Five Poetry Prompts
You know what’s great about writing prompts? On those days when you’re feeling uninspired but you want to write, they’re there for you. On days when you want to get your writing practice in but don’t particularly feel like writing, they’re there for you. Writing prompts give you a little push to kick-start a writing…Read More
From Story Drills: Deathtrap and Deus Ex Machina
Today’s fiction writing exercise is an excerpt from my book, Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises. This exercise presents two storytelling devices: the deathtrap and deus ex machina. Enjoy! Deathtrap and Deus Ex Machina If you’ve ever read a story in which characters are rescued from a dire situation in a way that is truly unbelievable,…Read More
Plot vs. Character in Storytelling
Have you ever struggled with a story idea only to give up because it seems like every plot has already been done? Maybe you focus on character development to make up for a weak or formulaic plot. Or maybe you focus on plot, only to end up with characters that feel flat, stereotypical, or unsympathetic. Some stories…Read More
Denotation and Connotation in Poetry Writing
Most people go through life using language haphazardly. That’s how we get words like irregardless, which has the exact same meaning as regardless. But writers, and especially poets, don’t have the luxury of throwing words around indiscriminately. Clear and compelling prose and verse demand that we pay due diligence to the words we choose. We…Read More
Share Your Writing
Putting yourself out there isn’t easy. When you share your writing, you open it up to criticism. What if people don’t like it? What if it gets negative reviews? What if nobody reads it? I share my writing all the time, thanks to this blog. In the early days, shortly after I launched Writing Forward,…Read More
How to Get the Most Out of Your Writing Practice
Everybody wants to know the secret to success, and writers are no exception. We often talk about all the things one must do in order to become a successful writer. From studying grammar to working through multiple revisions, from sending out submissions to building a platform, writers must wear many hats if they hope to…Read More
Artistically Inspired Journal Prompts
We, the people of the arts, feed off each other. A painter is inspired by a song. A musician is inspired by a novel. A photographer is inspired by a sculpture. So we come full circle by inspiring one another. Journal prompts are a useful tool for getting inspired. When you want to write but…Read More
The 22 Best Writing Tips Ever
Today, I’m sharing one of the oldest and most popular posts on Writing Forward. This one dates back to 2007, but it’s still one of the most-visited posts on the blog and one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy these writing tips and find them useful! Brian Clark over at Copyblogger issued a challenge…Read More
Writing Resources: Telling True Stories
This post contains affiliate links that earn commissions from qualifying purchases. Human beings are built for story. Story is how we perceive the world around us and how we understand ourselves and other people. Through story, we learn and make connections. We use stories to map the future and study the past. Stories are the…Read More
Fiction Writing Prompts for Every Genre
Today I’d like to share a selection of fiction writing prompts from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts, which includes 500 fiction prompts plus prompts for writing poetry and creative nonfiction. Writing prompts are ideal when you’re feeling uninspired because they provide you with ideas for your writing sessions and projects. But prompts are also…Read More
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