New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Hero’s Journey Trials: How to Fill the Middle of Your Story with Conflict

If you’ve ever written a book, you know that writing the middle of your story is tough. There’s a reason the saying “muddle through the middle” is common language in a writer’s conversation. Your protagonist must face Hero’s Journey Trials and make Allies and Enemies in these moments. How can you do this?

By studying The Hero’s Journey, an age-old story structure theorized by Joseph Campbell. When you master the Hero’s Journey’s twelve steps, constructing the middle of your story—by focusing on tests and Trials—gets easier.

In this article, you’ll learn writing strategies to help you raise the stakes and successfully develop one of twelve important steps in the Hero’s Journey—and the longest one at that.

Here’s what to do.

6 Tips To Fix Bad Writing

by Kellie McGann | 41 Comments

Revision is more than just correcting the comma splices and subject-verb agreement. Some bad writing is just awkward and unclear.
As I’ve worked to develop a working writing style, it’s taken me a lot of awkward sentences, phrases, and words, but after editing (and many writing lectures from Joe), I’ve developed a few tips to avoid the bad writing. Here are six tips that helped make my writing better (hopefully they help you, too!).

Crossing the Threshold: How to Write This Important Hero’s Journey Scene

by David Safford | 0 Comments

In order for your hero to embark on an epic journey, they must first cross a threshold and leave their ordinary world. In fact, the fifth stage of the Hero’s Journey is Crossing the Threshold. Here’s how to master this pivotal scene.

Character Backstory and Memory: Definitions and When to Use Each

by J. D. Edwin | 1 Comment

The choices your characters make within your story are shaped by their past, which means sometimes, you’ll need to communicate to your reader events that happened before your story began. Not sure how? Try memory or backstory to share the past in the present.

Meeting the Mentor: A Vital Moment in Every Hero’s Journey Story

by David Safford | 1 Comment

Great stories are filled with great characters. One of the most common characters in any story is the Mentor, an essential character if you’re writing a Hero’s Journey story. In fact, the fourth step of the Hero’s Journey is Meeting the Mentor. Who is your hero’s mentor, and how do they challenge them?

As you may know, the Hero’s Journey is an archetypal story theorized by Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces. And in practically every heroic story, there is a character that helps the hero rise from nobody to a somebody.

Getting that character right can be the difference between writing a story that readers love and one they put down and forget.

Encouragement for Writers: 3 Writing Prompts That Will Rekindle Your Writing Enthusiasm

by Sarah Gribble | 11 Comments

New goals can be stressful, and even a momentary lapse can make a person want to scream and kick and cry. Perhaps eat an entire pint of ice cream. Perhaps lay on the couch and wallow in self-pity, lamenting over the magnificent writing career that could’ve been if only you hadn’t skipped writing that one day.

Today I’m going to ask you to think about your writing a little differently, and hopefully renew some of the enthusiasm you may have already lost.

The Call to Adventure: A Crucial Hero’s Journey Step in the Beginning of a Story

by David Safford | 0 Comments

You’ve established your story’s Ordinary World. What’s next? It’s time for your hero’s Call to Adventure — a call they must refuse.

Deliberate Practice: How to Become Great (At Writing or Anything)

by Joe Bunting | 30 Comments

How do you become truly great at something, one of the best in the world? Or at least better than you are?

Many people believe that greatness comes from talent and natural inclination. They believe that great athletes and artists are born, not made, and so what’s the point in trying if you’re not naturally talented?

I used to believe that, too, but everything changed for me when I discovered practice, the idea that not only can you become great through your own efforts, but that all of the best writers, musicians, painters, and athletes in the world have done the same.

In this guide, we’re going to be exploring how you can become a better writer by following the principles of deliberate practice (this is The Write Practice, after all), but generally, how you can improve your skill level in any field.

We’ll look at the four components of deliberate practice that will make your practice time actually work. Finally, we’ll get a chance to start actually practicing our writing through a creative writing exercise.

Ready to accomplish your writing goals? Let’s get started!

21 Road Trip Writing Prompts

by Joe Bunting | 133 Comments

Road trips yield great stories. Why? Because a road trip forces you, your family, your friends, or your characters into uncomfortable and new situations. Add to that the potential for various complications and conflict, and you have all the ingredients for a terrific story. Try one of these new 21 road trip prompts today to get your own story on its way.

Active vs. Passive Voice: The Complete Guide

by Liz Bureman | 44 Comments

Let’s understand what we mean when we’re talking about “voice” in a passive sentence versus an active voice sentence. In this case, grammatical voice refers to the verb form used in relationship with the subject and receiver of the action.

(This should not be confused with author voice which is more about the personality and style of a writer throughout their work. That’s something entirely different.)

If you’re still confused, let’s look at some examples that will help you see the difference, and then look at how to use each type of sentence to its best effect. Ready?

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