We've had a whole month of advice on description, but I'm sure we haven't covered everything. What have we missed? Share the insights that have made a difference in your ... Read More

In fiction, description should not only paint a picture for the reader, but also contribute to the plot and reveal something about character. Choose your details carefully. As Chris Lombardi ... Read More

For a month we've had prompts for generating story ideas: now for a little revision. This exercise on point of view asks writers to do a rewrite from a ... Read More

For some people, plot does come naturally, but more of us benefit from studying the basic elements -- which, sadly, most fiction workshops don't seem to cover. By mastering the ... Read More

A journal is useful for encouraging daily description practice sessions. When you have time, jot down notes about people and places you've encountered recently. Don't worry about plot, conflict, or ... Read More

Fans of Julia Cameron (The Artist's Way) will appreciate this writing exercise from her book The Right to Write. It requires a bit more imagination than other exercises we've posted ... Read More

If, like me, you're still hoping to use the summer to get some writing done, these five books -- from Bird by Bird to Writing Down the Bones -- will ... Read More

In your first draft, use as many clichés as you need to, just get the story down. In your revision, however, treat every single cliché as an opportunity for brilliance. ... Read More

Start by freewriting on the topic of things lost. After writing for ten to fifteen minutes, turn your freewrite into either a story or a poem. The idea for this exercise ... Read More

Yes, August is a quiet month in the world of contests, but there are a few awards worth checking out, including the Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowships ... Read More

"Vagueness is often our first impulse when we're getting things down," writes Chris Lombardi in the Gotham Writers' Workshop's Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing ... Read More

A reader named Bob wrote in to tell me about the Esquire Fiction Contest, which seems to be one of those rare creatures, the free contest, if I'm reading it ... Read More

OK, so there's no excuse not to write something today when we've got some fabulous pictures to get you started. All you have to do is click through, and twenty ... Read More

Continuing with our description theme, we look at how questions can jog your memory to help you come up with key details. Ask yourself the most naïve questions possible to ... Read More

And thanks to readers of other countries for indulging a moment of nationalistic celebration -- and to everyone for indulging an unhealthy obsession with Wordle.

Some of you may remember a blog post in April responding to a question from Jason, an Iraq War veteran who was working on his descriptions. The post inspired a ... Read More

Happy birthday, Canada, and thanks for giving us Margaret Atwood, Anne Carson, Robertson Davies, Alix Ohlin, Michael Ondaatje, Heather O'Neill, David Wevill . . . who else am I ... Read More

A playwright friend of mine recently had a breakout play after years of living on nothing (at one point he even moved back home with his mom). He didn't come ... Read More