Poem Starters and Creative Writing Ideas Enter your e-mail to get the e-book for FREE. We'll also keep you informed about interesting website news. "I have searched the web and used different worksheets, but none have come close to your worksheets and descriptions of (what to do and what not to do). "As usual - I already love the course on Irresistible Fiction, rewriting a lot and improving greatly even after the first lesson. “Essentials of Fiction proved that I could indeed write and I wrote every day, much to my boyfriend's dismay (waa sniff).” - Jill Gardner "I am loving the course and the peer interaction on the blog is fantastic!!!" "I'm enjoying the weekly email course, Essentials of Poetry Writing. "Thank you for all the material in this course. "I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the lessons and feel they were very helpful in introducing new ideas and perspectives to my writing. "Thanks very much for this course. "I'm learning so much. "Thank you so much!! "The Irresistible Fiction course is going well.
Fifteen Writing Exercises Writing exercises are a great way to increase your writing skills and generate new ideas. They give you perspective and help you break free from old patterns and crutches. To grow as a writer, you need to sometimes write without the expectation of publication or worry about who will read your work. Pick ten people you know and write a one-sentence description for each of them. Record five minutes of a talk radio show. Write a 500-word biography of your life. Write your obituary. Write a 300-word description of your bedroom. Write an interview with yourself, an acquaintance, a famous figure or a fictional character. Read a news site, a newspaper or a supermarket tabloid. Write a diary or a blog of a fictional character. Rewrite a passage from a book, a favorite or a least favorite, in a different style such as noir, gothic romance, pulp fiction or horror story. Pick an author you like though not necessarily your favorite. Try to identify your earliest childhood memory.
25 Creative Writing Prompts | Creative Writing Prompts Posted by Melissa Donovan on October 21, 2014 · 25 creative writing prompts to inspire and motivate you. Don’t you just hate writer’s block? Some say it’s a disease that only creative workers succumb to. Some say it’s a curse. Others argue that it doesn’t exist at all. For me, the most bizarre thing about writer’s block is that it strikes randomly. Luckily, I have several books and other writing resources that are packed with writing exercises and creative writing prompts. Creative Writing Prompts Today I’d like to share a mash-up of creative writing prompts. Now It’s Your Turn If none of these creative writing prompts inspired you, don’t despair. Keep writing! About Melissa DonovanMelissa Donovan is a website designer and copywriter.
Writing Writing Even the best writers sometime need a little stimulation, if only for practice. Otherwise, writers may face the dismal monstrosity of writer's block. These generators are here to help when you need plot ideas, genre-bending concepts, and more. Story Inspiration Envisioner Combines legends, tales, and stories with new or unexpected elements. Humor and For Amusement Action Film Trailers We've all seen those action movie trailers that begin with "In a world of . . ." and then quickly describe what goes on. Music Song Challenges Creates a style and subject matter for a song - for a challenge to when you need a quick idea for a story or game. More Resources! English 50 Exercises for Story Writers English 50 – Intro to Creative Writing: Exercises for Story Writers Basic Theory: What is a short story? As soon as someone delivers a definition, some good writer will write a story that proves the theory wrong. About the only thing we can say for sure is that short stories are short and that they are written in what we call prose. Some attributes, however, seem to show up more often than not. Short stories have a narrator; that is, someone tells the story; have at least one character in them; have some action occur (or perhaps fails to occur); take place somewhere; that is, there is a setting for the action; and someone either learns something or fails to learn something (theme).With these five characteristics in mind, we can create an almost endless supply of exercises to help sharpen our techniques of story telling. Narrative Voice Twenty or so years ago, voice was the "rite of passage" into a successful writing career. If you've written a story in third person, try it in first.
How to Stay Inspired (for Writers and Artists): 12 steps (with pictures) Edited by AJ Knight, Krystle, Amanda, Brendan and 11 others Creative inspiration is magical when you have it and frustrating when you don't. For anyone who has had writer's block, who struggles with agent rejections, or who has thrown in the paintbrush, here are some fresh perspectives on what creativity really means. Art is a passion that has many forms of expression. Invite the Muse to not only visit but to stay a while! Ad Steps 1Go to writing or art critique groups. 12And the most important words to inspire you are: Just do it. Tips Re-think your eating habits.
The Worst Storyline Ever Contest Posted on Sep 29th, 2011 | 261 comments Guest Blogger: Chuck Sambuchino To celebrate the release of the brand-new 2012 Guide to Literary Agents, I am bringing back one of my most popular recurring contests: The “Worst Storyline Ever” Contest. Except this time, it’s hosted on Rachelle’s blog. “Worst Storyline Ever” Contest A logline is a one-sentence line that explains what your story is about and shows the “hook” – the unique idea that makes people want to see more. “Three middle-aged men defeat their midlife crises by starting a college fraternity.” But that’s all the examples I’m going to give you, because I’m not looking for good examples of a logline; I’m looking for bad examples. Examples of Bad Loglines (Previous Winners/Finalists): 1. 2. 3. Here are the rules:Stick to the format, but have fun with the idea. The Prizes: First prize: 1) A query letter critique from me. 2) A copy of the 2012 Guide to Literary Agents. 3) Praise on this blog from yours truly. Two runner-up prizes:
25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer When George Plimpton asked Ernest Hemingway what the best training for an aspiring writer would be in a 1954 interview, Hem replied, “Let’s say that he should go out and hang himself because he finds that writing well is impossibly difficult. Then he should be cut down without mercy and forced by his own self to write as well as he can for the rest of his life. At least he will have the story of the hanging to commence with.” Today, writing well is more important than ever. Far from being the province of a select few as it was in Hemingway’s day, writing is a daily occupation for all of us — in email, on blogs, and through social media. So what can we do to improve our writing short of hanging ourselves? 1. Don’t just plan to write—write. 2. [The] Resistance knows that the longer we noodle around “getting ready,” the more time and opportunity we’ll have to sabotage ourselves. 3. Find your best time of the day for writing and write. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Treat writing as a job. 10. 11. 12.
One Sentence Stories 10 Reading Exercises for Fiction Writers I always find it exciting when I discover a book that in some way echoes whatever I happen to be writing at the time. It might share a similarity of style, story, or structure, or any combination of the three. Whatever the similarity, I find it helpful to delve into the writing to see what lessons I can glean. After reading several duds recently, I finally came across such a book–The China Garden by Kristina Olsson. When I find a book like this, there are several things I do while reading it. Analyze the story’s structure. These activities really help me focus on what makes an book outstanding, as opposed to simply reading it and saying, “Ooh, good read.” What books have you found helpful to analyze?