New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Three Truths for Writers to Combat Confusion

When I last posted, we were one week into our move, and now I can hardly believe it’s fourteen days later! I’m still quite unnerved with no familiarity to anchor me (except my family, of course!).

I have found myself turning inward for grounding, seeking that which hasn’t changed amidst everything that has. It’s as if I wonder, “Am I still who I am HERE though I am without my familiar people, environment, office, and coffee shop that helped support my identity? Perhaps you have experienced your own transitions that have left you feeling similar?

Snark

by Liz Bureman | 48 Comments

I have a soft spot for sarcasm. This is probably no surprise to anyone who has been following the Write Practice since the early days, but I often say that the primary love language of my family is sarcasm. It’s nothing too cutting; we understand where the line between sarcastic and downright hurtful is. This is probably why I love the word “snark” as much as I do. Fun fact: snark is a portmanteau of “snide remark”, which is one hundred percent the best definition of snark.

A Writer’s Guide to Stop Panicking and Get the Most from a Critique

by Emily Wenstrom | 96 Comments

Even when you ask for it, when people critique your writing it can feel like a dagger to the gut. It can knock out your confidence and even cause you to question whether you should ever bother picking up a pen again.

This Quote from Picasso Will Make You Want to Start Writing Right Now

by Joe Bunting | 50 Comments

“Art is not the application of a canon of beauty but what the instinct and the brain can conceive beyond any canon. When we love a woman we don’t start measuring her limbs.”

You Must Remember Every Scar

by Joe Bunting | 207 Comments

“The only requirement,” to be a writer, said Stephen King, “is the ability to remember every scar.”

I have a few scars (and you do, too). There’s that girl in the eighth grade, my father’s illness in the seventh, and there was that boy earlier than that who told me to shut up every time I spoke to him.

When did I learn to fear my voice?

Storyboard Your Novel

by Liz Bureman | 6 Comments

My sister is in San Francisco this week, scouting the area, making connections, and hopefully moving in the next few months. My parents and I have shared that we would be very surprised if she was still in Pittsburgh come Halloween. She's been to the Bay area a few...

Today’s Practice: Write a Sentence

by Monica M. Clark | 162 Comments

A couple of times I’ve mentioned The Snowflake Method, a technique to organize a novel before diving into the first draft. Some of the steps include creating a scene list and interviewing characters. I personally used this approach and, without it, I don’t know if I ever could have gotten my novel started.

The very first step of the Snowflake Method is to describe the plot of your novel in one sentence.

17 Reasons to Write Something NOW

by Joe Bunting | 181 Comments

I get it. You’re busy. You have other commitments: work, school, the kids, your friends. I understand.

I know writing a short story or a novel or a blog post is scary. What if someone reads it? And yes, it’s true. You might fail. People might not like what you write. Worse, they might ignore your writing altogether.

However, if you’ve ever wanted to be a writer, now is the time to start. If you don’t believe me, here are seventeen reasons to write right now.

Be A Writer With Friends

by Carlos Cooper | 44 Comments

As a writer, it’s easy to get sucked into the mundane world of dirty sweatpants, stale coffee and cold pizza. I mean, who really needs to see us while we’re writing, right?

While that may work for a time, pretty soon we become hermits, hoarding our words, shunning the light and developing a Smeagol-like complexion. Gross.

Five Simple Words to Start a Conversation Today

by Marianne Richmond | 31 Comments

Life is full of inspiring conversations waiting to happen! String together five simple words to elicit information and jumpstart learning, connection and discovery.

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