The Write Practice: The Online Writing Workbook

Why Dynamic Characters Don’t Need to Change

The most crushing piece of criticism authors can hear is that their main character is “flat” or “two-dimensional.” This is especially true for writers who have poured a lot of their personal experience into their protagonist’s journey. Conventional writing wisdom tells us that main characters need to be “dynamic” characters who evolve over the course of the story.

But what exactly does “dynamic” mean? If your protagonist doesn’t actually change all that much, does that make them flat and static? Are they, by default, a poorly written character?

The One Secret to Finishing Your Writing Projects

by Ruthanne Reid | 10 Comments

A funny thing happens when you move.

You start out carefully. Each glass is conscientiously wrapped in six pages of newspaper. Each collectible is cushioned and boxed as if interred, and each box Sharpied with item, location, and name. Then a few days into this, something strange happens: you realize it doesn’t matter.

To put it another way, when you’re running out of time, you no longer have the luxury of faffing around. That’s when you really get down to business.

3 Reasons Diaries Are Essential to Your Story

by Liz Bureman | 55 Comments

When I was in high school, a drama teacher that I had my sophomore year made everyone in my class keep a journal. He kept them in his office, but never read them, and we would write every morning we had class. Some of us took the exercise more seriously than others (there was a minimum three line requirement), but after that year, he gave us the notebooks to keep. I had enjoyed journaling so much that I continued.

It was a great way for me to get my thoughts recorded, although it wasn’t the prettiest writing I’ve ever done. If you’re looking for an alternative way to tell a story, there are a couple reasons to try a diary or epistolary format.

3 Secrets Great Writers Know About Experimental Fiction

by Guest Blogger | 17 Comments

Nobody wants their writing to be described as “conventional” or “formulaic,” and in an effort to avoid such damning judgements, many young writers throw themselves past creative writing guides, the rules of writing, and all the catalogues of conventional wisdom, instead opting to carve their own path.

But before you follow suit and bend all the rules to write experimental fiction, there are a few things you need to know.

Prologue, Introduction, Preface, or Foreword: Which Is Right for You?

by Kellie McGann | 7 Comments

I’m currently working on my fifth nonfiction book and starting is always the hardest part. There are just so many options.

Should I write a preface? A prologue? An introduction? Should I find someone to write a foreword? Should I just start at chapter one?

If you’ve ever found yourself asking these questions, you’re not alone! And you’re in luck! I’ve asked these questions too and found some answers.

Let’s talk about the difference between each these and figure out which is best for you.

How To Write a Story 101: Character

by Pamela Hodges | 43 Comments

You are going to write a story. Yes, today is the day you are going to write a fiction story about someone. Your character and their development through the story is the heart of fiction.

Make your characters real, and your readers will care what happens to them because they can identify and sympathize with the character in a situation.

5 Tips for Surviving Criticism of Your Writing

by Monica M. Clark | 81 Comments

A while back I attended a novel-writing workshop. Each week we read thirty pages from two students and spoke about them in depth during class, offering helpful feedback and criticism of their writing. After the second or third week, it became customary to ask whoever had been up for a critique “are you OK?” after class. Sometimes I saw tears. I myself felt overwhelmed by the amount of work I still had to do and my classmates’ brutal honesty.

We all know workshops and editing are crucial to the writing process. Writing criticism is essential. But man, that feedback can be hard to hear. Here five survival tips.

3 Common Mistakes Writers Make (And How to Avoid Them)

by Guest Blogger | 71 Comments

Writers are a funny bunch. On one point, we are driven and self-aware, capable of exercising massive amounts of discipline when we need to focus on the task at hand. Yet at other times, we’re distracted, self-critical, and destructive.

Part of the doubt writers face comes up because the creative process isn’t an easy thing to experience. It’s incredibly difficult to create something out of nothing day in and day out.

But when you can identify these critical mistakes writers make, you’ll be ready to overcome your doubts and challenges and actually finish your writing projects.

4 Reasons You Should Never Write Alone

by Kellie McGann | 65 Comments

Imagine the quintessential writer: introverted, glasses, coffee in hand, sitting alone at a small desk, while poking their fingers on a keyboard.

We all have preconceived notions as to what being a writer looks like, but whatever your idea of a writer, I can bet that one trait is uniform across the board. You probably imagine your writer alone, the Stephen King type, secluded, perhaps in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

Interestingly enough, being a writer alone is nearly impossible, and after being part of a writers group for almost a year, I’ve learned I could never do it alone.

Best Book Writing Software: How to Make a Beat Sheet in Google Sheets

by Jeff Elkins | 8 Comments

Recently, I shared why Microsoft Excel and Google Docs are some of my favorite pieces of book writing software. Spreadsheets might seem like odd resources for a writer, but I’ve found them to be invaluable tools for planning my stories.

I use spreadsheets to plan my stories in several ways. Today, though, I’m going to focus on just one: creating a beat sheet to outline a story before I write.

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