The Write Practice: The Online Writing Workbook

3 Questions You Should Ask Before You Write a Scene

by Sue Weems | 18 Comments

Sometimes I get stuck wondering how to write a scene during a first draft. Or maybe I can’t figure out how to revise a story to make it better. Sometimes I wonder if I am ever going to make any progress in my fiction and life. (Please tell me I’m not alone!)

I’ve been revising this summer, and it’s taking longer than I’d like. I keep returning to the basics of good storytelling to evaluate my scenes, and yesterday, it occurred to me that there are three questions I can ask to clarify almost any scene. Coincidentally, they are the same three questions I usually ask myself to tackle almost any life problem.

How Relatable Character Relationships Will Make or Break Your Story

by Ruthanne Reid | 20 Comments

I want you to think back to your favorite book or television show. There may be many things that stood out to you about that story—the plot, the scenery, the outfits, the scope, or something else. There’s one aspect, however, that underpins all those things. One detail which, if missing, leaves your readers unable to really invest themselves in your story: relationships between characters.

Announcing Our Latest Book, Scrivener Superpowers, Now in Paperback

by Joe Bunting | 52 Comments

I’m very excited to announce the launch of our newest book, Scrivener Superpowers, by M. G. Herron!

Scrivener Superpowers will not only change your approach to Scrivener, it will change your writing life. Learn more about the book here.

7 Inspiring Writing Tips From On Writing Well

by Monica M. Clark | 13 Comments

I’ve had the book On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser on my shelf since my pre-law school journalism days. That is, I’ve had it on my shelf for a while. I don’t remember who gave it to me, but I do remember how it made me feel.

It made me feel like I could be a better writer.

Confessions of a Perfectionist Writer

by Kellie McGann | 72 Comments

Almost all of the personality tests I’ve taken allude to my desire to be perfect. Perfectionism is the way I’m wired, and it has a huge effect on my writing.

Doodle Your Way Out Of Writer’s Block

by Pamela Hodges | 41 Comments

When you can’t think of what to write, step away from your computer, and doodle. Yes, step away, and doodle. You heard me correctly. (Said in a kind gentle way.) Now, grab a pencil and a piece of paper, and start to doodle your way out of writer’s block.

Prince or Pauper? The Pros and Cons of Making Your Hero a Noble vs. Common Stock

by Guest Blogger | 8 Comments

Every author has had to tackle following question at some point, whether it be Shakespeare or J.K. Rowling: Are the heroes of my tale going to be of common stock or noble heritage? Will I create a lower class or upper class character? It has been a heated topic of debate since long before the Brothers Grimm ever picked up a pen, and it’s a debate that continues on to this day.

How to Describe Food Like a Food Network Star

by Monica M. Clark | 20 Comments

Did you see the first season of Top Chef? It was hosted by someone widely criticized for not bringing insight to food. That person was quickly replaced by renowned chef Padma Lakshmi. What about Food Network Star? Where contestants compete for their own show judge equally on their cooking and presentation skills?

The host change in Top Chef and the emphasis on descriptive skills on Food Network Star demonstrate how vital it is for these shows to be able to not just make food, but describe it.

There Are Two Types of Writers. Which One Are You?

by Joe Bunting | 48 Comments

Jack Kerouac wrote On the Road in less than a month. Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel took only two months to write, and William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying was written in six weeks, the same length of time it took Charles Dickens to write A Christmas Carol. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, was written in just three weeks.

So why has it taken me over three years to write my book?!

What’s Really Keeping You from Writing?

by Guest Blogger | 37 Comments

I consider myself a writer. But there are a lot of days on which I don’t write anything more than a post on Facebook. Then there are days where I spend hours pecking away at the keyboard. But overall, I would love to write more, not less.

We all know some writers who are really disciplined. For example, Stephen King writes 2,000 words a day every day without fail. Why can’t I do this? What’s keeping me from writing? What’s keeping you from writing more?

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