The other day I was reading online reviews of a novel and one caught my attention. It complained that the book had too many “named characters.” It made me wonder, does it really matter whether you decide to name a person in a manuscript?
It does.
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.
3 Scholarships to the Story Cartel Course
Through the Story Cartel Course, I’ve always wanted to create a community combining my passion for the writing craft with everything I’ve learned about publishing through Story Cartel.
I wasn’t sure it would work, and while it’s too early to tell if the course is a success yet, after working with over 200 writers, the signs are promising.
How to Start Writing When You Won’t Start Writing
I have a book in mind to start writing. For three years now. I read advice that tells me “just start writing.” And still I don’t start. Because this advice isn’t working for me, I’ve had to come up with some other techniques to power through my paralysis. See if one of these might help you get started on a new work.
When Choosing Themes, Write What You Don’t Know
We all know the adage “write what you know.” It’s good advice. It’s a solid approach to relatable characters and descriptions that feel real.
But when it comes to themes, this is not good advice. When it comes to themes, write what you don’t know. In fact, it’s one of the best paths to a key element of great fiction: complexity.
What Poets Know That Most Writers Don’t
It’s one of the first creative writing lessons we’re taught: use all your senses. I remember sitting at my desk in second grade with a fun pack of Skittles while the teacher told us about how we needed to use our eyes, ears, noses, mouths, and hands to describe them.
Themes to Explore in Your Writing: Strength
Good things supposedly come in threes, right? Whatever your numerical fave is, grab all your literary vitamins because today’s Theme of the Day is STRENGTH.
Do you like your characters strong or weak? Powerful or vulnerable? Invincible or a push-over?
The answer lies, as in so many things, on the golden middle path.
The Best Way to Deal With Emotional Conflict When Writing
Have you ever tried to write about a personal tragedy or painful experience? How did it make you feel? What complications arose?
Top 5 Reasons You’re Not a Good Writer
Last week I asked you what you think the basics of writing well are, and today, I thought I’d ease into the subject of how to write well by talking about the five biggest pitfalls that are hurting your writing.
Five Ways to Fuel your Imagination
As the The Write Practice implies, we write (and read) to become better writers. But what other unexpected activities can help boost our imagination? Read on for a few new ones to try!
Is Your Protagonist a Thinker or a Feeler?
I just started reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, having already seen the movie and feeling that I would like to do the work justice by also reading the book. I’m maybe 20 pages in and I can already tell that Charlie, the narrator and protagonist, has a lot of feelings. To be fair, he’s also undergoing some pretty intense stuff, so that’s understandable, but it seems like he’s very in tune with his emotions. One might say that he seems like he’d be a Feeler in the context of the Myers-Briggs type, but you’d have a skewed idea of what Feeling actually is.