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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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How to Create Problems for Your Characters That Force Them to Grow

How to Create Problems for Your Characters That Force Them to Grow

Most of us try to avoid hard things. We have traffic apps to help us steer clear of wrecks and construction on the roadway. We espouse slogans like “work smarter, not harder.” We love hacks, apps, and tips to make most anything easier or more comfortable.

But what if the hard thing is the best way to become the people we want to be? What if we’re avoiding the very thing that holds the key to our growth?

Sometimes as writers, we let our characters settle for the easy life. What is the default state for your main character? Where is he most comfortable? You’ve got to get the character out of that state as quickly as possible.

5 Reasons Why You Should Write Short Stories

5 Reasons Why You Should Write Short Stories

“Writer” is an extremely broad term; after all, there are dozens of genres in which you might write. Poetry, novels, memoir, historical fiction, picture books, cookbooks, instruction manuals, fan-fiction, all of these barely scratch the surface of what you can do with your talents. No matter what you write, though, there are significant benefits to writing short stories that will help you learn and grow within your craft.

How to Hone Your Writer’s Eye by Simply Paying Attention

How to Hone Your Writer’s Eye by Simply Paying Attention

What are you learning?

Sometimes it feels like I can’t learn things fast enough. I’ve been working to improve my ability to evoke emotion in my writing. It’s been harder than I think it should be, and I often lament that I don’t have enough time to learn all I need to learn to make my fiction work.

But as I wring my hands thinking I don’t have time, I’m missing a great opportunity right in front of me every day. Being present, paying attention, and thinking about the world I see are all excellent ways to learn. When I look at the world through a writer’s eye, I see writing lessons all around me.

Michelle Dalton on How to Write From the Heart

Michelle Dalton on How to Write From the Heart

Writing is hard enough when you’re writing action scenes and plot twists. It’s even harder when you have to write an emotional scene, especially if it’s one that comes from your own experiences. We’re talking with romance writer Michelle Dalton to find out how she deals with choosing to write from the heart.

Whether you love the genre or loathe it, romance novels can teach you how to connect emotionally with your reader.

5 Writers Quotes To Keep You Inspired Until Spring

5 Writers Quotes To Keep You Inspired Until Spring

For me, spring is an incredible time of unbounded energy and enthusiasm … and with it, an inevitable spurt of creativity. Sometimes it seems my pen can hardly keep up with them.

But winter? Oof. Winter’s dark cold days can make it harder to get out of bed, let alone muster up the will to write.

But whether Punxsutawney Phil foresees a swift end to the madness or another six weeks, don’t let the season hold you back. Here are some of my favorite writers’ quotes to warm your creative spirit and keep you going through this sometimes dreary season.

Edmund Stone on How to Use Horror to Improve Your Writing

Edmund Stone on How to Use Horror to Improve Your Writing

Fear is the base element of horror. Fear is also the base element of all other stories. Fear of failure, fear of being abandoned, fear of change, fear of giant spiders invading your basement . . . it’s all horror in the end.

Learning to be one with that fear and to use all five senses to describe it will help you uncover the deepest feelings of your characters, whether you’re writing a horror novel or a YA romance.

Writing Prompt: Sabotage a Resolution

Writing Prompt: Sabotage a Resolution

It’s that time of year again. The newness and hope of a fresh start has worn off and if you’re like me, old habits beckon like a warm blanket. Whether you are still holding firm on your resolutions, didn’t make any, or have already abandoned your “new year, new you,” the challenge of resolutions provide a host of ideas for writing.

How to Use Psychology to Create Compelling Characters

How to Use Psychology to Create Compelling Characters

How do you create characters that resonate with readers, stirring their emotions and rousing their empathy? That’s the goal we all share as writers, right? What if there were a way to combine psychology and writing to make your characters come alive on the page?

To build characters that strike a chord within readers, you need to craft someone who feels realistic, someone your readers can relate to because their motivations and behaviors are modeled on the way real people think and act.

Start Your New Year Right With These 5 Tips for Creativity

Start Your New Year Right With These 5 Tips for Creativity

The New Year is upon us, and if you’re like me, you have all kinds of ideas about what you want to conquer in 2019. Now that you’ve had some time to mull over the goals you’ve set for yourself, it’s time to consider how you’re going to accomplish them in the best way possible. I have a few tips for creativity to help you start the year off well.

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