New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

50+ Orphans in Literature: Why Orphans Make the Best Stories

by Joe Bunting | 23 Comments

What do JK Rowling, Christopher Paolini, David Eddings, and Terry Goodkind have in common? They all wrote bestselling novels starring orphans. And this isn’t unique to fantasy. Orphans in literature is a big theme!

Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain all used orphans as some of their most memorable characters.

And don’t forget Superman.

In this post, we’re looking at more than fifty fictional orphans, why authors love writing about them, and whether or not you should include them in your story.

How to Explore Your Characters’ Motivations

by Joe Bunting | 30 Comments

“In fiction, we can help our readers understand our characters’ motivations with clarity… people read fiction—to come to some understanding of why other people act the way they do.”

The question is, do you understand why your characters do the things they do? And are you conveying that understanding to the reader in an interesting way?

How to Start a Story: 10 Ways to Get Your Story Off to a Great Start

by Joslyn Chase | 3 Comments

Perhaps you’ve heard the old publishing proverb: The first page sells the book; the last page sells the next book. I’m convinced there’s a mammoth grain of truth in that. The beginning and the end of any story are critical elements that you really want to nail.

Today, we’re going to focus on how to start a story—in other words, how you can craft a spectacular beginning that will hold readers spellbound and get them to turn that first all-important page.

How to Build and Manage a Book Launch Team

by Sarah Gribble | 2 Comments

Whew. Yesterday, I launched my novel, Surviving Death. The launch went well, and it couldn’t have done so without my book launch team. They were awesome helping me spread the word about my book!

How do you build a book launch team? I’m going to share some strategies that I did with this launch and offer some ideas for other things you could do.

Should I Be a Writer? 7 Lies You Probably Believe

by Joe Bunting | 38 Comments

The profession of writing has been around for thousands of years. You would think we would have figured out how to become one by now, right? However, the more you read, the more you realize no one seems to agree on how to become a writer.

Depending on who you listen to, becoming a writer is either the easiest thing in the world (“Just write!”) or a proposition so impossibly difficult that only a combination of talent approaching genius, luck, and years of expensive training (i.e. “Get an MFA!”) can turn your writerly dream into reality.

Contractions in Writing: When To Use and When To Avoid These Conversational Words

by Joe Bunting | 55 Comments

I had a conversation with a fellow writer recently about contractions, when they’re appropriate to use and when they should be avoided.

But first, what are contractions? Is there a contractions list?

The Ultimate Guide to Beta Readers: Definition, Why They Matter, and How to Find Them

by Sarah Gribble | 1 Comment

If you’ve looked into the process of publishing a book, you might have heard the term “beta readers.” But what are beta readers? Do you really need them? And when do they come into the writing process?

A couple hints: yes, if you’re going to publish a book, you need beta readers. And no, they’re not a replacement for hiring a professional editor.

Even if beta readers aren’t technically a part of the editing process, since they’re not editors, they are essential to impacting positive revisions.

Beta readers can—and will—do wonders for your book. If you know where to find good ones, and how they can positively contribute to your stories.

This is how I found knockout beta readers. Ones that made a big difference in making my story it’s best draft.

What is Stream of Consciousness? Definition and Examples

by Guest Blogger | 128 Comments

“Stream-of-Consciousness” is a literary technique that focuses on sensory details, what we see and hear and feel and think in the moment. It’s usually written in incomplete sentences that jump around as they please. It’s the type of writing that tells you to completely forget everything else you’ve learned about writing and give in to the flow of ideas.

How to Write a Brilliant Twist Ending

by David Safford | 2 Comments

Don’t you love a great twist?

Often appearing in the middle or at the end of a story, a twist can completely transform the reading experience into a wild ride where anything can happen. But executing a twist isn’t easy, and if done improperly, can leave your reader feeling deeply disappointed.

And that’s just what many writers unsuspectingly do.

The Hero’s Journey: 12 Steps That Make Up the Universal Structure of Great Stories

by David Safford | 0 Comments

At one point in your writer’s life, you’ve probably come across the term Hero’s Journey. Maybe you’ve even studied this guide for storytelling and applied it to your own books—and yet, something about your own application felt off. You wanted to learn more, but didn’t know where to start.

You needed a resource that would simplify the hero’s journey steps and all the other major details instead of complicate them.

You needed this post.

The Hero’s Journey is as old as humanity itself. And over the history of humanity, this single story form has emerged over and over again. People from all cultures have seemed to favor its structure, and its familiar types of characters, symbols, relationships, and steps.

If you want to build or strengthen your writing career and win a following of many happy readers, you want this particular tool in your writer’s toolbox.

Let’s dive in.

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