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Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: 25 Story Starters for Writing Fiction Are you a storyteller? Do you want to be a storyteller? If you’re interested in writing flash fiction, short stories, or novels, then you’re going to need lots of ideas, especially if you want to write professionally. Some of us have too many ideas; others don’t have enough ideas. Maybe we have a solid idea...Read More Read on » From Ready, Set, Write: Getting Ready to Write Today, I’m excited to share an excerpt from my recently published 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...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: Storytelling Exercise: Three Acts Now Available: Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing Health Tips for Writers What Makes Iconic Characters Unforgettable? Reading, Writing, and Reviewing Good Poems   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: Storytelling Exercise: Three Acts Today’s storytelling exercise is an excerpt from my book, Story Drills, which is filled with fiction-writing exercises that impart basic techniques of storytelling. Today’s exercise is from chapter forty-five. It’s called “Three Acts.” Enjoy! The three-act structure is one of the simplest and most effective ways to outline or analyze a story and its structure....Read More Read on » Now Available: Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing I’m excited to announce that a new book in the Adventures in Writing series is now available.  Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Creative Writing Ready, Set, Write takes you on tour through the world of creative writing. You’ll discover tools of the trade and creativity techniques as you explore various forms of creative writing. Learn...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: Health Tips for Writers What Makes Iconic Characters Unforgettable? Reading, Writing, and Reviewing Good Poems Punctuation Marks: How to Use a Semicolon How to Set Writing Goals to Stay Focused and Motivated   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: Health Tips for Writers Lots of jobs pose health hazards, and writing is no exception. Whether you write professionally or as a hobby, spending hours hunched over your keyboard or notebook can have detrimental effects on your health if you don’t take the proper precautions. From muscle cramps and eye strain to getting bogged down in the mental clutter...Read More Read on » What Makes Iconic Characters Unforgettable? Luke Skywalker was the obvious hero of Star Wars: A New Hope, so why does it seem like Han, Leia, and Darth Vader got all the attention? When I think about the characters from Star Wars, Luke is often the last one who comes to mind. It’s not that he’s forgettable, but he doesn’t stand...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: Reading, Writing, and Reviewing Good Poems Punctuation Marks: How to Use a Semicolon How to Set Writing Goals to Stay Focused and Motivated What’s Your Writing Plan? Writing Resources: Bird by Bird   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: Reading, Writing, and Reviewing Good Poems I’ve always loved writing poetry. It’s a highly artistic and expressive form of writing. Poems can be intellectual, emotional, or abstract. Poetry can feel like a snapshot of a moment in time, or it can feel like a riveting three-hour film. Every poem offers a unique perspective and experience. I believe that all poetry is...Read More Read on » Punctuation Marks: How to Use a Semicolon Lots of people aren’t sure how to use a semicolon. The semicolon might be the most misunderstood punctuation mark in the English language. This dot-comma combination is often used where a period, colon, or even a plain old comma belongs. Underused and often abused, the semicolon is useful in a number of writing situations. Although...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: How to Set Writing Goals to Stay Focused and Motivated What’s Your Writing Plan? Writing Resources: Bird by Bird Creative Writing Prompts for Music Lovers Storytelling Exercise: Motif   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: How to Set Writing Goals to Stay Focused and Motivated One of the things I love about writing is that it’s so accessible. All you need is a pen and a notebook (or access to a computer), and you’re off, putting your words down, expressing yourself. But it’s just as easy to lose your way — to let projects go unfinished, to procrastinate, or get...Read More Read on » What’s Your Writing Plan? When I first started writing, it was a spontaneous affair. I was a teenager, lying on my bedroom floor; I think I was talking to someone on the phone, and I’m certain music was playing. There happened to be a pen and a spiral-bound notebook (for schoolwork) in front of me, and before I knew...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: Writing Resources: Bird by Bird Creative Writing Prompts for Music Lovers Storytelling Exercise: Motif Writing Tips for Creating a Complex Villain What is Free-Verse Poetry?   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Writing Forward | Weekly Digest

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Excerpts: Writing Resources: Bird by Bird Bird by Bird is a classic book on writing. You’ll hear about it in writer circles, at workshops, and it will appear on book lists by some of your favorite authors. This book had been sitting on my to-read list for years by the time I got around to reading it, and now I can...Read More Read on » Creative Writing Prompts for Music Lovers Today’s post features a selection of prompts from my book 1200 Creative Writing Prompts. Enjoy! At some point in their lives, all artistic people run into creative walls. Writers lose inspiration so frequently, they have their own special term for it: writer’s block. Luckily, writing ideas don’t have to magically appear in order for creativity...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: Storytelling Exercise: Motif Writing Tips for Creating a Complex Villain What is Free-Verse Poetry? Why We Write, a Sneak Peek at Ready, Set, Write! Why You Should Study Writing   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. 101 Creative Writing Exercises

Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952 . Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: Why You Should Study Writing Stephen King said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” He’s right. These are the only two things you absolutely must do in order to be a writer. But they aren’t the only things you can or should do. Plenty...Read More Read on » 10 Tips for Submitting Your Writing and Getting Published Your short story is finished. Your poem is polished. Your personal essay has been proofread. Now you’re ready to submit your creative writing project for publication. How do you do it? Where do you find the right publication? What materials should you send? Should you use e-mail or snail mail? How long do you wait...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: The Writer’s Journey: A Must-Read for Storytellers Props, a Storytelling Exercise Poetry Prompts for Lovers 42 Fiction Writing Tips for Novelists How to Start Writing Poetry   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. Adventures in Writing: The Complete Collection 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952 Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: How to Start Writing Poetry I occasionally receive an e-mail or comment from someone who asks how to start writing poetry. These aspiring writers might have read some poetry, maybe even dabbled in writing it, but they feel disconnected from it. They want to write poems, but they’re not sure how to begin. Some are interested in producing publishable works;...Read More Read on » 10 Essential Lessons You’ll Learn in a Creative Writing Workshop When I look back over all my years of formal education, from preschool through college, only a few classes stand out as truly educational in a life-changing way. In sixth grade, we did a section on space, which fascinated me. I retained a lot of what I learned. Later, I took astronomy and learned even...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: How to Make Time to Practice Writing Every Day Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers The Benefits of Keeping a Reading Journal Writing Resources: A Poetry Handbook Top Secret Fiction Writing Prompts   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. Adventures in Writing: The Complete Collection 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952 Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: Poetry Prompts for Lovers Poetry is one of the most magical forms of self-expression. You can express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in a poem that are otherwise difficult, or even impossible, to say in any other form of communication. And poetry has long been the language of lovers. Millions of writers have used poetry to declare their affections, obsessions,...Read More Read on » 42 Fiction Writing Tips for Novelists The more I explore fiction writing, the more complex and multi-layered it becomes. Through the processes of brainstorming, outlining, researching, writing, and revising, I have discovered countless details that authors have to consider as they set out to produce a viable work of fiction. Over the years, I have collected a vast pile of notes...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: How to Start Writing Poetry 10 Essential Lessons You’ll Learn in a Creative Writing Workshop How to Make Time to Practice Writing Every Day Journal Prompts for Aspiring Writers The Benefits of Keeping a Reading Journal   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. Adventures in Writing: The Complete Collection 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: The Writer’s Journey: A Must-Read for Storytellers If you read only one book on storytelling, make it The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler. Over the years, I’ve read a lot of books on writing fiction. Many have been helpful, but some have left me feeling disappointed, especially those that promise their methods will result in a successful story or make grand claims...Read More Read on » 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 Read on » Recent Articles: Poetry Prompts for Lovers 42 Fiction Writing Tips for Novelists How to Start Writing Poetry 10 Essential Lessons You’ll Learn in a Creative Writing Workshop How to Make Time to Practice Writing Every Day   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. Adventures in Writing: The Complete Collection 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952

Writing Forward | Weekly Digest Sign up to receive free books on the craft of writing in exchange for an honest review.  Learn More Excerpts: 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 Read on » Writing Tips for Creating a Complex Villain When it comes to writing fiction, we each have our own unique challenges. For some of us, it’s a struggle to come up with names for characters. For others, it’s hard to write realistic dialogue. Maybe you’re like me and find it difficult to write a really good villain — I mean — a really bad...Read More Read on » Recent Articles: What is Free-Verse Poetry? Why We Write, a Sneak Peek at Ready, Set, Write! Why You Should Study Writing 10 Tips for Submitting Your Writing and Getting Published The Writer’s Journey: A Must-Read for Storytellers   Share Tweet What's the Story? Building Blocks for Fiction Writing is available from your favorite online bookseller. Adventures in Writing: The Complete Collection 101 Creative Writing Exercises Copyright © 2019 Bookworms and Wordsmiths, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Bookworms and Wordsmiths 911 Lakeville St. #123 Petaluma, CA 94952