New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

How to Write an Underdog Story: 7 Steps with Examples

Everyone loves a good underdog story. In some ways, we can all relate to the downtrodden character who rises against insurmountable odds. And the requisite feel-good ending is as sweet and satisfying as a warm cup of cocoa at the end of a cold and bitter day.

The underdog plot is a sure-fire recipe for a story readers can care about, invest in, and cheer on towards a rewarding conclusion. Plus, it can be a lot of fun to write. Read on to learn more about how to craft an underdog story that will ring your reader’s happy bell.

C.S. Lewis on Writing: Is His Advice Still Relevant?

by Sue Weems | 0 Comments

C.S. Lewis wrote over 30 books in a variety of genres. If we cornered C.S. Lewis on writing, what advice would he give? And would it still be relevant for us today?

21 Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts to Inspire True Stories

by Sue Weems | 0 Comments

Creative nonfiction is a literary genre of writing that uses fiction techniques and stylistic choices to express real-life experiences. It depends on story elements especially, so everything you’ve learned about structure will serve you well in creative nonfiction.

Purple Prose: How to Know If Your Prose Is Purple

by Joe Bunting | 81 Comments

You might have heard the writing advice, “Don’t write purple prose.” Or perhaps you’ve even been told your prose is purple, but you’re not quite sure what that means and if it’s really a bad thing.

What is purple prose? Is it really bad? And how can you fix it in your writing?

What is a Motif? How to Find this Elusive Device in Literature

by Robert Harrell | 0 Comments

In The Hunger Games, berries play a prominent role. During the game, deadly berries eliminate at least one participant, and Katniss uses the berries to subvert the government’s purpose. But their presence goes beyond this. In fact, there are 56 references to berries of various kinds in the book.These references come at key moments in the plot.
What purpose do the berries serve to merit such a prominent place in the book? They are a motif.
“What’s a motif?” I hear you say. Let’s take a look.

Five Act Structure: Definition, Origin, Examples, and Whether You Should Use It In Your Writing

by Joe Bunting | 0 Comments

Five act structure is a method of structuring a story that has existed for centuries. But does it work? And more importantly, will it work for your story?

In this article, we will learn the definition of the five act structure, explore its origins, look at popular examples, and talk about whether it’s actually useful as a story structure framework for readers and writers.

Write or Die: A Replacement for the Tool That Conquers Procrastination?

by J. D. Edwin and Joe Bunting | 0 Comments

Do you love writing but find it hard to be productive when working on your book? Have you tried the Write or Die app to help you stay focused?

Write or Die is a writing app that uses various tools to keep you focused and productive during timed writing sessions.

Not everyone loves restrictions when working on a book, but those who do often find the accountability factor a game changer to actually reaching their word count.

If this is you, but you haven’t found the perfect tool to help with your procrastination pitfalls, Write or Die might be the answer.

It was for me, which I’ll explain more in this post.

30 November Writing Prompts

by Sue Weems | 2 Comments

November is here! It’s a perfect time to dust off your writing journal (the one you got for the holidays last year?) and start exploring some creative writing ideas before the end of the year. Today we have 30 November writing prompts to get you started. Let’s go!

The 25 Most Common Themes in Literature and Why They Matter

by Sue Weems | 3 Comments

Literature’s first job is to entertain. But at the same time every novel has a kernel of truth in it, or perhaps several kernels, ideas about how life works or philosophies on the best way to live or some gesture to the broader meaning of life.

Taken together, these ideas may combine into a “theme.” Let’s look at the most common themes in literature and why they matter.

Foreshadowing Definition and 10 Techniques for Effective Plot Twists

by Joslyn Chase | 0 Comments

Do you love a good murder mystery or thriller? Do you dream of creating a captivating and suspenseful book that will pull readers to the end and leave them tingling? Then you need to master foreshadowing.

If you answered yes, you probably realize that such a thing is no easy task. More than most any other genre, mystery novels, thrillers, and suspense stories invite the reader to actively participate in plot developments, using certain cues to predict outcomes.

That can be tough to accomplish.

The path to a finished product is full of pitfalls, but you can learn techniques to help carry you safely over them and complete a thrilling story you can be proud of.

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