Types of Rhymes in Poetry
We’re all familiar with rhyming poems. After all, these are the first poems most of us encounter as children, from the delightful stories of Dr. Seuss to the hilarious poetry of Shel Silverstein. People often think rhyming poems are rigid, conforming to strict meter and perfect rhymes at the end of every line, but within…Read More
Punctuation Marks: Parentheses
Parentheses are among the most useful and versatile punctuation marks in the English language. They can be used effectively in both formal and casual writing, and the rules surrounding parentheses allow writers to use them for a variety of purposes. They just might be my favorite punctuation marks, simply because they provide a clear way…Read More
From Ready, Set, Write: Getting Ready to Write
Today, I’m excited to share an excerpt from my book, Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing. This is from the book’s introduction. Enjoy! A Writer’s Journey Begins When I was a little girl, my mom used to sit, curled up on the couch, with a thick paperback novel in her hands and a…Read More
Good Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation
Let’s get technical for a minute. What, exactly, is grammar? Here’s what Wikipedia says: In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of sentences, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules….Linguists do not normally use the term to refer to orthographical rules, although usage books and style…Read More
How to Critique Other Writers’ Work
As a writer, it helps to be thick-skinned. Once you put your work out there, people will judge, review, and criticize it. But critiques are more helpful when they are received long before publication. In fact, critiques are one of the best ways to improve your writing. Many writers who want critiques that will help…Read More
Screenplay by Syd Field
This post contains affiliate links that earn commissions from qualifying purchases. Studying the craft of writing from a variety of angles will benefit any writer. If you write short stories, you’ll learn something from studying a little poetry. If you write poetry, you can learn something useful from playwrights. And if you’re a novelist, you…Read More
Creative Writing Prompts Inspired by Historical Events
Today’s prompts include selections from the book 1200 Creative Writing Prompts. Enjoy! Nonfiction writers are obviously inspired by the real world, but fiction writers and poets also take inspiration from real people and events. Wars, scandals, scientific advances, and famous figures in history have all been represented in every form of writing. Works of fiction…Read More
Three Poetry Writing Exercises
If you’re going to exercise, it’s a good idea to warm up first. That way, you’ll get your body geared up to do the heavy lifting, the hard running, and the strenuous workout. Writing’s no different. Poetry writing exercises are ideal when you’re feeling uninspired or lazy, or maybe your poetry is getting stale and…Read More
Originality in Storytelling
Most storytellers strive to write fresh, original stories. They’re hoping to come up with an idea that’s never been done before. Is that even possible? Most stories are built with universal structures, or they use elements that can be found in the plethora of stories that already exists. That’s why readers can often predict the…Read More
Communicating with Poetry: The Search for Deeper Meaning
The search for deeper meaning in a poem implies that it might contain a hidden message. But poetry is not coded messaging; it’s artful communication. It’s more useful to ask what a poem communicates than to ask what it secretly means. Some poems are straightforward; there’s no interpretation to be made because they are clear…Read More
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