New Daily Writing Guides from The Write Practice

Author Branding: How I Built an Author Brand That Sold 6+ Million Books

Think of one of your favorite authors, maybe a children’s book author, since that’s what I write. For little ones, it might be Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. And for for older kids, perhaps you like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

When you purchase one of these books, you know what to expect. Eric Carle offers soothing rhymes and stories with bright and cheery collage artwork. Jeff Kinney, on the other hand, gives readers funny, endearing stories featuring his signature cartoon protagonist, Greg.

An author brand is what makes your work unique or distinctly you. It’s the collection of impressions you make across your interactions with readers, including your books, social media, and face-to-face meetings. Your brand tells readers what to expect from you as an author as well as what to expect from your books.

Writing Anxiety: Why Does Writing Sometimes Make You Anxious (And How to Overcome It)

by J. D. Edwin | 2 Comments

Have you ever felt a rush of writing anxiety when trying to finish your story?

Whether you view this as resistance or low self-esteem, writing anxiety can prevent you from finishing that beautiful, unique story that only you can tell. Here are four common problems that feed writing anxiety and tips on how to overcome them.

How to Write a Haiku Poem

by Pamela Fernuik | 61 Comments

Haiku are a type of traditional Japanese poetry. Only three lines long, haiku are fun to write and share. Let’s find out what a haiku poem is and what we need to write our own!

Revision: How to “Kill Your Darlings” and Survive the Process

by Ruthanne Reid | 31 Comments

For those of us who’ve been in the writing biz a while, there is a quote by Stephen King we’ve all seen a thousand times (and if you’re new to writing, fear not: you’ll see this quote a thousand times, too).

Holiday Writing Prompt: The 12 Steps of the Turkey Hero’s Journey

by David Safford | 8 Comments

I love Joseph Campbell’s monomyth theory. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s the idea that every hero, and hero’s journey, uses many of the same characters, symbols, and themes.

So in honor of Thanksgiving, let’s write a story with the Noble Gobbler in the role of the hero, or Pro-turk-onist!

7 Words to Avoid in Writing to Be a Better Writer

by Joe Bunting | 222 Comments

If you’re reading this, then you want to be a better writer. However, becoming a better writer is elusive, isn’t it? It’s more art than science. There are hundreds of writing rules, thousands of words to know, and millions of possible ways you could write even a simple message.

How do you become a better writer when writing itself is so complicated?

6 Things to Expect From Writing Sprints Like NaNoWriMo

by Jeff Elkins | 0 Comments

Participating in sprints like NaNoWriMo has taught me what I need to do in order to push through discouragement, how to motivate myself to sit my butt in the chair and write, and what things are most likely to distract me from the work of writing.

Having appropriate expectations when it comes to writing sprints like NaNoWriMo are equally important. Sprints can be wonderful teachers; but it’s important to understand what we should expect from them.

3 Creative Tricks to Find Your Character’s Voice

by Jeff Elkins | 13 Comments

Great characters feel real. They talk, act, and respond to stress in ways we recognize, with their own personal character voice. We can relate to them because they seem human.

To write a character that leaps off the page, we need to know her deeply. We need to understand her thoughts and feelings. If our audience is going to empathize with her, we have to first.

12 Creative Tips to Market Your Children’s Book

by Marianne Richmond | 0 Comments

Marketing is the ongoing job of every author, so I’m going to expand on my list here with ideas I have used, as well as ideas I’ve seen other authors employ with varying degrees of success. Because this is also true: Marketing is a trial and error game. What works well for one author may not work for another.

Inter vs. Intra: A Simple Trick to Remember the Difference

by Liz Bureman | 5 Comments

I play kickball on a league in Denver, and if you haven’t tried playing this playground game as a grown person, I highly recommend it.
I was talking about my team with someone this past weekend, and they asked, “Oh, it’s like intramural kickball?” I said yes, although it is weird to hear someone use the word intramural outside of college.

Also, it’s definitely intramural, not intermural. But what’s the difference?