Give each participant a couple of pieces of paper at random. The first person says the first sentence of a story and they must use their first word as part of that sentence. The second person then continues the story and must include their word in it, and so on. Go round the group twice to complete the story.
You can also do this creative writing exercise with story dice, your own choice of words, or by asking participants to write random words down themselves, then shuffling all the cards together.
Alternative Christmas Story
Every Christmas adults tell kids stories about Santa Claus. In this exercise you write a Christmas story from an alternative dimension.
What if every Christmas Santa didn't fly around the world delivering presents on his sleigh pulled by reindeer? What if gnomes or aliens delivered the presents? Or perhaps it was the gnomes who are trying to emulate the humans? Or some other Christmas tradition entirely that we humans have never heard of!
Group writing exercise
If you're working with a group, give everyone a couple of minutes to write two possible themes for the new Christmas story. Each theme should be 5 words or less.
Shuffle the paper and distribute them at random. If you're working online, everyone types the themes into the Zoom or group chat. Each writer then spends 10 minutes writing a short story for children based on one of the two themes, or their own theme if they really want to.
If working alone, choose your own theme and spend 15 minutes writing a short story on it. See if you can create the magic of Christmas from another world!
Murder Mystery Mind Map
In a murder mystery story or courtroom drama, there's often conflicting information and lots of links between characters. A mind map is an ideal way to illustrate how everything ties together.
Split into groups of 3 or 4 people each and place a blank piece of A3 paper (double the size of A4) in the middle of each group. Discuss between you who the victim is and write their name in the middle of the piece of paper. Then brainstorm information about the murder, for example:
Feel free to expand out from any of these, e.g. to include more information on the different characters involved.
The idea is that everyone writes at the same time! Obviously, you can discuss ideas, but anyone can dive in and write their ideas on the mind map.
Who was the victim? (job, appearance, hobbies, etc.)
Who did the victim know?
What were their possible motivations?
What was the murder weapon?
What locations are significant to the plot?
New Year’s resolutions for a fictional character
If you’re writing a piece of fiction, ask yourself how your protagonist would react to an everyday situation. This can help you to gain a deeper insight into who they are.
One way to do this is to imagine what their New Year’s resolutions would be.
If completing this exercise with a group, limit it to 3 to 5 resolutions per person. If some participants are historical fiction or non-fiction writers, they instead pick a celebrity and either write what their resolutions will be, or what their resolutions should be, their choice.
Verb Noun Fiction Exercise (Inspired by Stephen King)
Stephen King said, "I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops."
He also said, "Take any noun, put it with any verb, and you have a sentence. It never fails. Rocks explode. Jane transmits. Mountains float. These are all perfect sentences. Many such thoughts make little rational sense, but even the stranger ones (Plums deify!) have a kind of poetic weight that’s nice."
In this fiction writing exercise, start by brainstorming (either individually or collectively) seven verbs on seven different pieces of paper. Put those aside for later. Now brainstorm seven nouns. Randomly match the nouns and verbs so you have seven pairs. Choose a pair and write a piece of fiction for ten minutes. Avoid using any adverbs.
It’s the end of the world
It’s the end of the world! For 5 minutes either:
If working as a team, then after the 5 minutes is up each writer reads their description out to the other participants.
Describe how the world’s going to end, creating evocative images using similes or metaphors as you wish and tell the story from a global perspective, or
Describe how you spend your final day before the world is destroyed. Combine emotion and action to engage the reader.
7 Editing Exercises
For use after your first draft
I’ve listened to a lot of masterclasses on writing by successful authors and they all say variants of your first draft won’t be good and that’s fine. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman summarise it the best:
“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”
Terry Pratchett
“For me, it’s always been a process of trying to convince myself that what I’m doing in a first draft isn’t important. One way you get through the wall is by convincing yourself that it doesn’t matter. No one is ever going to see your first draft. Nobody cares about your first draft. And that’s the thing that you may be agonising over, but honestly, whatever you’re doing can be fixed… For now, just get the words out. Get the story down however you can get it down, then fix it.”
Neil Gaiman
Once you’ve written your first draft, it will need editing to develop the plot, enhance the characters, and improve each scene in a myriad of ways – small and large. These seven creative editing exercises are designed to help with this stage of the process.
The First Sentence
Read the first paragraph of the novel, in particular the first sentence. Does it launch the reader straight into the action? According to On Writing and Worldbuilding by Timothy Hickson, “The most persuasive opening lines are succinct, and not superfluous. To do this, it is often effective to limit it to a single central idea… This does not need to be the most important element, but it should be a central element that is interesting.” Ask yourself what element your opening sentence encapsulates and whether it’s the best one to capture your readers’ attention.
Consistency
Consistency is crucial in creative writing, whether it’s in relation to location, objects, or people.
It’s also crucial for personality, emotions and motivation.
Look at scenes where your protagonist makes an important decision. Are their motivations clear? Do any scenes force them to choose between two conflicting morals? If so, do you explore this? Do their emotions fit with what’s happened in previous scenes?
As you edit your manuscript, keep the characters’ personality, emotions and motivation in mind. If their behaviour is inconsistent, either edit it for consistency, or have someone comment on their strange behaviour or be surprised by it. Inconsistent behaviour can reveal that a character is keeping a secret, or is under stress, so characters don’t always need to be consistent. But when they’re not, there has to be a reason.
Show Don’t Tell One
This exercise is the first in The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass. It’s a writing guide with a plethora of editing exercises designed to help you reenergize your writing by thinking of what your character is feeling, and giving you the tools to make your reader feel something.
Select a moment in your story when your protagonist is moved, unsettled, or disturbed… Write down all the emotions inherent in this moment, both obvious and hidden.
Next, considering what he is feeling, write down how your protagonist can act out. What is the biggest thing your protagonist can do? What would be explosive, out of bounds, or offensive? What would be symbolic? … Go sideways, underneath, or ahead. How can your protagonist show us a feeling we don’t expect to see?
Finally, go back and delete all the emotions you wrote down at the beginning of this exercise. Let actions and spoken words do the work. Do they feel too big, dangerous, or over-the-top? Use them anyway. Others will tell you if you’ve gone too far, but more likely, you haven’t gone far enough.
Show Don’t Tell Two
Search for the following words in your book:
Whenever these words occur, ask yourself if you can demonstrate how your characters feel, rather than simply stating it. For each occasion, can you use physiological descriptors (a racing heart), actions (taking a step backwards) or dialogue to express what’s just happened instead? Will this enhance the scene and engage the reader more?
After The Action
Find a scene where your characters disagree – in particular a scene where your protagonist argues with friends or allies. What happens next?
It can be tempting to wrap up the action with a quick resolution. But what if a resentment lingers and mistrust builds? This creates a more interesting story arc and means a resolution can occur later, giving the character development a real dynamic.
Review how you resolve the action and see if you can stretch out the emotions for a more satisfying read.
Eliminating the Fluff
Ensure that the words used don’t detract from the enormity of the events your character is going through. Can you delete words like, “Quite”, “Little”, or “Rather”?
Of “Very” Florence King once wrote: “ 'Very' is the most useless word in the English language and can always come out. More than useless, it is treacherous because it invariably weakens what it is intended to strengthen .” Delete it, or replace the word after it with a stronger word, which makes “Very” redundant.
“That,” is another common word used in creative writing which can often be deleted. Read a sentence as is, then reread it as if you deleted, “That”. If the meaning is the same, delete it.
Chapter Endings
When talking about chapter endings, James Patterson said, “At the end, something has to propel you into the next chapter.”
Read how each of your chapters finish and ask yourself does it either:
End on a cliff hanger? (R.L. Stine likes to finish every chapter in this method).
End on a natural pause (for example, you’re changing point of view or location).
Review how you wrap up each of your chapters. Do you end at the best point in your story? Can you add anticipation to cliff hangers? Will you leave your readers wanting more?
How to run the writing exercises
The editing exercises are designed to be completed individually.
With the others, I've always run them as part of a creative writing group, where there's no teacher and we're all equal participants, therefore I keep any 'teaching' aspect to a minimum, preferring them to be prompts to generate ideas before everyone settles down to do the silent writing. We've recently gone online and if you run a group yourself, whether online or in person, you're welcome to use these exercises for free!
The times given are suggestions only and I normally get a feel for how everyone's doing when time's up and if it's obvious that everyone's still in the middle of a discussion, then I give them longer. Where one group's in the middle of a discussion, but everyone else has finished, I sometimes have a 'soft start' to the silent writing, and say, "We're about to start the hour and a half of silent writing now, but if you're in the middle of a discussion, feel free to finish it first".
This way everyone gets to complete the discussion, but no-one's waiting for ages. It's also important to emphasise that there's no wrong answers when being creative.
Still looking for more? Check out these creative writing prompts or our dedicated Sci-Fi and Fantasy creative writing prompts
If you've enjoyed these creative writing exercises, please share them on social media, or link to them from your blog.
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How to Practice Writing to Build Your Skills and Become a Pro
by Melissa Donovan | Feb 1, 2024 | Better Writing | 16 comments
Practice writing to become a true master of the craft.
If you want to play sports on an athletic team, you must attend practice. If you want to perform in a theater production, you must attend rehearsals. If you want to become an artist, you produce many paintings before you hang one in a gallery.
We broadly accept that to do anything at a professional level requires practice, and practice isn’t limited to professional pursuits—many people pour blood, sweat, and tears into mastering their hobbies, from knitting to playing video games.
At the same time, there are people who don’t believe the rules of practice apply to them—people who think they are naturally endowed with the skills or knowledge to write at a professional level without any training, study, or practice, as well as people who feel entitled to success regardless of their effort, merit, or talent.
But even if we are talented at writing, we will need years of practice to reach a professional level of skill.
By now, most of you have heard of the 10,000-hour rule, which was made famous in the book Outliers . The rule states that in order to become an expert at something, you need to put in 10,000 hours of practice.
In other words, a master writer has already spent 10,000 hours writing.
Working at it for 40 hours per week, it would take 250 weeks (or almost five years) to become an expert. If you can only spend half that time, or 20 hours per week, on your craft, it would take ten years to master. For people with busy lives and responsibilities (like full-time jobs and families to care for), it could take a couple of decades to master the craft of writing.
And why shouldn’t it? After all, an expert is someone who has put in the time to become proficient. And while some writers are born with talent, which gives them an advantage (maybe they only need 8,000 hours of practice), even the most talented among us must practice writing in order to become true wizards of word craft.
I tend to view the 10,000-hour rule as a guideline—not meant to be taken literally. It serves to illustrate the need for practice and the value of putting in the time to move yourself from amateur to expert.
And there’s nothing wrong with being an amateur. We all start somewhere. But do you want to remain an amateur? There are readers out there who will buy, read, and even enjoy written works that are unpolished, terribly flawed, and peppered with typos and bad grammar.
But professional writing reaches for higher standards. That’s not to say it has to be fancy or academic or elite. But it should be clear and concise. It should make sense. It should be compelling. It should be the result of adequate amounts of writing practice — the practice you put in to sharpen your skills.
And while perfection is an impossible dream, we can certainly do our best to make our writing as close to perfect as we can, each in our own time and in the way that best suits us.
What Does it Mean to Practice Writing?
But many people come out of high school—and even college—unable to write at a business or professional level. That’s fine for folks who don’t want to pursue writing as a trade, but the rest of us need to step up our writing game.
So we must practice our craft.
To practice something is to do it repeatedly in order to maintain or improve one’s abilities. In this context, practice is a verb—something we do, an action we take.
It’s not to be confused with one’s writing practice (noun), which indicates our routine or regimen with regard to writing.
I might practice writing by doing daily writing exercises that are designed to boost my skills and hone my techniques. That’s quite different from a regular writing practice, or regimen, whereupon I spend twenty minutes freewriting to warm up and then work on my manuscript for an hour.
Practice (verb) is essential to a writer’s development. It is the act of creating written material that is neither designed nor fit for public consumption. It is work that we perform in order to eventually become good, perhaps great, and to eventually succeed at writing.
How to Practice Writing
The important thing is that you practice.
Practice and study go hand in hand, so be sure to pick up books on the craft or take classes and workshops. There are many ways to learn, and practicing without acquiring new knowledge won’t be of much use.
Here are some steps to help you prepare to practice writing:
Identify your goals. Why do you want to get better at writing? Do you want to be a more effective communicator? Do you want to launch a blog? Write a book? Become a professional author?
What do you need to learn in order to reach your goals? Which skills do you need to develop? Make a list of things you need to work on. For example, maybe you need to expand your vocabulary, or perhaps you need to study story structure.
Find lessons and exercises that will help you develop the skills you need. There are countless books, blogs, and websites that are packed with writing lessons and exercises. You can even pick up textbooks if you want a more structured or academic approach. Challenge yourself. Look for lessons and exercises that require real effort.
Get a notebook or create a folder or document on your computer that is exclusively designated for practice and skill development.
Add writing practice to your schedule. You might practice every day or a few times a week. You might need to practice indefinitely, or you might be building skills for a specific project and only need to practice for a few weeks or months.
Prioritize accordingly. We all have various duties and responsibilities. If you’re practicing so you can write a novel someday, in your spare time, it might not be a top priority. If you intend to become a professional writer, you probably want to practice now rather than later.
Line up some help. Practicing in isolation is better than nothing, and you don’t have to show everything you write to other people. But at various points during your development, it’s crucial to get feedback. You can take classes or workshops (online or off), find a mentor, hire a writing coach , join a writer’s group, or partner with a fellow writer. Make sure you get feedback from people who are qualified — for example, your peers can give you feedback on the content of your writing, but you should also be working with someone who has more experience or knowledge than you.
Some Resources to Help You Practice Writing
Here are some tools and resources to help you practice writing in order to build your writing skills:
Book Recommendations
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
The Elements of Style
10 Core Practices for Better Writing
Writing Down the Bones
Stephen King’s On Writing
The Characteristics of Good Writing
Talent Isn’t Everything
Why You Should Study Writing
Daily Writing Leads to Better Writing
How to Improve Your Writing
100 Common-Sense Ways to Write Better
Writing Skills You Should Develop
Getting Help
Whose Writing Advice Should You Follow?
Critiques Make Your Writing Better
How to Get the Right Writing Help
Tips for Practicing Writing
As you practice writing, you’ll inevitably encounter various hurdles and questions. Here are some tips to make the process smoother:
Prepare to be challenged , because it won’t be easy. Writing can be fun, exciting, and rewarding, but it’s also hard work, and learning can be frustrating, especially when you want to be in the field, producing publishable works. Keep your goals in mind so you don’t forget what you’re working toward and why you’re working toward it.
Acknowledge your current skill level. Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate writer, it helps to understand and accept your abilities and how much practice lies ahead for you. It’s okay to be a beginner. It’s okay to be learning and growing. We all start somewhere.
Be willing to practice for the sake of practice. Practice with intent and acceptance. For example, when you write your first book, do so with the understanding that it might not be suitable for publication. In fact, it’s not likely to be suitable for publication.
Maintain your strengths while strengthening your weaknesses. More importantly, acknowledge and celebrate your strengths. Over time, you’ll expand your strengths and you’ll have more to celebrate.
Read books on the craft , and then put the knowledge you’ve gained into action by doing the work—in other words, do the writing. Practice it.
Take your time ; don’t rush. When you’re writing strictly for practice, it’s tempting to hurry because it feels like work and you want to be done with it. But you will get more out of your writing practice if you slow down and focus on what you’re doing.
Always polish your work! It’s easy to finish a writing exercise and be done with it after the first draft. After all, it’s just an exercise, right? Wrong! Revision is an important step in your practice. Don’t skip it. Pay attention to the details, refine your work, and give your writing the attention it deserves.
Try new things. I can’t recommend this strongly enough. Most of us have a favorite form or genre — we want to write poetry or science fiction. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when you never step outside your comfort zone. But doing so will broaden your skills and result in fresh writing that isn’t weighed down with tropes, formulas, and stereotypes.
Even people who are laden with talent or born prodigies must practice in order to become truly proficient at the craft of writing. Practicing doesn’t mean you’re trying to become an elitist or a snob. It simply means you want to reach a point where you can produce quality work, writing that is worth reading. If you put in the hours and the effort, you’ll feel good about sharing and publishing your writing.
Well, you know the saying: practice makes perfect. So what are you waiting for? Go practice writing!
How often do you practice writing? Do you have any tips or suggestions to share with other writers who need to practice writing? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing.
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16 Comments
Excellent tips. Thanks for today’s inspiration.
Thanks, Linda!
I totally agree that to be good in the craft of writing, a writer must make writing a regular habit. Practice makes perfect. There is no question on that. For me, I find the early mornings to be my best time for writing. I feel so peaceful and relaxed during this time of the day. Waking up earlier was really a struggle for me at first but when my body and mind got used to it, it became natural for me :))
I have always wished that I was a morning writer, but my creativity reaches its peak late at night. I definitely agree that daily writing is essential. We don’t necessarily have to write the same thing every day (or work on the same project) but to spend some time writing each day makes a huge difference.
I’m usualy a silent reader here. Still figuring out what exactly I want to write… I was wondering where do you write, I mean what nedium do you use, computer, typewriter, paper, iPad ? I love writing with a pen but again on any electronic medium I don’t have to worry about my pathetic spelling mistakes. 🙂
It depends what I’m writing. I usually brainstorm, do freewrites, and write poetry in a paper notebook. I do my blog posts and copywriting on the computer. I don’t use a typewriter, iPad, or smart phone for writing. However, I don’t have an iPad, so I’m not sure how comfortable it would be for me. I will make notes on my phone if I get an idea that I want to remember. With regard to spelling mistakes, I would say that if you’re more comfortable using pen and paper, you can worry about the spelling mistakes when you transfer your work to the computer, which is something you’ll have to do in order to submit or publish it. Great question, Faaiza!
Fantastic tips and I’m so glad I found this blog (site) today. I’m going to explore more of your articles. Thank you, I’m inspired again to write every day – practice every day and do some of your suggested writing prompts. Kind regards Ilse
That’s awesome! The world is full of inspiration 🙂 I wish you the best of luck with your writing.
I love when people refrence the works of Malcom Gladwell.
He has certainly put forth some popular ideas!
Good post on carving out time. Btw the 10,000 hour rule only applies in limited circumstances and is largely debunked. You can reach 80% proficiency in much shorter time.
The key is intentional practice. Deciding what you need to learn and creating learning sessions to practice specific skills.
Hi Joseph. Yes, I have always figured the 10,000-hour rule is a general guideline, which is why it’s described that way in this post. Obviously, it varies, depending on what one is working to master and one’s natural talents in that area.
Excellent guide. Thanks a lot for this.
You’re welcome. Thanks for commenting, Mathias.
Thank you for providing such great advice.
You’re welcome!
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Creative Writing Tips for Beginners: 10 Top Tips
By Hannah Yang
Creative writing can be a very fulfilling hobby.
Writing can help you explore deep questions, use your imagination, and express your thoughts and feelings in a healthy way.
If you want to learn creative writing, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn our top ten creative writing tips to help you get started.
How to Write Creatively
10 creative writing tips for beginners, how to get better at creative writing, where to find creative writing help.
Anyone can learn creative writing—all you need is a pen and paper, or your writing software of choice.
Once you’ve got your tools ready, it’s time to think of a story idea. You can draw inspiration from your own life, newspaper headlines, songs you like, or anything else around you.
If you don’t have any story ideas in mind, you can also try starting with a prompt. Here are a few creative writing prompts you can choose from:
Write about someone with a dangerous secret
Write a scene set at your favorite restaurant
Write a story about someone who wakes up with no memories, except for a single name
Write a story from the perspective of someone who isn’t human
Complete the sentence: “It was a completely normal Saturday except for…”
Pick up your pen, choose your favorite prompt, and start writing!
If you’re new to creative writing, here are ten fiction writing tips that you can try.
Tip 1: Read Widely
It’s hard to become a great musician without having heard a lot of great music.
The same is true for writing. Reading a lot of books is a great way to get inspired and to learn more about the anatomy of a story.
It’s important to read in whatever genre you want so you can understand the conventions of that genre. If you’re writing a fantasy story, for example, you should familiarize yourself with popular fantasy novels and short stories so you know what readers expect.
On the other hand, it’s just as important to read a diverse variety of books. Exposing yourself to lots of genres and authors can help you learn about different writing styles and techniques.
Tip 2: Experiment With Different Formats and Points of View
Creative writing can involve countless different formats. You can write a story that looks like a diary entry, a song, or a Charles Dickens novel.
Maybe you want to write a story in the form of a series of instructions to the reader, like a cooking recipe or a how-to manual.
Or maybe you want to write a story in the form of a confession from one character to another, in a mix of first-person and second-person POV.
Try out different styles, even ones that don’t feel like your usual writing style. Doing this experimentation early on in your creative writing journey can help you find your own voice and figure out what works best for you.
Tip 3: Take Inspiration From Many Sources
No story is written in a vacuum. Every artist takes inspiration from other works of art, and you shouldn’t feel bad about writing a story that’s inspired by your favorite book or movie.
At the same time, though, it’s important not to write a story that actually plagiarizes an existing one. Directly copying the work of other creative writers is both unethical and illegal. Plus, it’s much less fun than writing your own stories.
A good rule of thumb if you’re looking for ideas is to take inspiration from many sources rather than a single one.
For example, maybe you like the sarcastic humor of one book, the sweet romance arc of another book, and the Gothic setting of your favorite TV show. When you merge those three things together, you’ll most likely create a story that feels unique and original, even though you took inspiration from existing stories.
Tip 4: Show, Don’t Tell
The phrase “Show, don’t tell” is a popular piece of writing advice that almost every writer has heard before.
Essentially, “show, don’t tell” means that you should immerse the reader in your story through sensory details and descriptive language instead of simply summarizing the story to them.
For example, you could tell someone, “My sister’s room is messy.” That sentence conveys the facts, but the person you’re talking to probably wouldn’t be able to picture your sister’s room in their head.
On the other hand, you could say, “My sister basically uses the floor of her room as a giant laundry hamper—it’s covered with so many sweaters and scarves that I don’t even remember what color her carpet is.” This sentence gives your listener a much more specific idea of what your sister’s room looks like.
Tip 5: Write With Intention
Many newer writers put down words on the page based on what comes to mind first.
For example, let’s say you’re trying to describe a character. A new writer might note down whatever details they visualize right away, like the color of the character’s hair or the type of clothes they’re wearing.
This is a great way to write when you’re just starting out, but if you want to improve your skills, it’s important to learn how to write with intention.
Try to get in the habit of asking yourself: What details does the reader need to know and why? For example, what aspects of this character’s hair color and outfit could tell the reader something deeper about the character’s personality and motivations?
It’s also important to figure out what you want to convey emotionally. What do you want your reader to feel? Excited? Creeped out? Hopeful?
For example, you might describe a sunset as “blood-red” if you want the reader to feel creeped out, or as “glowing and bright” if you want the reader to feel hopeful.
Tip 6: Learn How to Edit
No first draft is perfect, even if you’re a seasoned writer.
Learning how to edit your work is just as important as learning how to write on a blank page. That’s how you can create a creative work you feel proud of.
One helpful tip is to try reading your work out loud. That can often help you spot places where your prose doesn’t flow.
AI-powered grammar checkers like ProWritingAid can also help you identify weaknesses in your prose and learn how to strengthen them. You can catch your grammatical mistakes, avoid unnecessary repetition, choose more evocative words, and more with our powerful tool.
Tip 7: Practice Overcoming Writer’s Block
At some point in their writing journey, every writer has reached a point where writing doesn’t feel fun anymore.
There are lots of different causes for writer’s block. You might be unsure what to write, afraid of failing, or simply burned out from writing too much.
It’s important to find ways to overcome creative blocks, so you don’t end up putting down your pen for good.
One useful technique is to change your environment. If you normally write at home, try writing in a coffee shop or in your local library.
Another technique is to try a different activity for a while. Go for a walk, take a shower, do your dishes, or try another hobby. Before long, you’ll find yourself wanting to write again.
Perhaps the most underrated method is to simply take a break from writing. Give yourself permission to stop for a while—it’s always okay to take a step back.
Tip 8: Study Writing Craft
Many new writers falsely believe that writing can’t be taught; you’re either good at it or you’re not.
But the truth is that creative writing is a craft, just like woodworking, oil painting, or ballet. You wouldn’t expect anyone to be naturally good at ballet without years of training, so why is writing any different?
One way to learn new creative writing techniques is by reading craft books . Some great books to start with include On Writing by Stephen King, Story Genius by Lisa Cron, and The Creative Writer’s Handbook by Philip K. Jason.
These books can help you learn the basics of how to write well. For example, you can learn how to construct high-quality sentences, how to avoid passive voice, and how to use poetic devices.
The more you learn, the more powerful your writing will become.
Tip 9: Invent Your Own Process
When you’re just starting out as a writer, it can be tempting to copy someone else’s writing process.
Maybe you heard an interview with a bestselling author who said you have to outline a story before you draft it. Or maybe you found out your favorite author writes 1,000 words every day, and now you think you have to write 1,000 words every day too.
But it’s important to remember that no two writers have the exact same writing process. What works best for someone else might not work for you.
There’s no right or wrong way to be a creative writer. Your job is to find a writing process that makes you feel fulfilled, productive, and inspired—and if your favorite writers don’t write the same way, that’s perfectly okay.
Tip 10: Don’t Aim for Perfection
There’s a good chance your writing is never going to be perfect. Mine definitely isn’t!
Remember that writing is about the process, not the product. Even if the final product is never perfect, the process has helped you grow as a writer—and hopefully, it’s also been a lot of fun.
You should decide what your main goal for writing is. Maybe it’s writing stories you might be able to publish someday. Maybe it’s telling stories about characters you rarely see in existing stories. Maybe it’s simply a fun new hobby.
Whatever your goal is, remember that you’re already on your way to achieving it. You don’t need to aim for perfection in order to succeed.
There’s no secret to getting better at creative writing. The process is very simple—it just takes a lot of hard work.
All you have to do is follow this two-step process:
Step 1: Write consistently
Step 2: Ask for feedback on your writing
The first step is fairly self-explanatory. Whenever you’re learning a new skill, it’s important to practice it. The more you write, the more you’ll learn about how to be a successful creative writer.
The second step is the one that receives more pushback from writers because it requires a lot of courage and vulnerability, but it’s just as important as the first step.
If you don’t get feedback, you could write every day and still never improve. That’s because most people can’t spot the weaknesses in their own stories.
You can ask for feedback from your friends, family, or writing groups. They can help you see your work from a different perspective and identify areas for improvement.
As long as you write consistently and listen to the feedback on the work you’re producing, you’ll be able to create a positive cycle where you create better and better stories over time.
If you want to improve your creative writing skills, there are numerous resources you can use to find help.
One great method is to join a writing community where you can share your work and get feedback from other writers.
You can look for free critique groups online, on websites such as Scribophile and Critique Circle. Or you can start your own group with your friends.
You can also consider joining a local writing class or retreat. Many schools and community centers offer classes and workshops you can join.
Another option is to use creative writing tools. ProWritingAid can give you AI-powered suggestions about how to improve your prose and make your writing shine.
Good luck, and happy writing!
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Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.
Hannah Yang
Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.
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How to Improve Creative Writing
Last Updated: April 26, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Melessa Sargent and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden . Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 36,836 times.
Creative writing is an outlet to express your imagination by putting it onto paper. Many people enjoy creative writing, but some struggle with it because of how unstructured it can feel. If you have been writing creatively and you’d like to improve your skills, try learning grammar rules and receiving feedback on your work to strengthen your creative writing and boost your confidence.
Creating Polished Work
Using correct grammar and punctuation will also make your writing seem more polished.
For example, instead of saying, “He quickly and quietly ate his food,” try saying, “He gulped down his meal.” This sentence is more interesting, and gives the same effect to the reader.
Tip: Take a break from writing and come back to your piece after a few hours or even days. Mistakes will be easier to spot after you’ve taken a break.
Revising is similar to proofreading, except you are looking for ways to improve your piece, not just correcting mistakes.
Don’t be offended if someone doesn’t like your piece, or has a lot of feedback to give. You can choose whether or not to implement a change that someone else suggests.
Finding Time and Ideas
Tip: If you think you might forget to write, set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself.
Get a library card so that you can check out books for free instead of buying them every time.
For example, you might start with a prompt like, “Imagine what it would be like to be a plant,” or "Write about a day in the life of Barack Obama.”
You can also use people-watching to practice writing down descriptions of behavior and clothing.
For instance, try writing a fairytale from another character’s perspective, or setting it in today’s era.
Deadlines that you set for yourself can seem easy to brush off, but you will be disappointed in yourself if you don’t meet them.
Make sure your deadlines are realistic. Don’t plan on finishing an entire book by next week if you’re only halfway through.
Writing exercises you can do in 10 minutes or less
Writing is an art. Getting better at it requires lots and lots of practice.
Writing is a skill set anyone can improve with a bit of dedication, direction, and practice. The trick is figuring out what actions will truly help you become a better writer and which are simply a waste of time.
One of the best strategies great writers use for improvement are writing exercises — guided written activities that develop specific writing-related skills. The key is to choose daily writing exercises that align with your goals.
Writing skills
Writing is a skill made up of several smaller skills. A few that apply to both nonfiction and fiction writers are:
Punctuation
Conciseness
Organization
Idea generation
The best writing exercises focus on helping you improve one or two specific elements at a time. It’s similar to how athletes go to the gym to train certain muscle groups. Impressive performance is the result of targeted practice.
You become great at the big thing (e.g., writing) by becoming gradually better at the small things (e.g., grammar, style, speed, etc.).
We learn how to write well by writing consistently.
Below, you’ll find a list of 8 activities you can try, along with clear directions on how to start them, and short explanations of how each one will help you grow as a writer.
Let’s jump right in.
#1 Transcribe another author’s work
The desire to become a great writer often comes as the result of reading a great piece of writing. It could be a book, letter, speech, or an article.
Two questions generally come to mind for the aspiring writer: How did they do that? and How can I learn to do that too?
One of the best ways to learn from an expert writer is to transcribe their work. There are two ways to approach this exercise.
Directions:
Get a copy of the material you want to learn from (e.g., book, article, etc.).
Choose a section of the material, like a single chapter or a few paragraphs, to focus on.
Option 1: On a physical notebook or sheet of paper, rewrite the text word-for-word.
Option 2: On a computer, use a tool like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Notion to type their content word-for-word.
This practice of transcribing their work will give you a hands-on experience of what their writing feels like. You’ll get an intimate sense of their style, word choice, and organization.
The more you engage in this practice, the more you'll adopt parts of their style as your own. But don't worry about losing your own voice in the process. This exercise will highlight both the good and bad in other writers' styles so that you can pick and choose the elements that make sense for you.
#2 Funnel real reactions into writing
The most difficult part of writing is having something to say. Many writers sit at their stations only to wind up staring at a blank page.
That’s because they haven’t yet understood that creativity is an input-output mechanism. If your input is empty from a lack of reading, conversations, and new experiences – then you’re output will suffer.
However, one way to jumpstart your creative output is by inciting a reaction.
Find a news story, trending video, or hit song that stirs up a positive or negative emotion in you.
Set a timer for 10-20 minutes.
On a piece of paper or computer, begin reacting to the item. Try to write without any breaks until the timer goes off.
When writing out your ideas, feelings, and arguments, remember they don’t need to create a cohesive narrative. The goal is simply to reopen your mind and get the creative words flowing once again.
What you’ll often find is that your reaction writing will generate unrelated ideas you can use for future projects, and you'll leave the exercise feeling unblocked and ready to work on what's next.
#3 Describe an in-person setting
Whether you write nonfiction or fiction, being able to accurately depict people, places, and things will come in handy.
Similar exercises will encourage you to create your own settings and describe what you imagine in your mind’s eye. While this can be helpful to a small degree, it won’t help you capture the true details that bring items to life for readers. To do that, you’ll need in-person exposure.
Visit a local coffee shop, museum, or similar location with lots of activity.
Spend a few minutes observing your surroundings. No need to look for anything specific, just see what you end up noticing.
Next, spend a few minutes writing down the most memorable elements in a bulleted note style. Aim to capture at least a few features for each sense: what do you smell, hear, see, feel, and taste?
Later that day, write a paragraph describing the setting using the notes you took earlier.
The goal of this exercise is for the paragraph you write to transport you back to that place. A successful description is rarely an exhaustive one. Instead, it picks and chooses the most important parts that a reader needs to know.
For extra practice, show your paragraphs to your friends and family and ask for their reactions. Did it make them feel like they were there? If not, what could be improved?
#4 Try vocabulary builder prompts
There’s a good way and a bad way to use unfamiliar words in your writing.
The not-so-great method is to string together several large, scholarly words in order to impress your readers. Generally, this only serves to confuse them. A better way is to build your vocabulary so that you can occasionally sprinkle in interesting words that more accurately describe the ideas you’re writing about.
Moderation is key. This method keeps your writing accessible while also giving readers something to discover along the way. So, how do you build a useful vocabulary?
Subscribe to a free service like Merriam-Webster’s word of the day or pick up a book like this vocabulary builder .
Discover a new word each day.
Spend a few minutes writing 3-5 practice sentences that include the word. If possible, try to include the word in another piece of writing you do later in the day.
Realistically, you're not going to remember 100% of the words you learn. Instead, the intention is to build your familiarity with uncommon words so that as you develop your writing and editing skills, you’ll become more comfortable reaching for these terms.
#5 Develop a freewriting habit
A lot of thought goes into most writing. There's research, planning, outlining, drafting, and editing. All of these are necessary. But, pushing all of these to the side, at least temporarily, can lead to surprising results.
There's a practice called stream of consciousness writing (aka freewriting), which tasks creators with the challenge of brain dumping their way into a piece of work. A common form of this practice is morning pages, an activity in which a writer fills up three pages as soon as they wake up in the morning, essentially clearing their mind of any mental clutter, so they're free to work on what matters most.
First, here are the steps to follow for a flexible freewriting exercise.
Open a notebook or locate paper and a writing utensil; this exercise works best when done by hand, rather than digitally.
Set one of two goals: either to fill up the entire page with words or to write until an alarm sounds (suggested time: 5-10 minutes).
Begin quickly writing down any words, ideas, and sentences that come to mind. They do not need to be connected or coherent. The goal is to fill the page with whatever comes out.
Second, here is a video that walks you through the more specific practice of morning pages.
Engaging in freewriting is an excellent way to empty your mind to focus on the task at hand while simultaneously improving your speed at getting ideas out of your head and onto the page.
#6 Brainstorm multiple headlines
Just like writing is a skill made up of many smaller skills, any single piece of writing includes a collection of individual parts.
There are introductions, transitions, and conclusions. Different types of sentences aim to accomplish different objectives. Throughout any article, book, or other writing pieces, small changes can drastically change the tone, voice, and purpose.
One way to practice influencing these individual parts is by brainstorming multiple headlines. These can either be for pieces you have already written, plan to write, or for titles you’ve found online.
Start with a complete title, whether it's one you created or found.
Experiment with it by changing the words and organization until you have 20-30 different versions. The greater the differences, the more beneficial the exercise will be.
Review your iterations and look for patterns that you can implement in other parts of your writing.
Headlines are a great tool to work with because they are standalone bits of content that can significantly impact meaning. As you improve at creating a variety of headlines quickly, you'll be able to apply the same skills to other parts of your writing, such as testing multiple introductions or conclusions.
#7 Edit other people’s writing
Finally, one of the most widely practiced and helpful writing exercises is to edit the writing of others.
Editing is a slightly different skill set than writing and requires creators to approach content with a more analytical lens. Instead of getting an article or chapter finished, the purpose is to make the writing better . Better could mean clearer, more concise, or more complete.
In some cases, good editing adds content. In others, it removes. It all depends on the particular project, paragraph, and sentence at hand, which is why it's a skill set every writer would benefit from refining.
Find an unfinished piece of writing to edit. Online writers groups (like Foster.co ) and local meetups are a great way to do this.
Start by reading the entire piece to understand what it was trying to accomplish.
Next, add notes that would help the writer reach their goal. It's important not to only suggest how you would do it, but to try and put yourself in the other writer's shoes.
Afterward, go through the piece again, looking for smaller areas to improve, such as grammatical mistakes and punctuation errors.
Always positively word your comments. Writing is difficult, and a little kindness goes a long way.
Although you don’t want to edit while you write, because it will slow you down, developing the skill will unconsciously help you construct cleaner first drafts. Furthermore, you’ll get a better sense of how an editor works so that you can work well together and apply their notes more effectively.
The best exercise
Above all else, the best writing exercise is to create consistently .
As long you carve out time regularly to write, you’ll see your skills improve over time. Targeted exercises can help accelerate your growth, but they should never fully replace doing the work that matters most ( like writing your book or publishing your newsletter ).
The world is waiting for your words, so go get started.
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Cultivate A Creative Writing Practice- September Goals
Creative writing pic by amritha jayasankar fall is here.
Are you caught up in that back-to-school feeling and thinking about starting fresh or renewing your creative writing goals? Read on for goal setting tips, a fun exercise, and some writing prompts!
In the previous pos t, we talked about strategies to cultivate your writing practice and taking small steps to write more. Here is a little journal exercise to visualize your writing practice: As a writer, what would a "perfect" day look like for you?
Ideal Writing Day
Write 1-3 pages describing what an ideal day of writing would entail. Be as detailed as you want to be. When and where would you write that day? In the morning, afternoon, or evening? Would you have a dedicated space to write? Would you go outside? What are the tools you would use (pen and paper, laptop, a typewriter if you're feeling fancy?) Daydream away!
Minimum Writing Day
Next, think about what a day with the tiniest bit of writing would look like. This scenario is what you would do when you have absolutely no time or energy for writing, but you still want to include some writing in your day. What does this look like? Write for three minutes? Jot down an idea you have or a character you're thinking bout?
Is the goal a number of words, or an amount of time you'll spend writing? Where would you fit it in? Would it be after you wake up, when you have a break at work, when you're waiting in line, or whenever you find yourself with a free five minutes? This minimum list can set a daily goal for you and it helps you define the "when, where, and how much" you'll write. The "what" is up to you!
Breaking Down a Big Goal
Another example of breaking something big down to suit our individual needs is National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is coming up in November, and the premise is to write 50,000 words in one month, which translates into 1667 words per day (averaging 2-3 hours of writing per day). That can be intense if we don't have a lot of time or energy in our daily life. But if you want to write consistently, it's important to remind yourself and act as if you simply must get some writing done. We can adjust that goal to something that will work with our lives and schedules: how about 50-100 words per day? By seeing ourselves through a challenge like this, we'll build up confidence and a positive feedback loop to keep our new habit going.
Prompts to try:
Write about someone experiencing the leaves changing color for the first time ever.
If your culture has a special way of welcoming autumn or celebrating autumn equinox, write a short story about that day: what happens, and what the daily activities are.
Practice describing setting (ex: an empty dining room decorated for Halloween).
Describe the home of a villain in your story.
Write a short story about a found object.
Enter the Fall Into Fiction 2024 Contest !
If you're interested in sharing your short story or poems, or participate in the Fall Into Fiction Short Story Contest submit your finished work to Short Edition!
For your short story to be reviewed and published to be printed in the Short Edition Dispensers throughout the SJPL branches, submit your short story here.
Get Inspired
Happy writing! Here are some writing books for inspiration and advice.
More by SJWrites
Fall Into Fiction 2024: First Writing Prompt
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Adults, ages 18+ - Seniors, ages 65+
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Pre-Teens, ages 10-12
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Cultivate a Creative Writing Practice: Start Where You Are
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Writing Deadline Calculator
Wondering how much you will need to write each week to hit your deadline this book writing deadline calculator will help you create a book writing schedule that works . .
Enter your deadline (or how many until your deadline) and the estimated length of your book (not sure what your word count will be? Use our book word count guide here ), and you'll get a complete schedule to write with, including your daily and weekly word count goals.
You can even export your schedule to csv, ical, or a printable PDF!
Not sure what to enter? Here are some suggestions:
Word count: The average word count of an adult novel is 90,000 words, but this is very subjective and dependent on your project and genre.
Deadline date: Shoot for something a little shorter than comfortable so you can stay focused. 100 days is a great number!
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6 Writing Exercises to Practice and Improve Your Writing Skills
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 30, 2021 • 3 min read
A good writer doesn’t become a great writer overnight. Improving your writing skills requires hard work and constant practice on a regular basis. Even the best writers perform various writing exercises to keep their abilities sharp and the creativity flowing.
Creative Writing
Two programs within the umbrella of the Department of English focus on particular aspects or genres of literary endeavor.
The purpose of the Creative Writing program is to give students a rigorous background in the fundamentals of creative work by providing them with the opportunity to study with established poets and prose writers. The program is committed to interdisciplinary work while also teaching the elements of creative writing that underlie all genres. Creative Writing sponsors events , workshops , and lectures and also schedules many undergraduate and graduate classes in writing. Visiting writers each quarter provide a dynamic component to the curriculum, with authors ranging from George Saunders to Susan Howe. English faculty member John Wilkinson is currently the Director of the Program in Creative Writing and the Program in Poetry & Poetics, and several English faculty members, including Rachel Cohen, Edgar Garcia, Srikanth Reddy, Jennifer Scappettone, and Vu Tran, regularly teach both creative and critical classes.
Creative Writing Website
Upcoming Creative Writing Events
Minor in English and Creative Writing
Undergraduate students who are not majoring in English may enter a minor program in English and Creative Writing. These students should declare their intention to enter the minor program by the end of Spring Quarter of their third year. Students choose courses in consultation with the Program Manager in Creative Writing and must submit a minor program consent form to their College Adviser in order to declare the minor. Students completing this minor must follow all relevant admission procedures described in the Creative Writing website. Courses in the minor may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors and may not be counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality letter grades, and all of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.
Requirements for the minor program:
2 Creative Writing courses (at least one at the Special Topics or advanced level)
3 Creative Writing or English electives
1 portfolio/projects workshop (or advanced workshop depending on genre) to be taken in the Winter Quarter of the students' fourth year
A portfolio of the student's work to be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies by the end of the fifth week in the quarter in which the student plans to graduate. The portfolio might consist of a selection of poems, one or two short stories or chapters from a novel, a substantial part or the whole of a play, two or three non-fiction pieces, and so forth.
There is no minor solely in English. The Minor in English and Creative Writing for Non-English Majors is the only minor available through the Department of English.
Poetry and Poetics
This program aims to coordinate the University's various curricular approaches to the creative and critical practice of poetics. The Program supports the History and Forms of Lyric series, an ongoing series of lectures by prominent scholars, and a graduate workshop that focuses on work in progressfrom students, faculty, and visitors. The discussions enabled by the Program are intended to help students at all levels to pursue work that crosses disciplines and discourses. The Program also supports collaboration among faculty members in the form, forexample, of team-taught courses, conferences, and lectures. The Program is overseen by an ad-hoc committee of faculty from various departments, including the Department of English.
The Program in Poetry and Poetics
Affiliated Departments
The University of Chicago in general, and the Department of English in particular, are known for the interdisciplinary and theoretically driven work of their faculty and students. Many English faculty members have joint appointment in other programs at the University, including Comparative Literature, Cinema and Media Studies, Art History, Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS), and the Divinity School, among others. Interdisciplinary work is encouraged in the Department of English--both graduate and undergraduate students take classes in a variety of University departments and programs. Students in these programs, in turn, enliven English classes with their perspectives. Listed below are links to some of the departments with which the Department of English works closely.
What Is Writing Practice? Writing practice is a method of becoming a better writer that usually involves reading lessons about the writing process, using writing prompts, doing creative writing exercises, or finishing writing pieces, like essays, short stories, novels, or books. The best writing practice is deliberate, timed, and involves feedback.
8 Creative Writing Exercises to Strengthen Your Writing
Whether you're taking a break from a work in progress or are in between writing projects and need some inspiration, regular creative writing exercises help you strengthen your writing process. Incorporate these eight exercises into your writing routine. 1. Let your stream of consciousness run. Start with a blank page. Then just start writing.
24 of the Best Writing Exercises to Become a Better Writer
Among both exercises to improve writing skills and fun writing exercises for adults, writing metaphor lists is one of the best writing exercises out there. A metaphor list is simple. On a notebook, create two columns. In one column, write down only concrete nouns. Things like a pillow, a tree, a cat, a cloud, and anything that can be perceived ...
29 Easy, Fun, and Effective Writing Exercises
The purpose of creative writing exercises is to expand your imagination and to spark new ideas or thoughts, encouraging you to practice writing these before you start on your next project. Themed writing prompts can be helpful here, breaking down your prompts into different buckets like: Food. Animals. Landscapes.
11 Creative Writing Exercises That Will Improve Your Skills
5. Write a stream of consciousness page. This is an easy and fun exercise. You want to write it in longhand rather than typing on your computer, as handwriting slows down the process and allows more time for your creative brain to do its work. Grab a pen and blank pad and simply start writing.
Creative Writing: 8 Fun Ways to Get Started
2. Start journaling your days. Another easy way to get started with creative writing is to keep a journal. We're not talking about an hour-by-hour account of your day, but journaling as a way to express yourself without filters and find your 'voice in writing'. If you're unsure what to journal about, think of any daily experiences that ...
️ 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors
Eight. Pick a fiction book from your shelf. Go to page eight and find the eighth sentence on the page. Start with that sentence and write an eight-line poem that connects in some way to your work-in-progress. For instance, write from the POV of a character, or set the poem in a story setting. Don't worry about poetry forms.
14 Creative Writing Exercises to Improve Your Writing
This activity is a great creative writing exercise and a way to tap into your emotions. 4. Do a Point of View (POV) Switch. Take a segment from a favorite book. Rewrite that segment from a different character's point of view. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is written in third-person limited POV.
How to Boost Creativity and Improve Your Creative Writing
A creative writer strives to tell unique stories in a distinctive voice. Yet with all the fiction writing already out there in the world, it can be hard to feel that your work is legitimately creative compared to the competition. You could be a first-time writer completing in a high school creative writing course, a hobbyist working on your ...
The Ultimate Guide to Creative Writing
4 Forms of Creative Writing. While there are really no bounds to what creative writing can be, there are four main buckets it falls into. 1. Fiction. Fiction is work that describes imaginary events, places, or people. This can include novels, short stories, or even flash fiction. 2. Creative Nonfiction. Creative nonfiction is about telling true ...
105 Creative Writing Exercises: 10 Min Writing Exercises
Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again: Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment. Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour.
27 Creative Writing Exercises That'll Punch Up Your Writing
1. Copycat Your Writing Heroes. One of the best ways to develop a strong writing style is to copy your favorite writers by hand — as in, pen to paper. Pick a blogger or bestseller whose voice you admire and copy their content, word for word; every long emotional paragraph to every simple sentence.
50 Fantastic Creative Writing Exercises
For instance, bench pressing while reciting the emperors in a Chinese dynasty. 26. Write a paragraph where a character does a simple action, like turning on a light switch, and make the reader marvel at how strange and odd it truly is. 27. Have a couple fight while playing a board game.
The Only 10 Creative Writing Prompts You Need
See the prompt: Sleepless. 3. Out of Place. Write about a time you felt out of place, awkward, and uncomfortable. Try not to focus on your feelings, but project your feelings onto the things around you. See the prompt: Out of Place. 4. Longing. Write about longing.
43 Creative Writing Exercises & Games For Adults
A selection of fun creative writing exercises that can be completed solo, or with a group. Some are prompts to help inspire you to come up with story ideas, others focus on learning specific writing skills. Intro. I run a Creative Writing Meetup for adults and teens in Montpellier or online every week. We start with a 5 to 20 minute exercise ...
How to Practice Writing to Build Your Skills and Become a Pro
Add writing practice to your schedule. You might practice every day or a few times a week. You might need to practice indefinitely, or you might be building skills for a specific project and only need to practice for a few weeks or months. Prioritize accordingly. We all have various duties and responsibilities.
Creative Writing Tips for Beginners: 10 Top Tips
Here are a few creative writing prompts you can choose from: Write about someone with a dangerous secret. Write a scene set at your favorite restaurant. Write a story about someone who wakes up with no memories, except for a single name. Write a story from the perspective of someone who isn't human.
8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing
8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing. Outside the world of business writing and hard journalism lies an entire realm of creative writing. Whether you're brand-new to the craft, a nonfiction writer looking to experiment, or a casual creative writer wanting to turn into a published author, honing your creative writing skills is key ...
13 Creative Writing Exercises: Become a Better Writer
13 Creative Writing Exercises: Become a Better Writer. Are you looking to hone your writing craft? Try these thirteen creative writing exercises to practice and improve.
Easy Ways to Improve Creative Writing: 11 Steps (with Pictures)
Download Article. 1. Block off time to write every day. Your writing skills will improve with practice. Set aside 20 to 30 minutes (or longer, if you can) to write about anything you want to. Try keeping a journal and writing about your day, or use a notebook to sketch out character ideas and book plots.
10-minute workouts to improve your writing
There are two ways to approach this exercise. Directions: Get a copy of the material you want to learn from (e.g., book, article, etc.). Choose a section of the material, like a single chapter or a few paragraphs, to focus on. Option 1: On a physical notebook or sheet of paper, rewrite the text word-for-word.
Cultivate A Creative Writing Practice- September Goals
In the previous post, we talked about strategies to cultivate your writing practice and taking small steps to write more. Here is a little journal exercise to visualize your writing practice: As a writer, what would a "perfect" day look like for you? Ideal Writing Day Write 1-3 pages describing what an ideal day of writing would entail.
7 Approaches to Finding Confidence Again as a Writer
Writing morning pages is one of the easiest and best ways I know to do this. 4. Find writing lifelines. When you're in the midst of a creative recovery, look for and cling to writing lifelines to help you stay connected to the idea of writing, even if you're struggling to actually write. Journaling is one way, since it exists somewhat ...
Writing Deadline Calculator
Become a better creative writer with The Write Practice. Find the best lessons, get timed exercises, and then share your writing in our community to get feedback.
6 Writing Exercises to Practice and Improve Your Writing Skills
6 Writing Exercises to Practice and Improve Your Writing Skills. A good writer doesn't become a great writer overnight. Improving your writing skills requires hard work and constant practice on a regular basis. Even the best writers perform various writing exercises to keep their abilities sharp and the creativity flowing.
Creative Writing
2 Creative Writing courses (at least one at the Special Topics or advanced level) 3 Creative Writing or English electives; ... This program aims to coordinate the University's various curricular approaches to the creative and critical practice of poetics. The Program supports the History and Forms of Lyric series, an ongoing series of lectures ...
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What Is Writing Practice? Writing practice is a method of becoming a better writer that usually involves reading lessons about the writing process, using writing prompts, doing creative writing exercises, or finishing writing pieces, like essays, short stories, novels, or books. The best writing practice is deliberate, timed, and involves feedback.
Whether you're taking a break from a work in progress or are in between writing projects and need some inspiration, regular creative writing exercises help you strengthen your writing process. Incorporate these eight exercises into your writing routine. 1. Let your stream of consciousness run. Start with a blank page. Then just start writing.
Among both exercises to improve writing skills and fun writing exercises for adults, writing metaphor lists is one of the best writing exercises out there. A metaphor list is simple. On a notebook, create two columns. In one column, write down only concrete nouns. Things like a pillow, a tree, a cat, a cloud, and anything that can be perceived ...
The purpose of creative writing exercises is to expand your imagination and to spark new ideas or thoughts, encouraging you to practice writing these before you start on your next project. Themed writing prompts can be helpful here, breaking down your prompts into different buckets like: Food. Animals. Landscapes.
5. Write a stream of consciousness page. This is an easy and fun exercise. You want to write it in longhand rather than typing on your computer, as handwriting slows down the process and allows more time for your creative brain to do its work. Grab a pen and blank pad and simply start writing.
2. Start journaling your days. Another easy way to get started with creative writing is to keep a journal. We're not talking about an hour-by-hour account of your day, but journaling as a way to express yourself without filters and find your 'voice in writing'. If you're unsure what to journal about, think of any daily experiences that ...
Eight. Pick a fiction book from your shelf. Go to page eight and find the eighth sentence on the page. Start with that sentence and write an eight-line poem that connects in some way to your work-in-progress. For instance, write from the POV of a character, or set the poem in a story setting. Don't worry about poetry forms.
This activity is a great creative writing exercise and a way to tap into your emotions. 4. Do a Point of View (POV) Switch. Take a segment from a favorite book. Rewrite that segment from a different character's point of view. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is written in third-person limited POV.
A creative writer strives to tell unique stories in a distinctive voice. Yet with all the fiction writing already out there in the world, it can be hard to feel that your work is legitimately creative compared to the competition. You could be a first-time writer completing in a high school creative writing course, a hobbyist working on your ...
4 Forms of Creative Writing. While there are really no bounds to what creative writing can be, there are four main buckets it falls into. 1. Fiction. Fiction is work that describes imaginary events, places, or people. This can include novels, short stories, or even flash fiction. 2. Creative Nonfiction. Creative nonfiction is about telling true ...
Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again: Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment. Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour.
1. Copycat Your Writing Heroes. One of the best ways to develop a strong writing style is to copy your favorite writers by hand — as in, pen to paper. Pick a blogger or bestseller whose voice you admire and copy their content, word for word; every long emotional paragraph to every simple sentence.
For instance, bench pressing while reciting the emperors in a Chinese dynasty. 26. Write a paragraph where a character does a simple action, like turning on a light switch, and make the reader marvel at how strange and odd it truly is. 27. Have a couple fight while playing a board game.
See the prompt: Sleepless. 3. Out of Place. Write about a time you felt out of place, awkward, and uncomfortable. Try not to focus on your feelings, but project your feelings onto the things around you. See the prompt: Out of Place. 4. Longing. Write about longing.
A selection of fun creative writing exercises that can be completed solo, or with a group. Some are prompts to help inspire you to come up with story ideas, others focus on learning specific writing skills. Intro. I run a Creative Writing Meetup for adults and teens in Montpellier or online every week. We start with a 5 to 20 minute exercise ...
Add writing practice to your schedule. You might practice every day or a few times a week. You might need to practice indefinitely, or you might be building skills for a specific project and only need to practice for a few weeks or months. Prioritize accordingly. We all have various duties and responsibilities.
Here are a few creative writing prompts you can choose from: Write about someone with a dangerous secret. Write a scene set at your favorite restaurant. Write a story about someone who wakes up with no memories, except for a single name. Write a story from the perspective of someone who isn't human.
8 Tips for Getting Started With Creative Writing. Outside the world of business writing and hard journalism lies an entire realm of creative writing. Whether you're brand-new to the craft, a nonfiction writer looking to experiment, or a casual creative writer wanting to turn into a published author, honing your creative writing skills is key ...
13 Creative Writing Exercises: Become a Better Writer. Are you looking to hone your writing craft? Try these thirteen creative writing exercises to practice and improve.
Download Article. 1. Block off time to write every day. Your writing skills will improve with practice. Set aside 20 to 30 minutes (or longer, if you can) to write about anything you want to. Try keeping a journal and writing about your day, or use a notebook to sketch out character ideas and book plots.
There are two ways to approach this exercise. Directions: Get a copy of the material you want to learn from (e.g., book, article, etc.). Choose a section of the material, like a single chapter or a few paragraphs, to focus on. Option 1: On a physical notebook or sheet of paper, rewrite the text word-for-word.
In the previous post, we talked about strategies to cultivate your writing practice and taking small steps to write more. Here is a little journal exercise to visualize your writing practice: As a writer, what would a "perfect" day look like for you? Ideal Writing Day Write 1-3 pages describing what an ideal day of writing would entail.
Writing morning pages is one of the easiest and best ways I know to do this. 4. Find writing lifelines. When you're in the midst of a creative recovery, look for and cling to writing lifelines to help you stay connected to the idea of writing, even if you're struggling to actually write. Journaling is one way, since it exists somewhat ...
Become a better creative writer with The Write Practice. Find the best lessons, get timed exercises, and then share your writing in our community to get feedback.
6 Writing Exercises to Practice and Improve Your Writing Skills. A good writer doesn't become a great writer overnight. Improving your writing skills requires hard work and constant practice on a regular basis. Even the best writers perform various writing exercises to keep their abilities sharp and the creativity flowing.
2 Creative Writing courses (at least one at the Special Topics or advanced level) 3 Creative Writing or English electives; ... This program aims to coordinate the University's various curricular approaches to the creative and critical practice of poetics. The Program supports the History and Forms of Lyric series, an ongoing series of lectures ...