This is a strategy I've used many times while in a play, but I'm not sure how many authors actually use this strategy. If you are an author that does, kudos for you! It means that your characters are most certainly well developed, and you pro... [More]

Contractions are a no-no when writing professional letters, but few think about it when they are writing a story. It just seems so much easier to write 'can't', rather than 'cannot'. Your challenge is: Write a story, essay, op... [More]

A lot of fiction books are written at about an 8th grade reading level. At least, that is what I have discovered when talking to a few librarians. I do not believe that this is because we are not capable of writing at a higher level, but because we w... [More]

Most stories are written in past tense, because most writers just instinctively write in past tense. However, this is not always the rule. Expand past your norm (if you do indeed write in past tense) and: Write a story entirely in present tense. ... [More]

A very large key in writing good descriptions is to grab the attention of your audience by focusing on familiar scents, sounds, textures, etc. Whether you want the focus to be on something comforting (like a newly washed and warm fluffy towel, or the... [More]

Believe it or not, making a commitment to write EVERY DAY for any amount of time is a big challenge. Something comes up, you don't feel like it, whatever the case may be. There will be three levels of this particular challenge, this being the fir... [More]

This is something I fight in my own writing very often. I don't want to tell the reader what my character is feeling, I want them to be able to see it, much like you watch the reactions of those around you to certain things. I want to give the ... [More]

Poetry is very easy for some to write, and very hard for others. Poetry is very versatile and doesn't carry any specific grammatical, punctuational, or other guidelines. What matters in poetry is the flow. The way things are phrased, the amount o... [More]

I have heard a lot of arguments on whether or not the word 'that' is necessary in a piece. Some say that omitting it often times does not change meaning, and others state it is necessary to convey what you need to say properly. I suggest that... [More]

Most of us write stories about something we know or imagine the perspective of. For example, we write a story from the perspective of a person, because we are comfortable with being a person. Dog lovers might write a story from a dog's perspectiv... [More]

Putting emotion into dialogue can be extremely hard. Most writers depend on everything AROUND the spoken word to convey the emotion. However, there are ways to put it in words without all of the extra. This challenge allows you to explore that. W... [More]

Believe it or not, making a commitment to write EVERY DAY for any amount of time is a big challenge. Something comes up, you don't feel like it, whatever the case may be. There are three levels of this particular challenge, this being the second.... [More]

Have you ever seen the poems or other writings that are about a tree or a butterfly, and the actual text LOOKS like a tree or butterfly? Well, they are pretty awesome, but I have always admired the authors that can do that because it is so difficult ... [More]

One of the biggest challenges I've ever had (other than excluding a vowel) is to get an EXACT number of words in a story. Not one over, not one under, but the exact number necessary. Write a story (beginning, middle, end) that has EXACTLY 125... [More]

I have never challenged myself more than when I decided to omit a vowel from an entire piece. Wow did it stretch my imagination to decide how to fill those spaces or replace those words! So, here's my challenge for you: Write a piece that doe... [More]

Some readers like just a little description, and some like it so detailed that they can place themselves in the scene and see everything perfectly. As authors, we can already do that in our mind's eye, so your challenge is this: Picture a flo... [More]

As writers, most of us are comfortable with our own style - so comfortable that we rarely can find our own mistakes. Well, this is a lesson in trying to find the specifics. Your challenge is: Paint a picture with words. Make it vivid enough that ... [More]

Believe it or not, making a commitment to write EVERY DAY for any amount of time is a big challenge. Something comes up, you don't feel like it, whatever the case may be. There are three levels of this particular challenge, this being the third. ... [More]

Alright, this is a particularly hard one, so brace yourself. Write a scene using only dialogue - internal and external. Then, rewrite the scene using no dialogue whatsoever - only description. Thank you ! Sara Jean I am a teache... [More]