For those of us who’ve been in the writing biz a while, there is a quote by Stephen King we’ve all seen a thousand times (and if you’re new to writing, fear not: you’ll see this quote a thousand times, too).
Here to learn? You’re in the WRITE place!
At The Write Practice, we publish a new article each day designed to help writers tackle one part of their writing journey, from generating ideas to grammar to writing and publishing your first book. Each article has a short practice exercise at the end to help you immediately put your learning to use.
Check out the latest articles below or find ones that match your interest in the sidebar.
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Holiday Writing Prompt: The 12 Steps of the Turkey Hero’s Journey
I love Joseph Campbell’s monomyth theory. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s the idea that every hero, and hero’s journey, uses many of the same characters, symbols, and themes.
So in honor of Thanksgiving, let’s write a story with the Noble Gobbler in the role of the hero, or Pro-turk-onist!
7 Words to Avoid in Writing to Be a Better Writer
If you’re reading this, then you want to be a better writer. However, becoming a better writer is elusive, isn’t it? It’s more art than science. There are hundreds of writing rules, thousands of words to know, and millions of possible ways you could write even a simple message.
How do you become a better writer when writing itself is so complicated?
6 Things to Expect From Writing Sprints Like NaNoWriMo
Participating in sprints like NaNoWriMo has taught me what I need to do in order to push through discouragement, how to motivate myself to sit my butt in the chair and write, and what things are most likely to distract me from the work of writing.
Having appropriate expectations when it comes to writing sprints like NaNoWriMo are equally important. Sprints can be wonderful teachers; but it’s important to understand what we should expect from them.
12 Creative Tips to Market Your Children’s Book
Marketing is the ongoing job of every author, so I’m going to expand on my list here with ideas I have used, as well as ideas I’ve seen other authors employ with varying degrees of success. Because this is also true: Marketing is a trial and error game. What works well for one author may not work for another.
Inter vs. Intra: A Simple Trick to Remember the Difference
I play kickball on a league in Denver, and if you haven’t tried playing this playground game as a grown person, I highly recommend it.
I was talking about my team with someone this past weekend, and they asked, “Oh, it’s like intramural kickball?” I said yes, although it is weird to hear someone use the word intramural outside of college.
Also, it’s definitely intramural, not intermural. But what’s the difference?
How to Break the Rules for the Best NaNoWriMo Ever
Across the world this week, writers began spinning stories and obsessively checking their word counts, all in pursuit of that magic number: 50,000 words. Every year, I tell myself I don’t have time to do NaNoWriMo, and every year, I end up participating anyway.
But a couple years ago, I decided to break the rules and I had the best NaNoWriMo month ever. Maybe you need to break some rules yourself to redefine your writing this month.
The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 7 Tools You Can’t Write Without
So you want to write fiction. Where do you begin? And what creative writing tools do you need to accomplish your writing goals?
When Do You Use “Quotation Marks”?
A few years ago, I rented a car. Normally this wouldn’t be a memorable event. But an appalling misuse of grammar burned it into my mind, and years later, I haven’t forgotten.
You see, when I went to the airport to return the rental, I saw this wonderfully instructive sign:
Please… LEAVE “KEYS” IN CAR!
And this brings me to today’s grammar lesson: how and when to use quotation marks.
9 Action Story Clichés to Avoid As a Writer
Writing an action story or screenplay can be a lot of fun. There’s something exhilarating about writing fast-paced action sequences filled with excitement and suspense.
However, it’s important to avoid common clichés—overused ideas or stereotypes lacking original thought—if you want your story to stand out. In this article, we will take a look at 9 clichés to avoid when you are writing an action story or movie!