New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Elements of Suspense: How Mystery and Thriller Writers Grip Readers

Do you remember how you felt while reading The Da Vince Code or Gone Girl? The sweaty palms, the pleasant shiver, the jaw-clenching tension? Remember how those well-drawn elements of suspense held you in thrall, feathering along your skin, raising goosebumps?

Suspense fiction comes in a variety of flavors, all delicious, and if you have a yen for building suspense in your writing and learning how to create the same kind of reading experience for your own audience, this is the place for you.

In a special series of articles, I’ll be your guide as we dig deep into the elements of suspense that grab readers and don’t let go. These elements apply, regardless of the publishing route you choose for getting your stories out to your suspense readers.

Here, we will learn how you can craft suspense in your own books, starting now.

Proust Questionnaire: 35 Questions To Ask Your Characters From Marcel Proust

by Joe Bunting | 26 Comments

We’re on a characterization kick this week on The Write Practice. Today, we’re going to continue to delve into the lives of our characters by going through a list of thirty-five questions to ask your characters made famous by the canonical French author, Marcel Proust.

Motif vs Symbol: What’s the Difference?

by Liz Bureman | 11 Comments

Using the novel Divergent by Veronica Roth as an example, we look at the difference between a symbol vs. motif, and how they affect the story.

How to Write a Character Portrait: 4 Steps to Better Understand Characters

by Monica M. Clark and Joe Bunting | 25 Comments

Whether you’re writing a novel, a memoir, or even painting a portrait, it’s important to understand who you’re writing about.

Creating a character portrait is a characterization technique used by writers like Cheryl Strayed, Marcel Proust, and others to better understand your characters.

In this post, you’ll learn exactly what character portraits, how to create one of your own, and how to get the most out of them in your writing.

75+ Antihero Examples: Plus the Top 5 Types of Antiheroes (and How to Use Them in Writing)

by Joe Bunting | 16 Comments

An antihero is a central character in a story who displays unheroic flaws or characteristics associated with villains, but who may garner more empathy and understanding as they can appear more human and relatable than traditional heroes.
Take a look at our list of over 75 antihero examples to see if you want to create one for your story today.

Colloquialism Literary Definition: Everyday Speech in Writing

by Robert Harrell | 1 Comment

According to Merriam-Webster, a colloquialism is “a colloquial expression.” Wasn’t that helpful?

When we look up “colloquial,” we learn that it means, “used in or characteristic of familiar and informal conversation.”

So, a colloquialism is an expression used in or characteristic of casual speech. It can also be a local or regional dialect expression. This is critically important to understand as you write dialogue for characters.

Why Are Characters Important in a Story? 4 Ways to Know You Need a Character

by J. D. Edwin | 1 Comment

As a writer, you know that a story can’t exist without characters. But have you ever wondered: “Why are characters important in a story?”

Perhaps you’ve questioned an even tougher problem: “When is a character important enough to keep in a story, and when does the narrative work better without them?”

In order for a side character—or any character—to matter in a story, they have to work as an essential character that impacts the protagonist, plot, setting, or another important aspect that shapes or moves a story forward.

In this article, you’ll learn four ways that determine if (1) the character is essential, and (2) how they contribute to a story. You’ll also learn the major types of characters and ways to determine if—for the characters who don’t qualify as essential—you’re better off revising their role, or cutting them from the plot.

30 Romance Story Ideas to Spark Connections

by Ruthanne Reid | 46 Comments

Learning to write a romance or love story plot is a valuable skill for every writer, and not just on Valentine’s Day! Why? Romance is one of the most common subplots across all genres. Let’s look at how to write a love story and then dive into some prompts!

The Winning Mindset You Need for a Killer Writing Contest Entry

by Sue Weems | 19 Comments

When I sign up for a writing contest, I turn on “Eye of the Tiger” as I sit down to pound out my first draft. This is it, I tell myself. This will be the story that finally wins. A few finger exercises and I am ready to write the story to end all stories.

But what if nothing comes? Or worse, a story pours out and it’s terrible? What if I don’t win? How can I develop a winning mindset without reading an entire shelf of self-help books and further distracting myself?

The 8 Parts of a Story You Need to Know

by Sue Weems and Joe Bunting | 0 Comments

Whether you’re a student analyzing a story or a writer intent on crafting a compelling story, there are a few basic story elements that will help you better understand the parts of a story.

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