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.

And make sure to subscribe to get a weekly digest of our latest posts, along with our free guide, 10 Steps to Become a Writer.

The Winners of the Summer Writing Contest

The Winners of the Summer Writing Contest

In June, we hosted the Summer Writing Contest in partnership with JBD Entertainment and Short Fiction Break literary magazine. Entering a writing contest is a huge accomplishment. You took on the challenge of writing a story and sharing it boldly with the judges. Whether your story won or not, that’s worth celebrating!

And now, drumroll, please, as we announce the winners . . .

Why a Funeral Might Be the Perfect Setting for Your Story

Why a Funeral Might Be the Perfect Setting for Your Story

Looking for an opportunity to reveal a character’s true feelings? Need a place where a character can realistically tell the world how they feel in a monologue? Want to give characters an opportunity to discuss what is coming next in your plot?

Funerals provide an excellent setting for all these moments and more.

4 Bland Character Problems and How to Fix Them

4 Bland Character Problems and How to Fix Them

I’m working through a revision, and one of my main problems is the protagonist. My editor and a beta reader both suggested amping up her emotional appeal, leaving comments such as, “I’m not invested in this character yet” and “I want to care about her, but I don’t in this scene.” Ouch. I’ve created a bland character.

So amping up emotional appeal. Is there a lipstick for that? How do I amp up emotional appeal?

Celebrate Fall With a New Writing Contest

Celebrate Fall With a New Writing Contest

All around us, kids and teachers are headed back to school. The weather hasn’t cooled down yet, but we’re already dreaming of crunchy fall leaves and cozy sweaters. It’s the perfect season for a new writing contest!

You May Not Be Ready to Publish Your Book

You May Not Be Ready to Publish Your Book

That’s a touchy statement, isn’t it? Before you light me on fire for typing it, give me the chance to explain. There are two aspects to being ready to publish your book: preparing your book and preparing yourself.

Who vs. Whom: Or, How to Misuse a Pronoun

Who vs. Whom: Or, How to Misuse a Pronoun

We avoided it as long as we could, but it was bound to come up sooner or later. Today, we’re covering the apparent mother of all grammatical quandaries: who vs. whom. What’s the difference between these two tricky pronouns?

Photo Writing Prompt: Find Your Story in a Painting

Photo Writing Prompt: Find Your Story in a Painting

Have you heard of Girl With a Pearl Earring?

It’s a painting by a 17th Century Dutch painter named Johannes Vermeer. Author Tracy Chevalier first saw it when she was 19 and couldn’t stop thinking about it. Who was the girl in the painting? How did she get there?

Character Voice: How to Actually Listen to Your Protagonist

Character Voice: How to Actually Listen to Your Protagonist

Anyone who has dipped their toes into the world of writing novels knows how crucial character development is to telling strong stories. Plot, setting, and dialogue are necessary building blocks of fiction, but your characters are the foundation that your story is resting on—without dynamic characters, no amount of plot twists, fantastical settings, or authentic dialogue will magically transform into a novel that people want to read.

If the success of your novel is in fact riding on the strength of your characters, you need to know who they are, inside and out. More importantly, you need a character with a strong voice, one that can reveal the emotional depths of your story to the reader.

Beat Writer’s Block with Grimms’ Fairy Tales

Beat Writer’s Block with Grimms’ Fairy Tales

I know what a friend looks like. Friends are there to support you when you need them. If you call in desperation, they come over. If you need a laugh, they crack a joke. If you’re down, they give a helping hand.

I’ve concluded that the Muses are not my friends.

Say Yes to Practice

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts:

Popular Resources

Books By Our Writers

Surviving Death
- Sarah Gribble
HYLA
- A. Marieve Monnen