storytelling exercise character analysis

Storytelling Exercise: Character Analysis

Today’s storytelling exercise is an excerpt from my book, Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises, which helps beginning to intermediate storytellers develop skills in the craft of fiction writing. This exercise explores one of the most important elements of any story: the characters. It’s called “Character Analysis.” Enjoy! Character Analysis Characterization may be the single most…Read More

storytelling exercise process

Storytelling Exercise: Process

Today’s storytelling exercise comes from my book Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises, which is packed with lessons and exercises for beginning to intermediate storytellers. This one is about developing a process. Enjoy! Process A typical writing process includes the following steps: brainstorm, outline, research, draft, revise, edit, proof, and publish. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? But…Read More

poetry writing exercises

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

fiction writing exercise

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

writing about people

From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: People Are People

101 Creative Writing Exercises takes you on an adventure through the world of creative writing. You get to experiment with fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction while learning useful writing techniques. Today I’d like to share one of the exercises from the book. This is from “Chapter 3: People and Characters.” The exercise is titled “People…Read More

writing exercise writer know thyself

Writing Exercises: Writer, Know Thyself

Today’s writing exercise is an excerpt from 101 Creative Writing Exercises, a book packed with creative writing exercises and ideas. This exercise comes from chapter 2, “It’s Personal,” and it’s called “Writer, Know Thyself.” Enjoy! Writer, Know Thyself This exercise asks you to look in the mirror and ask yourself a critical question: Why do…Read More

Poetry Writing Exercises: Using Connotation

Poetry Writing Exercises: Using Connotation to Find the Perfect Word

Poetry writing exercises are an excellent way to develop writing skills, especially skills that are essential to writing compelling poetry. Writing exercises can provide us with new perspectives, techniques, and ideas that strengthen and improve poems we’ve written and poems we have yet to write. Words are the most basic building blocks for writers, and…Read More

dialogue storytelling exercise

Writing Dialogue: A Storytelling Exercise

Today’s fiction writing exercise is excerpted from Story Drills: Fiction Writing Exercises, which includes lessons and exercises that help beginning to intermediate storytellers study and practice the craft of storytelling. This exercise, which is from a chapter on narrative, focuses on dialogue. Enjoy! Dialogue Dialogue is one of the most compelling elements of any narrative….Read More

writing exercise

From 101 Creative Writing Exercises: You’re the Expert

Here’s an excerpt from 101 Creative Writing Exercises, a book that takes writers on an inspired journey through different forms and genres of writing while offering comprehensive writing techniques, practical experience, and ideas for publishable projects. Each chapter focuses on a different form or concept: freewriting, journaling, fiction, poetry, creativity, and article writing are all covered….Read More

creative wordplay

Poetry Writing Exercise: Creative Wordplay

Charles Dickens invented the word boredom. Sylvia Plath coined the term dreamscape. William Shakespeare gave us bandit, swagger, and gossip, along with over 1,700 other words that previously didn’t exist in the English lexicon. Writers have a long history of inventing new words, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. When we encounter an idea or…Read More

Pin It on Pinterest