shares how we can learn to write better by reading intentionally.

I haven’t finished the book yet, but I’m already inspired and am dying to share what I’ve learned so far. So without further ado, here are three ways you can learn to write better by reading.

3 Devious Steps to Write an Antagonist You Hate

by Guest Blogger | 80 Comments

In any good book there is conflict. Often, that conflict is between the characters. No matter how many characters you create, it all boils down to two: The Protagonist and the Antagonist. The stars of the show.

We write a lot about the protagonist, the one who really is the actual “star.” But I’ve noticed that not as much attention is devoted to the antagonist. In my own writing, I find it much more difficult to write about him then the protagonist. At times, I find it nearly impossible to relate to him and his beliefs, to be able to step into his shoes as I do with every other character.

Today, I’m sharing how to write a great antagonist, even if you can’t stand him.

8 Fun and Inspiring Writing Quotes from Kathy Jeffords

by Kellie McGann | 33 Comments

The Write Practice exists to help writers improve their craft through deliberate practice. Through doing this, we get to meet new aspiring writers who are growing in their craft and encouraging and inspiring others. This week we wanted to share with you some fun, inspirational writing quotes from our new friend Kathy Jeffords.

7 Steps to Become a More Productive Writer

by Pamela Fernuik | 31 Comments

I am Harper, a cat, a cat who writes. I have a large problem.

No, not the dog I live with. My problem is I struggle with self-doubt and don’t write very much. I really need help to become a more productive writer. My typist is always ready to type for me, but when I sit down to dictate I waste so much time worrying about the quality of my writing.

I really need to prepare for writing and follow Jeff Elkins’s Seven Steps to Increase Productivity—The Elkins Seven.

How to Write Dialogue Without Using Adverbs

by Jeff Elkins | 45 Comments

It made a generation fall in love with Gilmore Girls, and almost destroyed Star Wars Episodes 1, 2, and 3. Dialogue can make or break a story. When it is good, we are joyfully entangled in it. When it is bad, the story can be painful to read.

To spice it up, we will often turn to descriptors—adjectives and adverbs the convey the emotion we hope the reader will hear. But these “ly” words can break a reader’s flow, making our story feel disjointed.

Never fear! There is hope! If we start with a good foundation and sprinkle some action, we can write dialogue that sings. Here are three steps to crafting vivid, believable dialogue.

How Writing Habits Make Writing Easier

by Guest Blogger | 65 Comments

As all athletes know, whether you’re getting ready for a basketball game or a short jog, you need to loosen up. But for elite athletes, just like writers, loosening up isn’t just about warming up the physical body; it’s also about preparing yourself mentally for what is to come.

If you’ve ever seen basketball star LeBron James’ pregame “chalk toss” ritual, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You may not toss chalk before you write, but you can develop writing habits that will make your writing easier.

The “Than” Versus “Then” Debacle

by Liz Bureman | 29 Comments

Sometimes you have to get back to basics. All writers are guilty of making mistakes at some point, and they kick themselves for months after an astute reader notices that they added one too many o’s to their “to.” Once that’s in print, you can’t take it back.

So today, I’d like to draw attention to one common mistake so that you will hopefully never have to take it back: the then-vs.-than debacle.