Writing Tips
Expert advice on all aspects of writing, updated weekly. To get Writing Tips in your inbox for free, join our newsletter.
Newest Articles
How to Bless Others
In this article, we’ll discuss how to bless people with words. This article isn’t religious, and it looks at blessing in a general sense. We’ll offer 7 simple steps to formally offer blessings (if, for example, you need to speak at a wedding). Above all, we’ll start to notice where in your writing and communication…
What is an Unreliable Narrator?: Penning the Prevaricating Protagonist
When you can’t trust the person who’s telling you a story, we typically refer to them as an unreliable narrator. An unreliable narrator is someone whose account of the story cannot be depended upon, either because they are lying to you, lying to themselves, or because they have a skewed perspective on the story (and…
How to Write a Personal Narrative Essay
A personal narrative essay is a form of creative nonfiction writers use to share compelling stories from their own lives. Through the writing of personal narrative essays, writers can examine the events of their own life, and transform their everyday experiences into essays that uncover deeper truths in the world. There are many different reasons…
From Our Instructors
How to Write a Podcast Script: A Step-by-Step Guide
Want more advice on how to write a podcast script? Check out Cara Stevens’ Zoom webinar How to Start a Podcast. Cara J. Stevens is an author, editor, podcaster and book coach. She has written more than 80 books for young readers based on video games, pop-culture trends, and beloved characters including Pokémon Go, Terraria, and…
Writing About Real People
Sneak Peek: This essay is excerpted from some of the materials I’ll be sharing in my class, “The Body and Soul of Your Memoir: Shape, Focus, and Write Your Memoir” at Writers.com starting June 4. When my memoir, The Sky Begins At Your Feet: A Memoir on Cancer, Community and Coming Home to the Body,…
The 35 Best Gifts for Writers in Your Life
Professional authors chime in on gift ideas for writers—both during the holidays and any time of year. If you’re looking for the best gifts for writers in your life, look no further. There are lots of great gifts for creative writers—you just need to get in a writer’s head. With the help of some lovely…
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How to Read Like a Writer
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Writing with Confidence
Writing Prompts
Jump-start your creativity with our writing prompts. Check back regularly for new prompts!
Show and Tell
Write a story or poem about an object with a lot of nostalgic value for you/the narrator. Do not, at any point, tell the reader explicitly what this object is.
Forgive and Forget
Write a story or poem about a time when you had to forget something to maintain a friendship or relationship.
Trash Day
Collect pieces of “junk writing”—spam emails, credit card advertisements, roadside billboards, bumper stickers, etc. Then, write a story or poem that uses all of the junk writing you collected.
