Today, we’re officially opening the BW Writing Contest! But just in case you think you know what a writing contest involves, let me tell you that this is not your average writing contest.
Here to learn? You’re in the WRITE place!
At The Write Practice, we publish a new article each day designed to help writers tackle one part of their writing journey, from generating ideas to grammar to writing and publishing your first book. Each article has a short practice exercise at the end to help you immediately put your learning to use.
Check out the latest articles below or find ones that match your interest in the sidebar.
And make sure to subscribe to get a weekly digest of our latest posts, along with our free guide, 10 Steps to Become a Writer.
Why Fairy Tales Are Still So Popular
Disney released its new live re-telling of its classic fairy tale Cinderella last week to mostly good reviews and high enthusiasm.
This, after we’ve already consumed almost the exact same story in cartoon form for years, read the fairy tale itself, and consumed countless remixes of it, from Ever After to Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister to Pretty Woman to Into the Woods to… you get the point.
And Cinderella is hardly the only tale with this power. Consider how many different ways stories like The Wizard of Oz, Snow White, Romeo and Juliet, even Batman have been reinvented over the years.
But why do readers do this? Why do some stories keep readers coming back again and again? How do fairy tales stay popular for so long?
The Publishing Step You’ve Probably Forgotten
Publishing is the most important step to becoming a writer. Writers are people who write things for others, not just for themselves or the benefit of their computer harddrive. If you want to become a writer, you need to publish.
However, besides the actual writing, there’s one step in the publishing process that’s so essential that if you forget it, you’re almost certainly going to have major issues.
Why Everyone Needs a Cat Nap—Especially Writers
I had trouble concentrating today when I sat down to write. I couldn’t seem to focus on the details of my story. I tried to finish the article that is due at the end of today, but I didn’t have any energy, the words were stuck in my brain. I needed help. I needed a nap. A cat nap.
Photo Prompt
Spark your creativity with today’s photo prompt.
The Ideal Schedule to Become a More Productive Writer
I assume it was a typo. It should have been “The early bird gets the word.” Why? Because writers who want to be more productive need to start getting up earlier.
Now, before the night owls start hooting at me, let me make my case—a very unscientific and highly personal one.
4 Secrets from Taylor Swift on Writing a Book
Somehow I missed the Taylor Swift bandwagon in 2008. But this year, I hopped on for good. Whether you’re a hater or a fan, Taylor Swift is clearly doing something right. It’s funny how much sense her songs make when we, as writers, substitute “writing a book” for the references of love and men.
With that in mind, let’s look at what Taylor Swift can teach us about writing a book.
3 Ways to Get Your Next Story Idea
Story ideas often come to us almost out of thin air—whether from an overheard conversation in a coffee shop, or just a random thought that pops into your head in the shower. But other times, you’re ready to write a new story and all that you’ve got is the blank page in front of you.
That’s okay! There’s a number of tried and true methods to jumpstart your brain and draw those ideas out. Here are my three go-tos:
10 Lessons Dr. Seuss Can Teach Writers
In the spring of 1925, a Dartmouth College senior named Theodor Geisel was caught drinking, a serious offense during prohibition. As punishment, he was forced out of his role as editor-in-chief of Dartmouth’s humor magazine, Jack-O-Lantern. That didn’t stop Geisel from writing, though. He submitted humor stories under a variety of pen names, L. Pasteur, L. Burbank, and, the one he would one day become famous for, Seuss.
A Weird Way to Beat Writer’s Block
I recently visited with a new writer over coffee. She confessed, almost with shame, “I’ve written on and off for years. Well, sort of…now I’m really trying to get serious about my novel, but I keep quitting. It’s really frustrating. How do you ummm,” she looked away, then back at me again, “How do you fight fear?”
That’s a great question, and the answer is…
