New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

How to Prepare to Write a Book: 4 Simple Steps You Can Do Now

You’ve been thinking about it for months, promising yourself that when it arrives you are finally going to knuckle down and write your manuscript. Then you realize, you have no idea how to prepare to write a book.

It doesn’t matter if you visit your favorite coffee shop or have the best book ideas in the world, if you don’t figure out your ideal writing process, it’s unlikely that you’ll actually finish your entire book.

If you want to be a successful writer, start your book writing process by evaluating your creative process and when and how you produce the best work.

This may seem overwhelming.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to just jump into it feet first.

There are things you can start doing right now to set yourself up for a solid writing routine and good actual writing that will do your rough draft (or final draft) justice.

7 Types of Nonfiction Books

by Joe Bunting | 6 Comments

While people have been telling stories and delivering speeches for thousands of years, the history of nonfiction book writing is fairly brief. Still, over the last 500 years or so, patterns have begun to emerge, tried and true ways of writing nonfiction books, depending on the author’s goals.
Read on to discover the 7 types of nonfiction books and the structures each uses to reach readers.

20 End of School Year Writing Prompts

by Sue Weems | 0 Comments

We’re inching closer to the end of the school year for students (or maybe you’re already done, like my college students!). Major testing winds down, days are full of assemblies, field days, educational games, and the countdown to summer is on. These final weeks of school are the perfect time though to sneak in some fun writing. Here are some end of school year writing prompts to try!

Ya’ll vs. Y’all: How to Spell This Common Contraction

by Robert Harrell | 3 Comments

Many people confuse the spelling of ya’ll vs. y’all. It’s a common contraction and colloquialism that’s in wide use even outside the South in the U.S. If you’re going to use it in your writing though, you’ll need to know the spelling.

10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them

by Alice Sudlow | 1 Comment

What does it take to write a book? What obstacles will you face along the way? And if you’re already writing a book, are the challenges you’re facing normal?

Writing a book can be a fulfilling and personally rewarding process, but I think it’s also important to be honest about the challenges you will face. That way, you can prepare ways to overcome those obstacles rather than allowing them to overcome you.

The 7 Components of a Fail Proof Book Plan

by Joe Bunting | 0 Comments

Some writers balk at the idea of a book plan, and I get it. I tried to write books for years without a plan. Guess how many I finished? Zero. Since I learned how to write and use a book plan, I’ve finished over a dozen books and helped thousands of writers finish their books. You can do it too!

Mystery Clues: The Ultimate Guide to Clues and Red Herrings

by Joslyn Chase | 4 Comments

Whenever I’m planting a clue in a mystery novel I’m writing, I feel so exposed—like I’m waving a red flag and announcing a clue has been served. Experience has helped lay those fears (mostly) to rest. With skillful weaving into the story, clues and foreshadowing blend in or are seen but soon forgotten by readers.

Without spoonfeeding your audience, you must place all the pieces on the table, allowing readers to actively participate in solving the puzzle. When making your first attempts at writing mystery, it can be difficult to find that balance between too much and too little.
Take a look at our best guide to clues and red herrings here.

Word Count: How Many Words In a Novel?

by Joe Bunting | 115 Comments

If you want to get published, you need to be aware that major New York publishers are looking for a specific word count, depending on your genre. Your fantasy novel word count needs to be different than your YA Fiction book, which has a different word count from other books.

How many words are in a novel? Or at least one in which publishers might be interested? In this post, we’re going to explain word count and how it affects your chances of publishing success.

Ready to write your novel? Check out our definitive guide, How To Write Write a Novel: The Complete Guide, here.

How long is the average book? And how long should your book be? Here’s a quick summary:

What is the Plural of Crisis?

by Robert Harrell | 0 Comments

Ever have a crisis? It can be a crisis of conscience, an economic crisis, a moral crisis, or something else. But what if you have more than one? What do you have then?
Let’s discuss the plural of crisis and look at some examples.

6 Takeaways From David Mamet’s Masterclass for Writers of Fiction

by Guest Blogger | 0 Comments

As writers of fiction, we’re always learning from more seasoned writers, whether it’s through reading, film-viewing, or taking a class. Today, guest writer Nick Labonté reviews David Mamet’s Masterclass on Dramatic Writing. See if it’s the right online course for you!

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