New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Writers and Places: Does Location Matter?

by Joe Bunting | 43 Comments

Does it matter where a writer lives: a big city or the countryside; a two-story house or a basement; a culturally diverse or monotonous neighborhood? Yes, it does. Why is this? There’s a romanticized notion that in the past, writers were generally poor, struggling to get by in attics.

Environments affect all people; this has been confirmed in sociological studies of human life, and urban studies in particular. What surrounds us affects how we feel, what we do, what we think and how we channel these thoughts and emotions.

Here's What Makes Stories So Powerful

by Joe Bunting | 8 Comments

“Once Upon a Time.”

These words are as familiar as ‘Hello.’ As soon as we hear them, we know we are about to be transported to a different world.

But why is that? Why have these words been so ingrained into our very being?

Four Words That are Killing Your Prose

by Katie Axelson | 83 Comments

Writers often waste words rather than perfecting their prose.

How to Kick Your Story Up a Notch With a Sidekick

by Liz Bureman | 20 Comments

Often in stories, the protagonist has a support system (unless your novel takes place on a deserted island and the protagonist is the lone survivor of a terrible plane crash, in which case a volleyball named Wilson will just have to do). These characters can take the form of friends, family, coworkers, roommates, or any other number of relationships, but often they fulfill the role of the sidekick.

How to Write a Memorable Beginning and Ending

by Melissa Tydell | 63 Comments

You know that well-worn, well-loved book that you’ve read many times? Simply turning to the first page and reading the opening line brings you into the story. And when you reach that final page and the very last sentence, the story melts away, leaving you content—or perhaps wanting just a bit more.

An intriguing beginning and a strong ending act as bookends to any good story. So how do you craft memorable first and last lines?

Don't Be a Resolution Writer

by Joe Bunting | 55 Comments

With a clear conscious, I can promise that desire had little to do with the conception of this post. If my desires dictated when this would be written, I would put it off a few more days.

Fortunately, my will, and not my feelings, determine my actions as a writer.

Wedding [writing prompt]

by Joe Bunting | 47 Comments

PRACTICE

I’m going to a wedding tomorrow, the first I’ve been to this spring, and I thought it would be fun to write about weddings.

Write about a wedding, a wedding in your work in progress, a wedding you’ve been to, or your own wedding.

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

Have fun!

What Murakami’s 1Q84 Teaches Us

by Joe Bunting | 43 Comments

I recently finished reading Haruki Murakami’s trilogy 1Q84, and it left me with mixed feelings. If you’re to compare any of his previous novels to 1Q84, you’ll be quite surprised. It’s different from the familiar Murakami topics, and his tone and voice have changed in this work too.

Avoiding a description of the content and putting personal preferences aside, there is much to be learned from the Japanese master’s latest work (even though he lost the Nobel race). So here are the lessons I’ve pulled out:

5 Lessons I've Learned About Writing From My Special Needs Children

by Joe Bunting | 50 Comments

People often say becoming a parent teaches you a lot about yourself and about life. For me, it’s also taught me how to be a better writer.

These five lessons have stayed with me, and crossed over to my life as a writer…

How Fast Can You Write?

by Joe Bunting | 51 Comments

I wrote this in fifteen minutes.

How fast can you write? Most new writers slog over their writing. They spend minutes writing a single sentence. They stare at the screen, composing sentences in their heads. Yes, some pros do that too, but as a group, professional writers write fast (or at least faster than you).

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