New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Dear Writer. Be More Adventurous.

by Joe Bunting | 49 Comments

If you read the writing of the average MFA student, you’ll find perfectly composed, uniquely styled, completely boring stories. What’s the deal? Some of the best, most highly trained writers in the world are producing work few people outside academia wants to read.

Of course, I don’t mean to single out MFA programs. Too many writers—and I at times include myself in this group—are writing navel gazing stories that are perfectly written but lacking everything the average reader looks for in a story.

How do you write fresh, beautiful, experimental stories that are also interesting to read?

What is your Character’s Secret?

by Marianne Richmond | 62 Comments

Do you love to hear a good secret? The revelation of your character’s inner world makes your story more riveting, more relatable, more real. What is the skeleton in your character’s closet? The explanation for her covert behaviors, paranoia or paralyzing worry? Humanize your character by giving him a surprising revelation.

The Five Stages of Grief Can Help Your Writing

by Liz Bureman | 86 Comments

The city of Denver is slowly picking itself up off its feet after this weekend. While I am happy for Seattle (everyone should have the feeling of victory at least once in a while), it was a really hard game to watch. At the Super Bowl party I attended, by the time the third quarter was winding down, most of us had been through all five stages of grief, and were accepting the comfort of beer and queso. And those stages of grief are the inspiration for today’s post.

When You Don’t Know What to Write, Write About Your Insecurities

by Joe Bunting | 102 Comments

I love writing these posts for The Write Practice, and normally, when I sit down to write them, ideas come instantly and unbidden. Today was not one of those days. Today I had no idea what to write.

Moving (writing prompt)

by Joe Bunting | 134 Comments

PRACTICE

Write about a couple moving out of their house or apartment.

Write for fifteen minutes. When you’re finished, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, be sure to leave feedback on a few practices by other writers.

Myth in Fiction Intertwined: How One Author Wove His Tapestry

by Birgitte Rasine | 11 Comments

In my holiday post, I discussed the power of myth in storytelling. Today, I’m taking you with me to see how it’s done in a published novel. I recently spoke with Dr. Kenneth Atchity, the author of The Messiah Matrix. Classical scholar and Yale-educated professor of literature and classics as well as film producer, publisher, book reviewer, and literary agent, Dr. Atchity wears many hats—yet none perhaps as enthralling as that of author.

How to Weave Backstory Into Your Novel

by Monica M. Clark | 32 Comments

You know you’re not supposed to just tell the reader your character’s history in the first chapter. But when do you tell him? And how do you weave the back story into your novel? Here are some ideas.

The Truth About Rejection Newbie Writers Won’t Admit

by Guest Blogger | 37 Comments

Rejection is brutal. I mean, it really hurts.

When someone rejects your guest post pitch or tells you your story needs more work, your eyes well up, your chest compresses, and you have to wait for your vision to clear before you can pick your heart up from the floor. It’s painful.

Bon Voyage [writing prompt]

by Joe Bunting | 26 Comments

Some sad news today. Our longtime regular contributor, Sophie Novak, is taking a leave of absence from The Write Practice to visit her family in Macedonia and travel around the Balkans for a few months (she lives in Bath, UK).

At the start of January, another of our longtime contributors, Katie Axelson, left to travel through Central and South America for a year. She’ll be blogging here if you’d like to follow along.

Apparently, if you write for The Write Practice there’s a really good chance you’ll end up travelling the world. So that’s fun.

How to Use Close Third-Person To Get Closer to Your Characters

by Guest Blogger | 59 Comments

Close Third-Person is important tool to have in your kit. This is a chance for the reader to become intimate with the characters. And if done correctly, you can enter the natural vernacular seamlessly.

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