Last night, I came to the realization that I don’t want to do what I’m doing anymore. I don’t want to be a writer anymore. I don’t want to write books. I don’t want to write this blog. I want to quit.
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.
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How to Dramatize Real Life in Your Writing
How do you dramatize non fiction? Isn’t real life already wild and crazy enough? And isn’t that why we have fiction in the first place, so that we can be superheroes and E.S.C.A.P.E. our dull routine realities?
Yes, and yes, BUT. The role of literature, in my and many other authors’ humble yet strong opinion, is to reflect social trends and preserve cultural ideals. To inform, inspire, and innovate. The stories we write and read shape our culture and society, our minds and our lives. This is why I insist with the ferocity of a Category 5 hurricane on quality, beauty, and impact.
The reason I write is to open minds—including my own. For me, the most potent way to do that is by mixing up fiction and real life. So let me tell you about The Visionary.
Word Crimes According to Weird Al
Weird Al came out with a new album fairly recently, and my boyfriend sent me a link to his video for “Word Crimes” because, let’s face it, it’s me we’re talking about. For reference, in case any of you aren’t as aware of Weird Al’s affinity for grammar, he’s a self-described grammar nazi, and this song is a clear indication of that fact.
Kill Your Darlings For Fun and Leisure
When writing a series (or even just a really long novel), at some point, the characters become known, their dynamics set, and readers can almost guess how characters will feel about a given plot twist before it happens. Fans go beyond love for characters and form deep connections … and expectations.
Some readers love to simply love their characters and enjoy their next adventure. But don’t discount the fun of killing your darlings to shake things up.
What I Learned From Writing A Novel “LIVE”
A couple months ago I wanted to try something new, mix things up a bit. My wife suggested I write my next novel in real-time, for all the world to see. Grammar trolls be damned. After a day to think about it, I said I’d do it.
I was a little scared before I started, and humbled when it began, but in one more day I’ll be done with the first draft and I’ve harvested some great lessons along the way. Here’s what I’ve learned from writing a novel “LIVE”, and why you might want to try it too.
How One Writer Destroyed Self-Doubt
Have you ever experienced the pains of being bullied? Did you cry for hours like I did? Did you feel you’d never rise again? If so you’re self-esteem and confidence has been damaged. You don’t feel like you’re good enough. I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong.
Here’s a Writing Prompt to Help With “Show, Don’t Tell”
Yesterday, we learned a great tip for following the essential writing advice, “Show, Don’t Tell.” Today, we’re going to continue to work on showing instead of telling with this writing prompt.
Use This Tip to Test if You’re Showing or Telling
We’ve all heard a variation of the advice: Show, Don’t Tell. In other words, don’t tell us what happened, show us. But how do you know you’ve succeeded?
The Magic of Free Writing
One of my favorite things to do is freewrite. I love it, for so many different reasons. For the most part, I love it because it’s freeing, just like the name implies. But there are three specific cases when it can be especially helpful.
5 Facts about Fear for Writers
There I was, in the middle of my first novel. I’d found my rhythm and was bringing chapters to read aloud to my weekly critique group. They were loving it. I was thrilled that I was finally making my dream come true.
Then, WHAMMO!
Out of nowhere, I lost my story. Nothing I wrote flowed anymore.
