New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Flash Fiction: The Shortest Shorts

by Sophie Novak | 168 Comments

Flash fiction has been the most widely growing fiction phenomenon in the 21st century, with its roots and great popularization in Canada and the US. The reason for the popularization of shorts is straightforward enough: people want fast bites in these dynamic and time-restrictive times.

What’s more important to pinpoint, though, is the superior nature of writing flash fiction. It’s condensed meaning in the shortest possible prose form. Microfiction is about lyrical writing. Just like in poetry, every word should have appropriate weight; bring that ‘magical’ element to the story.

Why You Should Use Symbolism In Your Writing

by Guest Blogger | 68 Comments

Nothing adds depth and meaning to a story like symbolism. It acts as webbing between theme and story. Themes alone can sound preachy, and stories alone can sound shallow. Symbolism weaves the two together.

What better way is there to avoid “telling” and instead “show” your story? A symbol conveys complex ideas with few words. Symbolism can also achieve the same results as several sentences of explicit imagery. How’s that on your Show-And-Tell Meter? If a picture is worth a thousand words, a symbol is worth ten-thousand.

The most critical reason I use symbols for me is inspiration. I may have to do upfront research, often spending a few hours collecting a list of symbols for each story, but, like an investment, I get a continual creative flare from it.

What to Do When Fear Takes Over

by Katie Axelson | 55 Comments

I’m not ready. I’m not good enough. That’s not my book to write. That book’s already been written. What if they hate it? I’m scared.

The Power of Sacred Time: The Writers Edition

by Birgitte Rasine | 38 Comments

In our online conversation two weeks ago, I exhorted The Write Practice community to answer three fundamental questions about their writer’s soul, and asked you to tell me what you need help with the most.

The one thing that most of you called out for, overwhelmingly, was time. Well, you’re in luck because that is my all-time (pun intended) favorite fascination. So much so that I wrote a book and am running a seminar series on it.

The burning question is, how do we find more time in our ridiculous schedules to write? How can we expand, stretch, push the limits of the time we do have? How do we bleed out those extra seconds, minutes, and hours we’re having to spend sitting in traffic/doodling in desperation in mind-numbing company meetings/frozen in line at the grocery store/stuck in the unavoidable time warp of the post office?

How to Write Like Nicholas Sparks: 4 Tips

by Monica M. Clark | 69 Comments

Last week I attended a conversation with Nicholas Sparks and local D.C. reporter at the historic Sixth and I. There was a lot of movie talk and name dropping (think, “oh that Ryan and Rachel”), but Sparks was an excellent story teller and engaging speaker. I learned a lot. I would say that the writing tips he shared were the highlight of the experience, but that would be the moment when a girl announced that she had “The Notebook” tattooed on her wrist.

Anyhoo, you want to write like Nicholas Sparks? Below are four tips on how to do it.

The Secret of The Writer’s Mantra

by Carlos Cooper | 103 Comments

What is a mantra? Why use one? What are you even talking about?

Let me start at the beginning. Once you do something for a while you tend to morph into some level of expert. You may not feel it in your gut, but others view you that way. Here’s my example: I’ve been writing for a couple years. I’m getting better and better…I hope. Out of the blue friends started referring wannabe writers to me. Cool.

I Don’t Want To Write

by Joe Bunting | 78 Comments

But I will.

You will always encounter impediments to your writing. You will regularly want to procrastinate. You will often want to distract yourself. You will sometimes even want to quit writing altogether.

This is normal. This is the work. If it was easy, everyone would be great writers with dozens of books to their names. But of course, it’s not easy. You will do it anyway.

Public Speaking [writing prompt]

by Joe Bunting | 37 Comments

PRACTICE

Your main character must give a public presentation. Is he nervous? What is she going to say? How does he imagine the audience will act? How does the speech go?

Write about public speaking for fifteen minutes. When you’re finished, post your practice in the comments section. And if you post, be sure to give feedback on a few practices by your fellow writers.

The Art of Writing Succinctly

by Marianne Richmond | 125 Comments

I love simplicity. In my home. In my closet. In my brain. No surprise, then, that I am a big fan of the Six Word Memoir project by Smith Magazine, an online magazine devoted to storytelling. When I read or listen, I want to know the point. I also write for young children, so I’m well-trained in editing the superfluous. Less than 500 words spread over thirty-two pages is the norm.

The Rule of Three

by Liz Bureman | 49 Comments

Part of storytelling is creating something memorable. You want your readers to remember your characters, the world that you’ve created, and what happens to those characters in that world. This is nothing new; back in the earliest days of storytelling, before we had the written word, those who were responsible for the oral tradition had to make sure it was preserved.

One of the most effective ways to enforce memory is through repetition, and so one of the most common storytelling techniques was born: the Rule of Three.

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