The best creative writing exercises help you practise your writing skills in a fun way. Check out these writing exercises and writing prompts for adults.
I asked my audience which things would make them quit a novel.
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Explore the captivating world of fantasy book reviews, writing tips, and Bookstagram advice on our blog. Join L.T. Ellis on a journey through enchanted realms, where imagination knows no bounds. Discover hidden gems, sharpen your writing skills, and create stunning bookish content with L.T. Ellis Blog Posts.
This list features some gorgeous words that fantasy writers can use for inspiration.
Every day you see the hours passing without you being productive? Here I will reveal the daily writing routines that have brought the great writers to...
If you want to know how to write a book with no experience, this post shows you exactly how to get started writing. Yes, even without a degree.
Find out more about the author here
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Adopting a unique writing style can give you confidence, help you stand out, and more. Here’s some insight into how to develop your writing style and why it’s important.
Here's some encouragement to help you through National Novel Writing Month. Remember, even your favorite writers were once in your position.
“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that I can later build sandcastles.”-Shannon Hale Here is one of my favorite wri…
If you want to send your readers into a 3AM reading frenzy, these ideas could help!
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If you want to know how to write a book with no experience, this post shows you exactly how to get started writing. Yes, even without a degree.
This article will share some writing apps to organise your thoughts and deal with typos and grammatical errors...
Writing advice that I think is often misinterpreted, unhelpful, or applied in ways I disagree with.
If you want to know how to write a book with no experience, this post shows you exactly how to get started writing. Yes, even without a degree.
If you’d like to be the kind of writer readers love to read, the kind of writer readers come back to again and again, then learn these 16 rules on how to be a great compelling writer. Keep le…
In need of a writing boost? Here are eight reasons you should spark inspiration and flow by re-embracing the lost art of writing longhand.
Writers need apps to increase productivity and organization when on the go. This is a top 5 list of writing apps that every writer should use
National Author's Day is November 1 - so what better day to celebrate your favorite author and the books they write? Look to these funny memes about writing and author quotes from books that perfectly describe what it's like to write for a living.
Inspirational quotes for the aspiring writers.
Want to write a book but don't know where to start? Learn how to start writing a book for beginners with these tips to kickstart your book-writing journey.
If you've ever asked yourself, "Am I a good writer?" then this post is for you. These 7 things tell the good writers from the bad.
Ah yes, torturing readers, your favourite hobby!
If you're looking to add conflict to your story or throw a few problems your characters' way, I've got some ideas for you.
To give your characters some texture and make them feel more realistic, consider balancing their virtues with a sprinkle of toxicity.
13 Must-Have Mobile Apps for Writers. Writing has changed since the days of typewriter and correction fluid (remember the little bottle of white-out with the brush, remember how strong it smelled, how fast it dried, how fun it was?). Pen and paper have been replaced in many fields by smartphones, mo
This will be a brief post as it has been a long day and I do need to rest. Tonight, when going to write my blog, I was searching in my mind on points to write about. When that wasn’t working…
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When I heard that Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, was visiting Denver, I actually gasped out loud. The Book Thief has been influential in my writing and reading life in more ways than I can name. Suffice it to say that I have about a million favorite books, but when forced to choose just one, I say The Book Thief. The characters don't let you go, the plot is so original, and to say the writing style is beautiful is an understatement. So of course I jumped at the chance to hear Zusak speak, and to get my copy of The Book Thief, as well as his new book, Bridge of Clay, signed. Zusak was a funny and charming speaker, and warm and welcoming when I met him in the signing line. I wish I could have just recorded the whole talk and posted it for you, but here are six things he said that stood out to me the most. Know the backstory Zusak said that the way he is able to tell if he'll be able to turn an idea into a novel is how much backstory comes to him. When you're planning your book, knowing the background of the characters is incredibly important. Even if most of it doesn't end up in the book, pieces of it will, and that's what will give your characters life and make the story memorable to readers. The more your characters seem like real people you know, not just one-sided figures you write about, the more they'll come alive in the reader's mind. Having a deep backstory is the best way to accomplish this. Incorporate details Zusak used this simple metaphor to convey the importance of details: Once he was at an airport, and forgot his jacket in the security line. When he returned to claim it, the guard asked him what it looked like. He didn't just describe the color, but also the logo, and how there was a piece of folded-up paper in the pocket. With these precise details, the guard had no trouble believing he was telling the truth and the jacket was his. Likewise, when we incorporate specific, unique details into our stories, the reader is able to believe that we are telling the truth, even while knowing it's fiction. Details are what make your story jump off the page and lodge itself in the reader's mind. They're what make a reader stop and think, Yes! That's exactly how that feels/sounds/looks. How did they know?! If you don't feel something, neither will the reader Robert Frost once said, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader. Zusak modeled this when writing both The Book Thief and Bridge of Clay. During the Q&A session after his talk, a young reader asked him if he cried when writing the end of The Book Thief. He confessed that he had ugly cried as he wrote the ending--like many of us as we read it--and had actually cried even harder when writing the end of Bridge of Clay (causing many of us in the audience to groan with grim but eager anticipation). If you have laid out the backstory of your characters and incorporated details that bring them to life, you as the writer will end up caring deeply about them, so that whatever you feel when writing their fate, the readers will also feel. Keep writing, no matter what During the Q&A session, someone asked him who had encouraged him to keep writing when he was young. With a laugh, he responded, Absolutely no one. He spoke of how he had never won a contest, never had a short story published, how his parents and his English teachers never thought he would publish a book--but something in him knew that's what he wanted to do, so he kept trying. When I met him in the signing line, I mentioned how I was a writer and The Book Thief had been so inspirational to me. To my delight, he asked about my writing, and when I said I was writing an adult contemporary fiction novel and had just sent it to people to read, he reminded me that even if I got negative feedback, I was still a writer and I needed to just keep writing. It is easy to be discouraged when we don't get glowing responses to our work, but imagine if Markus Zusak had listened to those around him and given up. Know that you are a writer, and so you must keep writing. Write the book only you can write This might have been my favorite thing Zusak said all night. He doesn't try to write books that are better than other writers or that win all the awards; his focus is on trying to write stories that only he is capable of writing. No matter how you feel about The Book Thief or Bridge of Clay, I know that they're books only I could write, he said. Don't compare how good your book is to other books or other writers. Focus on the story that only you can write. Writing takes a bit of luck Throughout his talk, Zusak mentioned several instances of luck that contributed to his success. Not just in terms of finding an agent or publishing, but in the actual writing of his stories. Before writing The Book Thief, he was visiting a school and leading an activity in which students choose a color and write from its perspective. He ended up writing from Death's perspective, and thought, Hey, maybe I should use this in that book I'm planning set in Nazi Germany. He also had another page-long piece about a girl in modern-day Sydney stealing a book and had the same thought of incorporating it into the Holocaust story he was planning. Of course, these two ideas are crucial to making The Book Thief into what it is. Likewise, with Bridge of Clay, when he first came up with the idea for the book, he chose the character name 'Clayton' at random. It was only later in the process of planning and writing that he shortened it to Clay, and realized it fit perfectly with the idea of building a bridge. Writing takes a lot of skill, and you have to know how to use those strokes of inspiration in your stories, but it's also helpful to know that a bit of luck is always involved. A huge thanks to Markus Zusak, both for his incredible stories and for a wonderful evening. Denver's Tattered Cover bookstore also has my undying love for bringing amazing authors to visit. To buy Zusak's newest book, Bridge of Clay, click here. You can also read more about Zusak and his books on his website. (FYI–This post includes affiliate links. I promise to never recommend anything that I haven’t loved and think you should try!) Have you read The Book Thief or any of Markus Zusak's books? What's your favorite? Who is the author you would most love to meet? Who is someone you've already met and loved? Let me know in the comments!
National Author's Day is November 1 - so what better day to celebrate your favorite author and the books they write? Look to these funny memes about writing and author quotes from books that perfectly describe what it's like to write for a living.
Struggling through a first draft of a story or novel? Here are some of the best tips and quotes on first drafts from writers who have been there.
When editing a novel, there are many things to look for and eliminate. Start with these four things to make your writing more effective.
To write you need to read. Check out my top 5 books you should read if you want to write.
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