Writing Exercises | Writing Forward

Storytelling Exercise: Motif

Today’s storytelling exercise is an excerpt from my book, Story Drills, which is packed with fiction-writing exercises designed to impart the basic techniques of storytelling. Today’s exercise is from chapter thirty-five. It’s called “Motif.” Enjoy! Motif A motif is a recurring idea, element, or symbol in a story. A story can have multiple motifs, and…Read More

From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: The Great Debate

Today’s post is from 101 Creative Writing Exercises. This exercise is from “Chapter 9: Philosophy, Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving.” It’s called “The Great Debate.” Enjoy! Logic, order, and organization are essential in clear and coherent writing, whether you’re telling a story or writing a poem. Critical thinking is a fundamental writing skill. If a…Read More

From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: Rock and Rhyme (Poetry)

Today’s post features an exercise from my book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises (aff link), which is filled with exercises for various forms of writing, including fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. It will inspire you while imparting useful writing techniques that are fun and practical. This exercise comes from “Chapter 8: Free Verse.” The creative writing exercises in this…Read More

Props, a Storytelling Exercise

This exercise comes from my book Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises. This exercise asks you to consider an element of story that’s often overlooked in lessons and conversations about fiction writing. It’s called “Props.” Enjoy! Props Often when we talk about setting, we forget an important element: props. These are the items that appear in the narrative…Read More

From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: The Incubator

Today’s post is an excerpt from my book, 101 Creative Writing Exercises. This is from “Chapter 11: Creativity,” and it’s called “The Incubator.” This exercise helps you process and organize your creative writing ideas. The Incubator Many creative professionals and hobbyists have found that creative ideas need time to incubate. In other words, you don’t…Read More

Poetry writing exercises in time and space

Poetry Writing Exercises in Space and Time

Poetry is the most artistic form of writing. A poem can be concrete or abstract. It can be expressive or pensive. It can cover just about any subject imaginable. But despite what poetry can be, it is most often used as a form of emotional self-expression, especially by young and new poets. When we’re feeling…Read More

Fiction Writing Exercise: What If?

This storytelling exercise comes from my book Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises, which takes you through the basics of storytelling by covering a wide range of concepts and storytelling techniques. This fiction exercise is called “What If?” What If? “What if?” is a useful prompt at any stage in story development. We can use this question as…Read More

From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: Quoteworthy

Today’s post is an excerpt from 101 Creative Writing Exercises. This exercise is called “Quoteworthy.” It’s from “Chapter 4: Speak Up.” Enjoy! Quoteworthy One of the greatest achievements a writer can make is writing prose that is quoteworthy. Many great lines and slang words or phrases have come to us from plays, books, poems, and…Read More

Poetry Writing Exercises to Engage the Senses

Ah, the senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. How do they relate to poetry writing? We delight in the pleasures of the senses, but infusing poetry with sensory stimulation is not an easy task. It takes a deft and creative writer to forge images — using text — that engage a reader’s senses. So…Read More

fiction writing exercise character struggle

Fiction Writing Exercise: The Internal and External Struggles of Your Characters

Today’s fiction writing exercise comes from my book, Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises, which offers lessons and exercises designed to boost your skills as a storyteller. Today’s exercise looks at characters’ struggles, which are essential to good storytelling. Enjoy! Characters’ Internal and External Struggles In order to develop a truly compelling character, it’s critical for…Read More