The Write Practice

100 Writing Practice Lessons & Exercises

by Joe Bunting | 50 comments

Want to become a better writer? Perhaps you want to write novels, or maybe you just want to get better grades in your essay writing assignments , or maybe you'd like to start a popular blog .

If you want to write better, you need practice. But what does a writing practice actually look like? In this post, I'm going to give you everything you need to kick off your writing practice and become a better writer faster.

100 Top Writing Practice Lessons and Exercises

What Is Writing Practice?

Writing practice is a method of becoming a better writer that usually involves reading lessons about the writing process, using writing prompts, doing creative writing exercises , or finishing writing pieces, like essays, short stories , novels , or books . The best writing practice is deliberate, timed, and involves feedback.

How Do You Practice Writing?

This was the question I had when I first started The Write Practice in 2011. I knew how to practice a sport and how to practice playing an instrument. But for some reason, even after studying it in college, I wasn't sure how to practice writing.

I set out to create the best writing practice I could. The Write Practice is the result.

I found that the best writing practice has three aspects:

Deliberate . Writing whatever you feel like may be cathartic, but it's not an effective way to become a better writer or build your writing skills. You'll get better faster by practicing a specific technique or aspect of the writing process each time you sit down to write.

This is why we have a new lesson about the writing process each day on The Write Practice, followed by a practice prompt at the end so you can put what you learned to use immediately.

Timed . It's no secret writers struggle with focus. There are just too many interesting distractions—Facebook, email, Kim Kardashian's Instagram feed (just kidding about that last one, sort of)—and writing is just too hard sometimes.

Setting a timer, even for just fifteen minutes, is an easy and effective way to stay focused on what's important.

This is why in our writing practice prompt at the end of each post we have a time limit, usually with a link to an online tool egg timer , so you can focus on deliberate practice without getting distracted.

Feedback . Getting feedback is one of the requirements to deliberately practice writing or any other craft. Feedback can look like listening to the reactions of your readers or asking for constructive criticism from editors and other writers.

This is why we ask you to post your writing practice after each lesson, so that you can get feedback from other writers in The Write Practice community. It's also why we set up The Write Practice Pro community , to provide critique groups for writers to get feedback on each finished piece of writing.

How to practice writing

Our 100+ Best Creative Writing Practice Exercises and Lessons

Now that you know how we practice writing at The Write Practice, here are our best writing practice lessons to jumpstart your writing skills with some daily writing exercises, for beginner writers to even the most expert writers:

All-Time, Top 10 Writing Lessons and Exercises

These ten posts are our most viewed articles to boost your writing practice:

1. What is Plot? The 6 Elements of Plot and How to Use Them . Great stories use similar elements in wildly different ways to build page-turning stories. Click here to read what they are and learn how to start using them !

2. Top 100 Short Story Ideas . Here are over a hundred writing prompts in a variety of genres. If you need ideas for your next story, check this out!

3. How To Use Neither, Nor, Or, and Nor Correctly . Even good writers struggle figuring out when to use neither/nor and either/or. In this post, our copy-queen Liz Bureman settles the confusion once and for all. Click to continue to the writing exercise

4. Ten Secrets To Write Better Stories . How does Pixar manage to create such great stories, year after year? And how do you write a good story? In this post, I distill everything I've learned about how to write a good story into ten tips. Click to continue to the writing exercise

5. 35 Questions To Ask Your Characters From Marcel Proust . To get to know my characters better, I use a list of questions known as the Proust Questionnaire, made famous by French author, Marcel Proust. Click to continue to the writing exercise

6. How a Scene List Can Change Your Novel-Writing Life . Creating a scene list changed my novel-writing life, and doing the same will change yours too. Includes examples of the scene lists from famous authors. Click to continue to the writing exercise

7. Why You Need to be Using the Oxford Comma . Most people I've met have no idea what the Oxford comma is, but it's probably something that you have used frequently in your writing. Click to continue to the writing exercise

8. Six Surprising Ways to Write Better Interview Questions.  The interview is the most-used tool in a journalist's bag. But that doesn't mean novelists, bloggers, and even students can't and don't interview people. Here's how to conduct a great interview. Click to continue to the writing exercise

9. Why You Should Try Writing in Second Person . You've probably used first person and third person point-of-view already. But what about second person? This post explains three reasons why you should try writing from this point-of-view. Click to continue to the writing exercise

10. The Secret to Show, Don't Tell . You've heard the classic writing rule, “Show. Don't Tell.” Every writing blog ever has talked about it, and for good reason. Showing, for some reason, is really difficult. Click to continue to the writing exercise.

Book Idea Worksheet

12 Exercises and Lessons To Become a Better Writer

How do you become a better writer? These posts share our best advice:

  • Want to Be a Better Writer? Cut These 7 Words
  • What I Mean When I Say I Am A Writer
  • How to Become a Writer: 3 Simple Steps
  • 72% of Writers Struggle With THIS
  • 7 Lies About Becoming a Writer That You Probably Believe
  • 10 Questions to Find Your Unique Writing Voice
  • The Best Writing Book I’ve Ever Read
  • The Best Way to Become a Better Writer
  • The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Tools You Can’t Write Without
  • Should You Write More or Write Better: Quantity vs Quality
  • How to Become a Better Writer in One, Simple Step
  • 11 Writing Tips That Will Change Your Life

6 Lessons and Exercises from Great Writers

If you want to be a writer, learn from the great writers who have gone before you:

  • 23 Essential Quotes from Ernest Hemingway About Writing
  • 29 Quotes that Explain How to Become a Better Writer
  • 10 Lessons Dr. Seuss Can Teach Writers
  • 10 Writing Tips from Ursula Le Guin
  • Once Upon a Time: Pixar Prompt
  • All the Pretty Words: Writing In the Style of Cormac McCarthy

12 Genre and Format Specific Writing Lessons and Exercises

Here are our best writing lessons for specific types of writing, including essays, screenplays, memoir, short stories, children's books, and humor writing:

  • Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips
  • How To Write a Screenplay: The 5 Step Process
  • How to Write a Great Memoir: a Complete Guide
  • How to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish
  • How to Write a Thriller Novel
  • How to Write a Children's Book
  • How to Write a Love Story
  • How to Write a Coming of Age Story or Book
  • How to Write an Adventure Book
  • 5 Key Elements for Successful Short Stories
  • 4 Tips to Write a Novel That Will Be Adapted Into a Movie
  • Humor Writing for People Who Aren’t Funny

14 Characterization Lessons and Exercises

Good characters are the foundation of good fiction. Here are our best lessons to create better characters:

  • Character Development: How to Create Characters Audiences Will Love
  • Writing Villains: 9 Evil Examples of the Villain Archetype
  • How NOT to Introduce a New Character
  • The Strongest Form of Characterization
  • The Most Important Character Archetype
  • How Do You Build A Strong Character In Your Writing?
  • 75+ Antihero Examples and How to Use Them
  • How to Explore Your Characters’ Motivations
  • 8 Tips for Naming Characters
  • The Protagonist: How to Center Your Story
  • Heroes vs. Anti-Heroes: Which Is Right For Your Story?
  • The Weakest Form of Characterization
  • How to Write With an Accent
  • How To Create a Character Sketch Using Scrivener

15 Grammar Lessons and Exercises

I talk to so many writers, some of whom are published authors, who struggle with grammar. Here are our best writing lessons on grammar:

  • Is It Okay To End A Sentence With A Preposition?
  • Contractions List: When To Use and When To Avoid
  • Good vs. Well
  • Connotation vs. Denotation
  • Per Se vs. Per Say
  • When You SHOULD Use Passive Voice
  • When Do You Use “Quotation Marks”
  • Polysyndeton and Asyndeton: Definition and Examples
  • The Case Against Twilight
  • Affect Versus Effect
  • Stop Saying “Literally”
  • What Is a Comma Splice? And Why Do Editors Hate Them?
  • Intra vs. Inter: Why No One Plays Intermural Sports
  • Alright and Alot: Words That Are Not Words
  • The Poor, Misunderstood Semicolon

4 Journalism Lessons and Exercises

Want to be a journalist? Or even use techniques from journalism to improve your novel, essay, or screenplay? Here are our best writing lessons on journalism:

  • Six Ways to Ask Better Questions In Interviews
  • How Should You Interview Someone? Over Email? In Person?
  • What If They Don’t Want to Talk to You?
  • Eleven Habits of a Highly Effective Interviewers

16 Plot and Structure Lessons and Exercises

Want to write a good story? Our top plot and structure lessons will help:

  • The Ten Types of Story and How to Master Them
  • Points of a Story: 6 Plot Points Every Story Needs
  • How to Shape a Story: The 6 Arcs
  • 7 Keys To Write the Perfect First Line of a Novel
  • The Secret to Creating Conflict
  • 4 Tips to Avoid Having Your Short Story Rejected by a Literary Magazine
  • 7 Steps to Creating Suspense
  • 5 Elements of Storytelling
  • 3 Important Rules for Writing Endings
  • A Writer’s Cheatsheet to Plot and Structure
  • Overcoming the Monster
  • How to Satisfy Your Reader With a Great Ending
  • Pow! Boom! Ka-Pow! 5 Tips to Write Fight Scenes
  • The Dramatic Question and Suspense in Fiction
  • How to Write a Memorable Beginning and Ending
  • How to Write the Perfect First Page

6 Lessons and Exercises to Beat Writer's Block

Writer's block is real, and it can completely derail your writing. Here are six lessons to get writing again:

  • How To Write Whether You Feel Like it Or Not
  • This Fun Creative Writing Exercise Will Change Your Life
  • When You Should Be Writing But Can't…
  • What to do When Your Word Count is Too Low
  • 7 Tricks to Write More with Less Willpower
  • When You Don’t Know What to Write, Write About Your Insecurities

7 Literary Technique Lessons and Exercises

These writing and storytelling techniques will teach you a few tricks of the trade you may not have discovered before:

  • 3 Tips to “Show, Don’t Tell” Emotions and Moods
  • 3 Reasons to Write Stream of Consciousness Narrative
  • 16 Observations About Real Dialogue
  • Intertextuality As A Literary Device
  • Why You Should Use Symbolism In Your Writing
  • 6 Ways to Evoke Emotion in Poetry and Prose
  • 3 Tips To Write Modern Allegorical Novels
  • Symbol vs. Motif: What’s the Difference

3 Inspirational Writing Lessons and Exercises

Need some inspiration? Here are three of our most inspiring posts:

  • Why We Write: Four Reasons
  • You Must Remember Every Scar
  • 17 Reasons to Write Something NOW

3 Publishing Blogging Lessons and Exercises

If you want to get published, these three lessons will help:

  • The Secret to Writing On Your Blog Every Day
  • How to Publish Your Book and Sell Your First 1,000 Copies
  • How to Get Published in Literary Magazines

11 Writing Prompts

Need inspiration or just a kick in the pants to write. Try one of our top writing prompts :

  • Grandfathers [writing prompt]
  • Out of Place [writing prompt]
  • Sleepless [writing prompt]
  • Longing [writing prompt]
  • Write About Yourself [writing prompt]
  • 3 Reasons You Should Write Ghost Stories
  • Road Trip [writing prompt]
  • Morning [writing prompt]
  • The Beach [writing prompt]
  • Fall [writing prompt]
  • How to Use Six-Word Stories As Writing Prompts

Is It Time To Begin Your Writing Practice?

It's clear that if you want to become a writer, you need to practice writing. We've created a proven process to practice your writing at The Write Practice, but even if you don't join our community, I hope you'll start practicing in some way today.

Personally, I waited  far  too long to start practicing and it set my writing back years.

How about you? Do you think practicing writing is important?  Let me know in the comments section .

Choose one of the writing practice posts above. Then, read the lesson and participate in the writing exercise, posting your work in the Pro Practice Workshop . And if you post, please give feedback to your fellow writers who also posted their practices.

Have fun and happy practicing!

' src=

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

How to Write a Memoir: How to Start (and Actually Finish) Your First Draft

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

Of Scales and Fur – Book One: Shiva

Now, Take Your Idea and Write a Book!

Enter your email to get a free 3-step worksheet and start writing your book in just a few minutes.

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

  • Writing Activities

105 Creative Writing Exercises To Get You Writing Again

You know that feeling when you just don’t feel like writing? Sometimes you can’t even get a word down on paper. It’s the most frustrating thing ever to a writer, especially when you’re working towards a deadline. The good news is that we have a list of 105 creative writing exercises to help you get motivated and start writing again!

What are creative writing exercises?

Creative writing exercises are short writing activities (normally around 10 minutes) designed to get you writing. The goal of these exercises is to give you the motivation to put words onto a blank paper. These words don’t need to be logical or meaningful, neither do they need to be grammatically correct or spelt correctly. The whole idea is to just get you writing something, anything. The end result of these quick creative writing exercises is normally a series of notes, bullet points or ramblings that you can, later on, use as inspiration for a bigger piece of writing such as a story or a poem. 

Good creative writing exercises are short, quick and easy to complete. You shouldn’t need to think too much about your style of writing or how imaginative your notes are. Just write anything that comes to mind, and you’ll be on the road to improving your creative writing skills and beating writer’s block . 

Use the generator below to get a random creative writing exercise idea:

List of 105+ Creative Writing Exercises

Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again:

  • Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment.
  • Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour. For example, Orange, the colour of my favourite top. 
  • Open a book or dictionary on a random page. Pick a random word. You can close your eyes and slowly move your finger across the page. Now, write a paragraph with this random word in it. You can even use an online dictionary to get random words:

dictionary-random-word-imagine-forest

  • Create your own alphabet picture book or list. It can be A to Z of animals, food, monsters or anything else you like!
  • Using only the sense of smell, describe where you are right now.
  • Take a snack break. While eating your snack write down the exact taste of that food. The goal of this creative writing exercise is to make your readers savour this food as well.
  • Pick a random object in your room and write a short paragraph from its point of view. For example, how does your pencil feel? What if your lamp had feelings?
  • Describe your dream house. Where would you live one day? Is it huge or tiny? 
  • Pick two different TV shows, movies or books that you like. Now swap the main character. What if Supergirl was in Twilight? What if SpongeBob SquarePants was in The Flash? Write a short scene using this character swap as inspiration.
  • What’s your favourite video game? Write at least 10 tips for playing this game.
  • Pick your favourite hobby or sport. Now pretend an alien has just landed on Earth and you need to teach it this hobby or sport. Write at least ten tips on how you would teach this alien.
  • Use a random image generator and write a paragraph about the first picture you see.

random image generator

  • Write a letter to your favourite celebrity or character. What inspires you most about them? Can you think of a memorable moment where this person’s life affected yours? We have this helpful guide on writing a letter to your best friend for extra inspiration.
  • Write down at least 10 benefits of writing. This can help motivate you and beat writer’s block.
  • Complete this sentence in 10 different ways: Patrick waited for the school bus and…
  • Pick up a random book from your bookshelf and go to page 9. Find the ninth sentence on that page. Use this sentence as a story starter.
  • Create a character profile based on all the traits that you hate. It might help to list down all the traits first and then work on describing the character.
  • What is the scariest or most dangerous situation you have ever been in? Why was this situation scary? How did you cope at that moment?
  • Pretend that you’re a chat show host and you’re interviewing your favourite celebrity. Write down the script for this conversation.
  • Using extreme detail, write down what you have been doing for the past one hour today. Think about your thoughts, feelings and actions during this time.
  • Make a list of potential character names for your next story. You can use a fantasy name generator to help you.
  • Describe a futuristic setting. What do you think the world would look like in 100 years time?
  • Think about a recent argument you had with someone. Would you change anything about it? How would you resolve an argument in the future?
  • Describe a fantasy world. What kind of creatures live in this world? What is the climate like? What everyday challenges would a typical citizen of this world face? You can use this fantasy world name generator for inspiration.
  • At the flip of a switch, you turn into a dragon. What kind of dragon would you be? Describe your appearance, special abilities, likes and dislikes. You can use a dragon name generator to give yourself a cool dragon name.
  • Pick your favourite book or a famous story. Now change the point of view. For example, you could rewrite the fairytale , Cinderella. This time around, Prince Charming could be the main character. What do you think Prince Charming was doing, while Cinderella was cleaning the floors and getting ready for the ball?
  • Pick a random writing prompt and use it to write a short story. Check out this collection of over 300 writing prompts for kids to inspire you. 
  • Write a shopping list for a famous character in history. Imagine if you were Albert Einstein’s assistant, what kind of things would he shop for on a weekly basis?
  • Create a fake advertisement poster for a random object that is near you right now. Your goal is to convince the reader to buy this object from you.
  • What is the worst (or most annoying) sound that you can imagine? Describe this sound in great detail, so your reader can understand the pain you feel when hearing this sound.
  • What is your favourite song at the moment? Pick one line from this song and describe a moment in your life that relates to this line.
  •  You’re hosting an imaginary dinner party at your house. Create a list of people you would invite, and some party invites. Think about the theme of the dinner party, the food you will serve and entertainment for the evening. 
  • You are waiting to see your dentist in the waiting room. Write down every thought you are having at this moment in time. 
  • Make a list of your greatest fears. Try to think of at least three fears. Now write a short story about a character who is forced to confront one of these fears. 
  • Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for a famous villain of your choice. Think about the crimes they have committed, and the reward you will give for having them caught. 
  • Imagine you are a journalist for the ‘Imagine Forest Times’ newspaper. Your task is to get an exclusive interview with the most famous villain of all time. Pick a villain of your choice and interview them for your newspaper article. What questions would you ask them, and what would their responses be?
  •  In a school playground, you see the school bully hurting a new kid. Write three short stories, one from each perspective in this scenario (The bully, the witness and the kid getting bullied).
  • You just won $10 million dollars. What would you spend this money on?
  • Pick a random animal, and research at least five interesting facts about this animal. Write a short story centred around one of these interesting facts. 
  • Pick a global issue that you are passionate about. This could be climate change, black lives matters, women’s rights etc. Now create a campaign poster for this global issue. 
  • Write an acrostic poem about an object near you right now (or even your own name). You could use a poetry idea generator to inspire you.
  • Imagine you are the head chef of a 5-star restaurant. Recently the business has slowed down. Your task is to come up with a brand-new menu to excite customers. Watch this video prompt on YouTube to inspire you.
  • What is your favourite food of all time? Imagine if this piece of food was alive, what would it say to you?
  • If life was one big musical, what would you be singing about right now? Write the lyrics of your song. 
  • Create and describe the most ultimate villain of all time. What would their traits be? What would their past look like? Will they have any positive traits?
  • Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: Every time I look out of the window, I…
  • You have just made it into the local newspaper, but what for? Write down at least five potential newspaper headlines . Here’s an example, Local Boy Survives a Deadly Illness.
  • If you were a witch or a wizard, what would your specialist area be and why? You might want to use a Harry Potter name generator or a witch name generator for inspiration.
  • What is your favourite thing to do on a Saturday night? Write a short story centred around this activity. 
  • Your main character has just received the following items: A highlighter, a red cap, a teddy bear and a fork. What would your character do with these items? Can you write a story using these items? 
  • Create a timeline of your own life, from birth to this current moment. Think about the key events in your life, such as birthdays, graduations, weddings and so on. After you have done this, you can pick one key event from your life to write a story about. 
  • Think of a famous book or movie you like. Rewrite a scene from this book or movie, where the main character is an outsider. They watch the key events play out, but have no role in the story. What would their actions be? How would they react?
  • Three very different characters have just won the lottery. Write a script for each character, as they reveal the big news to their best friend.  
  • Write a day in the life story of three different characters. How does each character start their day? What do they do throughout the day? And how does their day end?
  •  Write about the worst experience in your life so far. Think about a time when you were most upset or angry and describe it. 
  • Imagine you’ve found a time machine in your house. What year would you travel to and why?
  • Describe your own superhero. Think about their appearance, special abilities and their superhero name. Will they have a secret identity? Who is their number one enemy?
  • What is your favourite country in the world? Research five fun facts about this country and use one to write a short story. 
  • Set yourself at least three writing goals. This could be a good way to motivate yourself to write every day. For example, one goal might be to write at least 150 words a day. 
  • Create a character description based on the one fact, three fiction rule. Think about one fact or truth about yourself. And then add in three fictional or fantasy elements. For example, your character could be the same age as you in real life, this is your one fact. And the three fictional elements could be they have the ability to fly, talk in over 100 different languages and have green skin. 
  • Describe the perfect person. What traits would they have? Think about their appearance, their interests and their dislikes. 
  • Keep a daily journal or diary. This is a great way to keep writing every day. There are lots of things you can write about in your journal, such as you can write about the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of your day. Think about anything that inspired you or anything that upset you, or just write anything that comes to mind at the moment. 
  • Write a book review or a movie review. If you’re lost for inspiration, just watch a random movie or read any book that you can find. Then write a critical review on it. Think about the best parts of the book/movie and the worst parts. How would you improve the book or movie?
  • Write down a conversation between yourself. You can imagine talking to your younger self or future self (i.e. in 10 years’ time). What would you tell them? Are there any lessons you learned or warnings you need to give? Maybe you could talk about what your life is like now and compare it to their life?
  • Try writing some quick flash fiction stories . Flash fiction is normally around 500 words long, so try to stay within this limit.
  • Write a six-word story about something that happened to you today or yesterday. A six-word story is basically an entire story told in just six words. Take for example: “Another football game ruined by me.” or “A dog’s painting sold for millions.” – Six-word stories are similar to writing newspaper headlines. The goal is to summarise your story in just six words. 
  • The most common monsters or creatures used in stories include vampires, werewolves , dragons, the bigfoot, sirens and the loch-ness monster. In a battle of intelligence, who do you think will win and why?
  • Think about an important event in your life that has happened so far, such as a birthday or the birth of a new sibling. Now using the 5 W’s and 1 H technique describe this event in great detail. The 5 W’s include: What, Who, Where, Why, When and the 1 H is: How. Ask yourself questions about the event, such as what exactly happened on that day? Who was there? Why was this event important? When and where did it happen? And finally, how did it make you feel?
  • Pretend to be someone else. Think about someone important in your life. Now put yourself into their shoes, and write a day in the life story about being them. What do you think they do on a daily basis? What situations would they encounter? How would they feel?
  • Complete this sentence in at least 10 different ways: I remember…
  • Write about your dream holiday. Where would you go? Who would you go with? And what kind of activities would you do?
  • Which one item in your house do you use the most? Is it the television, computer, mobile phone, the sofa or the microwave? Now write a story of how this item was invented. You might want to do some research online and use these ideas to build up your story. 
  • In exactly 100 words, describe your bedroom. Try not to go over or under this word limit.
  • Make a top ten list of your favourite animals. Based on this list create your own animal fact file, where you provide fun facts about each animal in your list.
  • What is your favourite scene from a book or a movie? Write down this scene. Now rewrite the scene in a different genre, such as horror, comedy, drama etc.
  •  Change the main character of a story you recently read into a villain. For example, you could take a popular fairytale such as Jack and the Beanstalk, but this time re-write the story to make Jack the villain of the tale.
  • Complete the following sentence in at least 10 different ways: Do you ever wonder…
  • What does your name mean? Research the meaning of your own name, or a name that interests you. Then use this as inspiration for your next story. For example, the name ‘Marty’ means “Servant Of Mars, God Of War”. This could make a good concept for a sci-fi story.
  • Make a list of three different types of heroes (or main characters) for potential future stories.
  • If someone gave you $10 dollars, what would you spend it on and why?
  • Describe the world’s most boring character in at least 100 words. 
  • What is the biggest problem in the world today, and how can you help fix this issue?
  • Create your own travel brochure for your hometown. Think about why tourists might want to visit your hometown. What is your town’s history? What kind of activities can you do? You could even research some interesting facts. 
  • Make a list of all your favourite moments or memories in your life. Now pick one to write a short story about.
  • Describe the scariest and ugliest monster you can imagine. You could even draw a picture of this monster with your description.
  • Write seven haikus, one for each colour of the rainbow. That’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. 
  • Imagine you are at the supermarket. Write down at least three funny scenarios that could happen to you at the supermarket. Use one for your next short story. 
  • Imagine your main character is at home staring at a photograph. Write the saddest scene possible. Your goal is to make your reader cry when reading this scene. 
  • What is happiness? In at least 150 words describe the feeling of happiness. You could use examples from your own life of when you felt happy.
  • Think of a recent nightmare you had and write down everything you can remember. Use this nightmare as inspiration for your next story.
  • Keep a dream journal. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning you can quickly jot down things that you remember from your dreams. These notes can then be used as inspiration for a short story. 
  • Your main character is having a really bad day. Describe this bad day and the series of events they experience. What’s the worst thing that could happen to your character?
  • You find a box on your doorstep. You open this box and see the most amazing thing ever. Describe this amazing thing to your readers.
  • Make a list of at least five possible settings or locations for future stories. Remember to describe each setting in detail.
  • Think of something new you recently learned. Write this down. Now write a short story where your main character also learns the same thing.
  • Describe the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your whole life. Your goal is to amaze your readers with its beauty. 
  • Make a list of things that make you happy or cheer you up. Try to think of at least five ideas. Now imagine living in a world where all these things were banned or against the law. Use this as inspiration for your next story.
  • Would you rather be rich and alone or poor and very popular? Write a story based on the lives of these two characters. 
  • Imagine your main character is a Librarian. Write down at least three dark secrets they might have. Remember, the best secrets are always unexpected.
  • There’s a history behind everything. Describe the history of your house. How and when was your house built? Think about the land it was built on and the people that may have lived here long before you.
  • Imagine that you are the king or queen of a beautiful kingdom. Describe your kingdom in great detail. What kind of rules would you have? Would you be a kind ruler or an evil ruler of the kingdom?
  • Make a wish list of at least three objects you wish you owned right now. Now use these three items in your next story. At least one of them must be the main prop in the story.
  • Using nothing but the sense of taste, describe a nice Sunday afternoon at your house. Remember you can’t use your other senses (i.e see, hear, smell or touch) in this description. 
  • What’s the worst pain you felt in your life? Describe this pain in great detail, so your readers can also feel it.
  • If you were lost on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere, what three must-have things would you pack and why?
  • Particpate in online writing challenges or contests. Here at Imagine Forest, we offer daily writing challenges with a new prompt added every day to inspire you. Check out our challenges section in the menu.

Do you have any more fun creative writing exercises to share? Let us know in the comments below!

creative writing exercises

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

Related Posts

how to create a comic strip

Comments loading...

Existing customer? Sign in

Writing exercises you can do in 10 minutes or less

Writing is an art. Getting better at it requires lots and lots of practice.

Writing is a skill set anyone can improve with a bit of dedication, direction, and practice. The trick is figuring out what actions will truly help you become a better writer and which are simply a waste of time.

One of the best strategies great writers use for improvement are writing exercises — guided written activities that develop specific writing-related skills. The key is to choose daily writing exercises that align with your goals.

Writing skills

Writing is a skill made up of several smaller skills. A few that apply to both nonfiction and fiction writers are:

  • Punctuation
  • Conciseness
  • Organization
  • Idea generation

The best writing exercises focus on helping you improve one or two specific elements at a time. It’s similar to how athletes go to the gym to train certain muscle groups. Impressive performance is the result of targeted practice.

You become great at the big thing (e.g., writing) by becoming gradually better at the small things (e.g., grammar, style, speed, etc.).

We learn how to write well by writing consistently.

Below, you’ll find a list of 8 activities you can try, along with clear directions on how to start them, and short explanations of how each one will help you grow as a writer.

Let’s jump right in.

#1 Transcribe another author’s work

The desire to become a great writer often comes as the result of reading a great piece of writing. It could be a book, letter, speech, or an article.

Two questions generally come to mind for the aspiring writer: How did they do that? and How can I learn to do that too?

One of the best ways to learn from an expert writer is to transcribe their work. There are two ways to approach this exercise.

Directions:

  • Get a copy of the material you want to learn from (e.g., book, article, etc.).
  • Choose a section of the material, like a single chapter or a few paragraphs, to focus on.
  • Option 1: On a physical notebook or sheet of paper, rewrite the text word-for-word.
  • Option 2: On a computer, use a tool like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or Notion to type their content word-for-word.

This practice of transcribing their work will give you a hands-on experience of what their writing feels like. You’ll get an intimate sense of their style, word choice, and organization.

The more you engage in this practice, the more you'll adopt parts of their style as your own. But don't worry about losing your own voice in the process. This exercise will highlight both the good and bad in other writers' styles so that you can pick and choose the elements that make sense for you.

#2 Funnel real reactions into writing

The most difficult part of writing is having something to say. Many writers sit at their stations only to wind up staring at a blank page.

That’s because they haven’t yet understood that creativity is an input-output mechanism. If your input is empty from a lack of reading, conversations, and new experiences – then you’re output will suffer.

However, one way to jumpstart your creative output is by inciting a reaction.

  • Find a news story, trending video, or hit song that stirs up a positive or negative emotion in you.
  • Set a timer for 10-20 minutes.
  • On a piece of paper or computer, begin reacting to the item. Try to write without any breaks until the timer goes off.

When writing out your ideas, feelings, and arguments, remember they don’t need to create a cohesive narrative. The goal is simply to reopen your mind and get the creative words flowing once again.

What you’ll often find is that your reaction writing will generate unrelated ideas you can use for future projects, and you'll leave the exercise feeling unblocked and ready to work on what's next.

#3 Describe an in-person setting

Whether you write nonfiction or fiction, being able to accurately depict people, places, and things will come in handy.

Similar exercises will encourage you to create your own settings and describe what you imagine in your mind’s eye. While this can be helpful to a small degree, it won’t help you capture the true details that bring items to life for readers. To do that, you’ll need in-person exposure.

  • Visit a local coffee shop, museum, or similar location with lots of activity.
  • Spend a few minutes observing your surroundings. No need to look for anything specific, just see what you end up noticing.
  • Next, spend a few minutes writing down the most memorable elements in a bulleted note style. Aim to capture at least a few features for each sense: what do you smell, hear, see, feel, and taste?
  • Later that day, write a paragraph describing the setting using the notes you took earlier.

The goal of this exercise is for the paragraph you write to transport you back to that place. A successful description is rarely an exhaustive one. Instead, it picks and chooses the most important parts that a reader needs to know.

For extra practice, show your paragraphs to your friends and family and ask for their reactions. Did it make them feel like they were there? If not, what could be improved?

#4 Try vocabulary builder prompts

There’s a good way and a bad way to use unfamiliar words in your writing.

The not-so-great method is to string together several large, scholarly words in order to impress your readers. Generally, this only serves to confuse them. A better way is to build your vocabulary so that you can occasionally sprinkle in interesting words that more accurately describe the ideas you’re writing about.

Moderation is key. This method keeps your writing accessible while also giving readers something to discover along the way. So, how do you build a useful vocabulary?

  • Subscribe to a free service like Merriam-Webster’s word of the day or pick up a book like this vocabulary builder .
  • Discover a new word each day.
  • Spend a few minutes writing 3-5 practice sentences that include the word. If possible, try to include the word in another piece of writing you do later in the day.

Realistically, you're not going to remember 100% of the words you learn. Instead, the intention is to build your familiarity with uncommon words so that as you develop your writing and editing skills, you’ll become more comfortable reaching for these terms.

#5 Develop a freewriting habit

A lot of thought goes into most writing. There's research, planning, outlining, drafting, and editing. All of these are necessary. But, pushing all of these to the side, at least temporarily, can lead to surprising results.

There's a practice called stream of consciousness writing (aka freewriting), which tasks creators with the challenge of brain dumping their way into a piece of work. A common form of this practice is morning pages, an activity in which a writer fills up three pages as soon as they wake up in the morning, essentially clearing their mind of any mental clutter, so they're free to work on what matters most.

First, here are the steps to follow for a flexible freewriting exercise.

  • Open a notebook or locate paper and a writing utensil; this exercise works best when done by hand, rather than digitally.
  • Set one of two goals: either to fill up the entire page with words or to write until an alarm sounds (suggested time: 5-10 minutes).
  • Begin quickly writing down any words, ideas, and sentences that come to mind. They do not need to be connected or coherent. The goal is to fill the page with whatever comes out.

Second, here is a video that walks you through the more specific practice of morning pages.

Engaging in freewriting is an excellent way to empty your mind to focus on the task at hand while simultaneously improving your speed at getting ideas out of your head and onto the page.

#6 Brainstorm multiple headlines

Just like writing is a skill made up of many smaller skills, any single piece of writing includes a collection of individual parts.

There are introductions, transitions, and conclusions. Different types of sentences aim to accomplish different objectives. Throughout any article, book, or other writing pieces, small changes can drastically change the tone, voice, and purpose.

One way to practice influencing these individual parts is by brainstorming multiple headlines. These can either be for pieces you have already written, plan to write, or for titles you’ve found online.

  • Start with a complete title, whether it's one you created or found.
  • Experiment with it by changing the words and organization until you have 20-30 different versions. The greater the differences, the more beneficial the exercise will be.
  • Review your iterations and look for patterns that you can implement in other parts of your writing.

Headlines are a great tool to work with because they are standalone bits of content that can significantly impact meaning. As you improve at creating a variety of headlines quickly, you'll be able to apply the same skills to other parts of your writing, such as testing multiple introductions or conclusions.

#7 Edit other people’s writing

Finally, one of the most widely practiced and helpful writing exercises is to edit the writing of others.

Editing is a slightly different skill set than writing and requires creators to approach content with a more analytical lens. Instead of getting an article or chapter finished, the purpose is to make the writing better . Better could mean clearer, more concise, or more complete.

In some cases, good editing adds content. In others, it removes. It all depends on the particular project, paragraph, and sentence at hand, which is why it's a skill set every writer would benefit from refining.

  • Find an unfinished piece of writing to edit. Online writers groups (like Foster.co ) and local meetups are a great way to do this.
  • Start by reading the entire piece to understand what it was trying to accomplish.
  • Next, add notes that would help the writer reach their goal. It's important not to only suggest how you would do it, but to try and put yourself in the other writer's shoes.
  • Afterward, go through the piece again, looking for smaller areas to improve, such as grammatical mistakes and punctuation errors.
  • Always positively word your comments. Writing is difficult, and a little kindness goes a long way.

Although you don’t want to edit while you write, because it will slow you down, developing the skill will unconsciously help you construct cleaner first drafts. Furthermore, you’ll get a better sense of how an editor works so that you can work well together and apply their notes more effectively.

The best exercise

Above all else, the best writing exercise is to create consistently .

As long you carve out time regularly to write, you’ll see your skills improve over time. Targeted exercises can help accelerate your growth, but they should never fully replace doing the work that matters most ( like writing your book or publishing your newsletter ).

The world is waiting for your words, so go get started.

— Read this next —

How to come up with great blog post ideas, every single time

Get trends & tips delivered to you.

A weekly roundup of emerging trends, products and ideas in the creator economy, trusted by 50,000+ readers.

Profile picture

on writing exercise

57 Genius-Sparking Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers

on writing exercise

The best writing exercises for fiction writers are the ones that help you tap into the story you already wanted to tell.

Sometimes we writers get ourselves overwhelmed by the thought that there’s something we “should” be writing. We play fill-in-the-blanks with the supposed formula for a bestseller or obsess over style rules until writing is more confusing than fun. That’s why we need writing exercises.

To be clear, I’m not against formulas. Plot structures , character archetypes , and genre tropes exist to help us create seamless, compelling stories that satisfy expectations.

But writing exercises allow us to step away from the formulas, think purely in terms of creation, and harvest our inner fields of genius.

After all, you are a writer because the urge to tell stories is already within you. There is something you want to communicate, even if you haven’t quite put your finger on it, yet.

A great writing exercise helps a fiction writer like you pinpoint that something. It helps you find inspiration in the world around you and connect it with the deeper purpose that drives you. It can even help you improve your voice and style without having to analyze the living daylights out of these elements.

And lucky you! We’ve put together 57 writing exercises just for you. Whether you need help finding story ideas, fleshing out a work in progress, or advancing your prose, you’ll find something here that does the trick.

What’s the Point of Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers?

Close-up of a paper in a typewriter with a poem typed on it.

Unlike, say, math exercises, writing exercises are designed to spark unique responses. There are no correct answers here. There’s only the vast sea of your imagination, washing magical objects up onto the shore when you summon its waves.

Or whatever.

Writing exercises can fulfill a wide range of purposes (more on that in a moment), but one thing they all have in common is they’re meant to inspire new ideas. In many cases, they also challenge you to add complexity or nuance to your storytelling.

And—my favorite benefit—they help you stay connected to the joy of creativity even through the tedious, pride-crushing editing process .

When to Do Writing Exercises

A person with a ponytail writes in a journal with their feet propped up on a table filled with books and notebooks.

Do writing exercises whenever you need them! Seriously. All writing exercises fulfill at least one of these four needs:

  • Inspiration to get started
  • Help getting unstuck
  • A guide for perfecting your craft
  • Something to reignite creative enthusiasm

That pretty much covers every conceivable goal you might have when you sit down to write.

Not sure what to write about? Do a writing exercise. Your scene description reads like you vomited a thesaurus onto the page? Writing exercise. Discouraged, bored, or distracted? You know what to do.

You can even use a writing exercise as a warm-up before every writing session. The possibilities are endless.

Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers

Okay, let’s get to the goods. Here are 57 writing exercises for fiction writers, organized by category. Some prompts are designed to help you come up with new ideas, while others are meant to help you go deeper on an existing project.

Try the exercises that speak to you, skip the ones that don’t, and adapt anything to meet your needs.  

Story Ideas

A man sits in the doorway of a green tent, looking at his phone.

  • Start a story folder. Anytime you come across an article, social media post, or even an ad that sparks thoughts like, “I wonder what that was like,” or “I wonder what happened next,” cut it out or print it out. Put it in a folder. When you need inspiration, open the folder, pick an item, and write the part of the story the article doesn’t show.
  • Look at your own life and ask “What if?” Imagine if you’d made a different decision or if your biggest worry (or biggest dream) actually had come true. Write that story.
  • Try a modern day retelling of a myth or fairy tale.
  • Here’s a fun question: what’s going on in your life right now in a parallel universe? Write that story.
  • Wander an art museum and find a work of art that speaks to you. What’s the story here? Even if the art is three hundred years old and you don’t write historical fiction, identify a narrative, theme, or emotion. Place it in the modern day (or whenever your stories take place) and get writing. 
  • Choose three objects at random, then look them up in a dream dictionary . Write down what each object symbolizes and imagine the person who would dream about them. What is the dreamer going through? Build a story from there.
  • Start with a character goal . Write down an obstacle that makes reaching that goal hard. Think of a bigger obstacle that makes it even harder. Do that again three more times. Find an obstacle so big you’re not sure how your protagonist can get around it. Build your story from there.
  • Write the last line of your favorite book. This is the first line of your story. Keep writing.
  • Think of an invention you wish existed. Who would invent it? Tell their story.
  • Start with a problem. A shocking murder, a struggling marriage, melting ice caps… anything. Now create a character who seems like the least likely person to solve this problem. Explain why they’re actually the best candidate for the job. 
  • Search your soul. What ideas do you feel strongly about? What societal issues weigh on your mind? What do you think is the best or worst thing about being a human in the world? What makes you laugh? What does it mean to hope? Love? Rescue someone else? Rescue yourself? Once you find the themes that tug at you, find the story.
  • Someone is cleaning out their garage, and it’s a bigger deal than it seems. What are they hiding, clearing out, or preparing for?
  • A hurricane has trapped two people together in a tiny island airport. They have opposing goals, personalities, or viewpoints. What happens?

Two women dressed as flappers—one in a red dress and one in a green dress—smile together in an urban setting.

  • Take a walk or go to a park. Find a really cool tree. Write about its shape, angles, health, stature, movement, scent… whatever stands out to you. Then use the same descriptions to write about a new character .
  • Eavesdrop on a conversation in a public place. Zero in on one specific person. Listen until you have a grasp on their voice. Then write a completely different conversation involving that person.
  • Remove a random object from your junk drawer. This is the most important thing to someone. Write about that person and why the object is so valuable to them.
  • Explore your character’s signature style. Take inspiration from television characters, magazines, and friends as needed. Write a description of your character’s three favorite outfits and how they feel in those clothes. (For a little help, check out our article on clothing description.)
  • What was the defining moment that made your character the person they are at the start of your story? Write that scene.
  • What’s something your character feels very strongly about? Write their rant.
  • Someone else is toasting (or roasting) your character. Write their speech.
  • What is the opinion, desire, fear, or behavior that makes your character unique? Write about it from their point of view. Keep digging until you hit on the universal emotion at the core of that seemingly unusual trait.
  • Imagine someone who would be the polar opposite of your character. Describe them: how they look, what they love, what they hate, what they believe… everything. Then pick one trait and make it part of your character. 
  • Write a dialogue between you and your character . You’re giving them a heads-up about the flaws they can’t see in themselves. How do they take it? Are they ready for this conversation?
  • Write your protagonist’s one-sentence definition of love. Do the same for every character in your story.
  • Who does your character love most in the world? Write a scene showing where that relationship is ten years after the story ends. If that person is no longer in the character’s life, write a scene from each person’s life without the other.

An overhead view of seven friends clinking glasses over a meal.

  • Rewrite the climactic scene of your favorite book from the antagonist’s point of view.
  • Write a tense, dialogue-only scene where your characters never really say what they’re really mad about.
  • What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist? Write a scene where it happens and make their most trusted friend the reason it happens. (I know it hurts. Try it, anyway.)
  • What is something your protagonist would never, ever do. Now make it something they have to do to reach their goal.
  • Write a scene that makes your reader think everything is going to be okay. Put it immediately before the most devastating scene of your story. See what that does.
  • Write about the biggest mistake your protagonist has ever made in their pre-story life. Then decide what mistake they can make within the story that is even bigger than that.
  • Revisit a scene where a character gets bad news. Make the news worse. See what happens.
  • Write an apology letter to your character. Tell them you’re sorry for all the misery you are about to put them through. Explain why it’s necessary for the story—why you can’t hold back or solve all their problems immediately. Let them forgive you. Forgive yourself. Writing is brutal.
  • Write a monologue in which your character confesses what they hate most about themselves. Don’t add the monologue to your book, but see what happens if you give that same quality to the antagonist.
  • Write the villain’s most painful memory from their point of view. Keep writing at least until you feel genuine empathy for your villain . Read the memory every time you are about to write a scene between your villain and hero.
  • Pick a scene that’s already heavy with conflict and throw a little nature into the mix. It can be as small as an obnoxious gust of wind or as destructive as a tornado. It just has to be an antagonistic force that cannot be controlled or persuaded to back off.

An empty cafe patio with small, round tables, soft lighting, a wooden back gate, and greenery overhead.

  • Think about your favorite vacation spot. Look up their local online newspaper and get a sense of what life is like there. Write about a community event from the perspective of someone who was born there. 
  • Think of a place that is incredibly familiar to you. Imagine it, or—if you can—go there. Describe it like you’re discovering it for the first time.
  • Write about the place where your character feels the safest.
  • Write about the place where your protagonist feels like an outsider.
  • Take a tour of your home like you’re at an estate sale or open house. Draw conclusions about the people who live here.
  • Write a scene where something huge happens in a small place or something small happens in a huge place.
  • Write a scene in which the setting is important. You can describe exactly five details about the setting. Which five do you pick to give the reader the most vivid image? How can you use dialogue or character actions to deepen the sense of place?
  • Think of a place that makes you feel big feelings. Describe that place, trying to get the reader to feel what you feel without using any emotion words.
  • Describe a setting that embodies isolation. Terror. Hope. Anticipation. Security. Adventure. Menace.
  • Do an Internet search for “abandoned places.” Pick one. Write a scene that takes place there either in the present day, in that location’s heyday, or at the time when it became abandoned.

Bonus Writing Exercise Photo: A person standing at the edge of a sharp mountain ridge, surrounded by thick fog.

  • Pick a scene from your story. Find every abstract description in your narration—any instance where you talk about an emotion or a “vibe.” Replace it with something concrete that creates the same feeling. (Example: “The guy was creepy” becomes, “He didn’t break eye contact as he wiped his hands on his bloodstained shirt.”)
  • Highlight all the adverbs in one scene. Delete each one. If it feels like they’re needed to clarify the adjectives or verbs they describe, try finding better adjectives or adverbs.
  • Try the exercise above but with adjectives. When you remove an adjective, can you replace the noun it describes with a more specific noun? “Louboutins” instead of “expensive shoes”?
  • Get wild and reckless with language. Make a list of ten nouns. Then write a scene using all ten nouns as verbs. Have your protagonist “flashlight” a memory or attempt to “drywall” someone’s reputation. Don’t worry if it works; just play. 
  • Think of a real-life person whose voice you know very well. Rewrite the first page of your story as in that voice. Then write the page one more time in your own narrative voice. Has anything changed from your original version? 
  • Rewrite a scene as a poem, twelve lines maximum. When you have to recreate your scene as something much shorter and (probably) more emotionally driven, what do you discover? What is the core story at the heart of this scene? How do you draw that out of your prose?
  • Choose a mundane thing you do every day. Write a story or scene where this action takes center stage as a symbol of something greater.
  • Choose ten textbooky words from a textbook. Words like “theorem,” “chlorophyll,” or “gerrymandering.” Work them into a scene that is not about that topic.
  • Buy a postcard. Write a message on it from an imaginary sender. In that one message, tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end .
  • Go to your local hardware store and get a bunch of color chips from the paint section. Organize them by character. Who would wear cupcake pink ? Whose apartment would be painted in glacial stream ? Add one color to each of your characters’ worlds. 
  • Read. Write down sentences that stun you. Explain what you like about them. Read them again before your next writing session.

When in Doubt, Try Fanfiction

On a grand, philosophical level, fanfiction is a beautiful testament to the way we connect with one another’s stories. On a practical, writerly level, it’s a darn good way to sharpen your storytelling skills.

I was about to disclose that I have never actually written fanfiction myself, but then I remembered that Anne of Green Gables / Little House on the Prairie hybrid play I wrote when I was about nine. My cousin and I performed it for our grandma, and I’ll have you know: she loved it. As for me, it was a useful writing exercise, because it allowed me to play with elements that already worked.

With fanfiction, you’re starting with compelling characters whose rich backstories are already known to you. The world and its rules are clear as day. You’re clear on motivations and goals. All the pieces are there for you to play with. You can take things apart, rearrange them, and reconstruct them.

It’s a hands-on way to understand why things work. Not to mention, it’s not unheard of for a work of fanfiction to morph into its own successful series .

Where Do Your Best Ideas Come From?

Two women sitting at a table behind microphones, doing a podcast interview.

People will ask you this someday. A lot. When you’re on your book tour or being interviewed on television, people will want to know where you get your ideas.

For most writers, this is a semi-impossible question. Our best ideas are often a weird soup made from childhood memories, song lyrics, and the evening news. And of course, writing exercises.

If you need somewhere to manage that mess of ingredients, I recommend Dabble . Between the Character Notes, Story Notes, Plot Grid, Comments, and Stickies, there are plenty of tools for organizing your bursts of inspiration as you plan and as you draft. Bonus: you can try all the Premium Features for free for fourteen days without involving your credit card. Just click here.

‍ And even if you’re not ready to become a full-fledged Dabbler, you can still find inspiration and support in the Story Craft Café community. It’s free, and it rocks.

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

SHARE THIS:

on writing exercise

TAKE A BREAK FROM WRITING...

Read. learn. create..

on writing exercise

When it comes to improving the quality of your prose and your story's readability, few are as capable as line editors. In this article, we discuss what line editing is, how it helps, and what working with a line editor is like.

on writing exercise

Whether you're looking for a fresh fantasy story idea or just need a bit of prompting to unclog that writer's block, we've got your back with 50 different ideas spread across five different categories: worldbuilding, characters, plot, twists, and magic.

on writing exercise

While memoirs and autobiographies share many characteristics, but they are far from the same. What are the differences? Find out in this article.

NEW VIDEO COURSE 🎉

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months . Learn more →

✍️ 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

This curated directory of creative writing exercises was conceived thanks to a collaboration between the top writing blogs of 2024. Use the filters to find and practice specific techniques — and show that blank page who’s boss!

We found 119 exercises that match your search 🔦

The Hammer and the Hatchet

A stranger walks into the general store and buys a hammer, a hatchet, some rope, and an apple. What does he do with them?

Writer's Block

Picket fence.

Describe your house - or the dream house you hope to get some day.

Telephone Directory

It is commonly known that a telephone directory might be the most boring text in the entire world. Here is your challenge: write a page of a telephone directory and figure out SOME way to make it interesting.

on writing exercise

NEW VIDEO COURSE

Your story matters. Unlock your potential with daily video lessons from bestselling ghostwriter Tom Bromley, and finish your first draft in just 3 months. Learn more →

Pick a fiction book from your shelf. Go to page eight and find the eighth sentence on the page. Start with that sentence and write an eight-line poem that connects in some way to your work-in-progress. For instance, write from the POV of a character, or set the poem in a story setting. Don't worry about poetry forms. Just write eight lines of any length that flow and explore some aspect of character, setting, or theme.

  • Why are you grumpy? I have a hangover.
  • Why do you have a hangover? My friend was in a bad accident and I thought he might die?
  • Why did you think he might die? His girlfriend lied to me about how serious the accident was.
  • Why did she lie about that? She's jealous of our relationship.
  • Why? I think she's insecure and has trust issues.

Character Development

The ellen degeneres show.

A talk show is scripted to promote the guest and discuss topics with which the guest is comfortable. Imagine your protagonist on the Ellen Degeneres Show (or The Late Show With Stephen Colbert - whichever show you're familiar with). What questions would be asked of your protagonist? What funny anecdotes would your protagonist share? Write down the reactions of both your protagonist and the host.

  • You could say it began with a phone call."
  • Michael had watched them both for weeks."
  • She remembered the way it was the first time she saw the prison."
  • Midsummer, no time to be in New Orleans."
  • With the dawn came the light."

Thank you to all our contributors: Almost An Author, Alyssa Hollingsworth, Anne R. Allen, Bang2Write, Christopher Fielden, Darcy Pattinson, Elizabeth S. Craig, Flogging The Quill, Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips, Helping Writers Become Authors, Katie McCoach, Lauren Carter, Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Mandy Wallace, NaNoWriMo, Nail Your Novel, Novel Publicity, One Stop For Writers, Pro Writing Aid, PsychWriter, re:Fiction, The Journal, The Writer’s Workshop, Well-Storied, Women On Writing, writing.ie, Writing-World.com!

Find the perfect editor for your next book

Over 1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

We have an app for that

Build a writing routine with our free writing app.

Reedsy Marketplace UI

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

Authority Self-Publishing

35 Writing Exercises For Adults To Drastically Improve Your Writing

How do beginners practice writing ?

Here you are as an adult who’s decided to make writing an essential part of your life. 

However little practice you’ve had until now, it’s not too late to become a writer.

It’s as simple (and challenging) as showing up every day to write something .

Getting started on your daily writing can be tricky, though–especially if it’s not a habit yet. 

That’s why we’ve rounded up this collection of 35 fun writing exercises for adults. 

What Exercises Can I Do to Improve My Writing Skills? 

We’re not talking about writing prompts (which are also helpful). Writing exercises usually focus on a specific type of writing to help you develop your skills.

The list in this post offers a variety of fiction writing exercises, each dealing with one or more of the following: 

  • Sensory Description
  • Character Development
  • Emotions 
  • Poetry 

Since there’s plenty of room for overlap with these types, the list below doesn’t separate them. You can choose, though, to focus on one specific type for each exercise.

If you’re still wondering, “How do I start writing as an adult?” the answer is to do just that: start writing. We all have to start somewhere. The older you are when you begin, the more experiences you can draw from for your writing material. 

35 Writing Exercises for Adults 

What better way to get started and build a daily writing habit than with some easy writing exercises?

Look through the list below and start with the one that gets your mind immediately working on ideas. Don’t worry if those ideas quiet down the moment you begin.

Take a deep breath (or two) and write whatever comes to mind. 

1. Write up to ten emotions on as many strips of paper and put them in a container. Choose an object, and then pick out one of the pieces of paper. Write about the object from the perspective of a character feeling that emotion. Or write a journal entry for a character, expressing that emotion and explaining why they feel it. 

2. Start with a blank page and whatever is on your mind, and just write. This is a stream of consciousness exercise where you just let the thoughts pour onto the page without worrying about grammar , spelling, or technique. The point is to just get the words flowing without interruption. Choose the topic , and run with it.

3. Take one of your works in progress or a story you’ve enjoyed reading, and write from the perspective of one of its characters. It can be the protagonist, the chief antagonist, or anyone else. Get into the character’s head and write freely about the story or another character from their point of view. 

4. Choose a creative writing prompt for the day and write for a solid five minutes using whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about how it sounds or whether you think it’s bestseller material. The point here isn’t to write something masterful; it’s to help you get used to writing without a filter. Editing is not part of this. 

5. Imagine you’ve gone back in time, and you have the opportunity to say something to your younger self. Write about how that encounter would go and what, if anything, you would say to warn them about a pivotal decision you remember making. Would you encourage them to choose differently? Or would you just be there for yourself?

6. Write a fake advertisement for a roommate, a job, a product of your own making, or whatever you want. Have fun with it. You can even advertise yourself, offering your services as a memoir writer , a food tester, an interior designer, or whatever. It doesn’t have to be something you’re good at. 

writing exercises for adults

7. Write a short blog post from the perspective of one of your story characters — or any character you choose from a TV series, a movie, or a story you’ve enjoyed reading. Write about something they’ve learned, something they want to do, or someone who’s on their mind a lot lately. 

8. Describe your ideal home office using as much sensory detail as possible. Include the color scheme, the decorating style and type of furniture, the smells from candles or fresh flowers, the taste of your favorite working beverage and/or snacks, and the tactile sensations you experience while working in that room. 

9. Pick a number between one and ten. Choose a book from your shelf and go to that number page and to that number line on the page. Use it as a prompt for a poem and take it in whatever direction you choose. Don’t worry about technique. Write the words that come as a sort of free association exercise.

10. Your character comes to you with a problem. Your job, for this exercise, is to keep asking the question, “Why?” and writing down whatever they give as their answer. If they get exasperated (and rude), you can go with that, too. Make the words fit your character. And don’t be afraid to go deep. 

11. Pretend you’re a talk show host, and your special guest is the protagonist or antagonist of a favorite story or your own work in progress. Record your conversation as a dialogue, and don’t be afraid to ask personal or challenging questions. Let your guest answer in a way that fits their character. 

12. You’ve gone to a party with a favorite story character, and they’ve had a bit too much to drink. What might they say or do when they’re less inhibited? Record a conversation you have with their drunken self or describe a scene they create while under the influence. And what are the consequences? 

13. Describe an unexpectedly romantic scene between two characters. Start with something mundane and have one of the characters say something unexpected — either from a sudden rush of emotion or because they’re distracted and not thinking about the words coming out. Write about what happens between them.

14. Write a detailed description of the room you’re in right now. What details stand out for you, and why do they matter? What would you change if you could? What can you do today or this week to make this room better for writing in? Or what do you love about this room that no other room has?

15. Your character steps through a portal into a place of your choosing. Describe it using words to set a particular mood . How does your character feel as they walk deeper into the scene? Are they afraid, curious, hungry, sad, or something else? And how does that emotion affect their perception of their surroundings? 

writing exercises for adults

16. Write a dialogue between two characters who keep misinterpreting each other’s words and nonverbal cues, thanks to their own distorted self-perception. Is one of them convinced the other finds them unattractive or annoying? Is the other trying to work up the nerve to ask them out? Add descriptions of body language. 

More Related Articles

75 Of The Best Fiction Writing Prompts For All Writers

47 Character Development Prompts To Flesh Out Your Book Characters

99 Fun Flash Fiction Writing Prompts

17. Use your phone or computer to record yourself talking about whatever is on your mind, e ither from your perspective or that of a favorite character. When you’ve done this for at least five minutes (set a timer), use the text-to-speech function to transcribe what you’ve recorded. 

18. Recall your text-to-speech exercise and pretend you’re taking down your thoughts (or your character’s thoughts) from mental dictation. Use a prompt, if it helps, and record their stream-of-consciousness thinking process without editing or filtering any of the content. Write exactly as you (or they) talk. 

19. Imagine you’ve just inherited or won a huge, life-changing sum of money, and you’re discussing it with someone close to you. What ideas do both of you have for its use? Do you disagree on how best to manage the money? Or are you both finally able to do something you’ve wanted to do — together or separately? 

20. Find the day’s Twitter #vss word prompt (140 characters or fewer) and write something using that word — a brief dialogue, a pivotal moment, a shocking advertisement, etc. Write as many as you like, and, if you have a Twitter account, share one with your followers, making sure to include #vss and other relevant tags.

21. Choose a character and write about something they’re ashamed of. How did they learn to be ashamed of it? Who in that character’s past contributed to that? And what could another character do to help them confront that shame and heal from it? What, if anything, does this character need to hear, admit, or do to overcome it?

22. If you or one of your characters becomes physically ill at the prospect of doing something or going somewhere , what’s causing this immediate onset of physical symptoms, and how exactly do they manifest? What could you or your character do to change the way you respond to this perceived threat?

23. Write a letter to yourself to read a year from now. Write as if you’ve accomplished all the things you want to do over the next 12 months. Describe how your life has changed and what you love about it. What changes have you made and undergone that you’re proud of? Where did you begin with the changes?

24. Write about a dialogue between you and an important person in your life. Add any sensory details and body language you remember. What emotions did you feel, and how did this conversation affect you? What did you realize that you expressed to the other person—or that you couldn’t put into words? 

25. Put yourself in a character’s shoes and write about the moment they realized they were in love with someone. What were they thinking and feeling in that moment? What did they do with those feelings? And how did it affect their next interaction with that person? Were they free to express what they were feeling? 

26. Find a small box and tape it securely shut. Let your imagination run loose and write about what’s in the box and why you can’t risk opening it (at least not until the time is right). Or write about what will happen when the box is opened and its contents revealed. What or whom are you protecting? 

27. Describe your perfect bedroom down to the smallest sensory detail. What do you love most about it—the colors, the bedding, the furniture, the closet, etc.? What descriptive words come to mind when you think of that space? Whom do you allow to enter that room (as long as you’re there and they knock first)? 

28. Create a timeline of important moments in a character’s life. What experiences shaped them as a person? What pivotal moments have contributed to the life they live now? What choices have they made that led them to where they are? How might you explain their biggest fears or characteristic tendencies? 

29. If you’re writing a story, describe a pivotal moment from the perspective of an outsider who witnessed that moment but is not part of the story . What do they notice that your characters do not? How do they interpret the situation since, as an outsider, they’re not privy to important background information? 

30. Take a character of your own making (or someone else’s) and put them through something that pushes their limits and deeply affects them, leaving them uncertain as to how to make sense of it. Show how it changes their perspective and their behavior from that point forward. 

31. Brainstorm a list of at least five ideas for something related to a story you’re writing: five surprising or defining facts about your main character, five things your antagonist would do to mess with your protagonist , five important details about your story’s setting, five ways your main character could get what they want, etc. 

32. Choose a book written by an author you admire and write about an important moment in your life using the voice from a particular character in that book (protagonist, villain, etc.). How would they express what they’re feeling or how they’re inclined to react? What would they do that you would not—or vice-versa?

33. Describe in detail the kind of relationship you want for yourself. Make a list of must-haves and of nice-to-have qualities in a partner. You can also pretend you’re writing a profile description for an online dating site. Or write a letter to your current or future partner about what you really want to have with them. 

34. Pick one of your characters and describe the best day of their life in detail. What made it their best day ever? When did it happen, and how? Have they tried to recreate that day more recently? And if so, how did it go? What (if anything) went wrong? Or what happened as an unintended consequence? 

35. Write down three random nouns, four adjectives, two verbs, and one adverb for a Mad Libs exercise. Now, write at least 500 words of a story that uses all ten of those words. It doesn’t have to make sense. In fact, the goofier, the better. This can be a self-contained story or the first chapter of a longer one. 

Now that you’ve looked through all 35 creative writing exercises, which ones stood out for you? And which one will you try today? The goal here is to get you so comfortable with writing it becomes second nature. 

You don’t need perfect; you just need to start somewhere. 

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

16 Best Writing Exercises To Improve Your Writing

on writing exercise

Alana Chase

on writing exercise

Whether you’re an established professional or a wordsmith in the making, writing exercises are hugely beneficial.

​​In fact, as a professional writing agency, we’ve seen firsthand how writing exercises can help you master your craft and write with greater confidence.

That’s why we put together this list of our favorite and most effective exercises for writers.

Think of it like a full-body workout routine for your creative muscles. Different exercises target different skills, building them up and keeping them strong. Below, you’ll find writing exercises to break through writer’s block, boost your creativity, develop your voice, and master the fundamentals of writing — all while having fun. We’ve even included “Level Up” challenges to push your writing skills even further.

Before you get started

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of writing exercises:

  • Exercise during your “prime writing time,” before other writing tasks. This is when you’re most focused and productive — whether that’s the early morning, middle of the day, or late evening. You’ll harness your peak creativity and get a nice warm-up. 
  • Write in a designated space. This can be anywhere you’d like — your bedroom or home office, a local café, or a park nearby. Having a designated space for writing makes it easier for your brain to switch into creative mode.
  • Set clear goals. Think about what you want to achieve and choose exercises accordingly. You might want to practice explaining complex topics in simple terms, for example, or using descriptive language.
  • Keep an open mind. These exercises are meant to push you out of your comfort zone. Stay open to unexpected ideas, go with the flow, and be comfortable with being un comfortable. Just as muscles grow through resistance, your skills will develop as you challenge yourself and try new things.
  • Don’t overexert yourself. You may be tempted to tackle multiple exercises at a time, but be careful to avoid burnout. If you're doing an exercise before paid work, it's important you don't use up all your energy. Take short breaks between exercises, and only do a few at a time.

Best exercises to improve your writing

Now, let’s enter the “Writer’s Gym” and explore 16 exercises to improve your writing.

1. Freewrite, then condense by half

How it works: Ignites creativity and strengthens concision and self-editing skills.

Pick any topic you like, set a five-minute timer, and write whatever comes to mind. Don’t stop until the timer goes off. 

Once time’s up, read through your free-written text and reset the timer. Rewrite your text in half as many words, conveying the same message or theme.

2. The noun + verb exercise

How it works: Provides a launchpad for new work and teaches simplicity in storytelling.

“Take any noun, put it with any verb, and you have a sentence. It never fails.” — Stephen King

Inspired by a quote from Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft , this exercise is simple but effective: Pair a random noun with a random verb to form a sentence. Then, use this to begin a new piece of writing. 

Here’s an example: 

• Marienne [noun] + panicked [verb] → Marienne panicked. She felt her heart beat hard, blood rushing to her face, as the detective approached her. Did he suspect she was guilty?

3. Use random words, prompts, or plots

How it works: Encourages creative thinking, expands your vocabulary, and improves your ability to overcome writer’s block.

One of the best ways to get your creative juices flowing is to use random words, prompts, or plots as a starting point. 

Many writers do it — and one even got a Grammy-winning result! When music producer Rick Rubin was working with the band System of a Down on a song, they were stuck on lyrics. Rubin told lead singer Serj Tankian to grab a book off his bookshelf, open ‌it to a random page, and say the first phrase he saw. Tankian did, and the phrase became a key part of the band’s smash hit, “Chop Suey!”, which won a Grammy in 2002. 

Here are a few of our favorite resources and generators for random words, prompts, and plots:

  • Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day : Write a paragraph using the word of the day, or build an entire scene around it.
  • WordCounter’s Random Word Generator : Request a string of random words and create a custom list of the ones you like most. Then, incorporate all your chosen words into a new piece of writing.
  • Reedsy’s Plot Generator : Pick a genre — or let Reedsy choose one for you — and get details about a protagonist, secondary character, plot, and plot twist. Craft a short story using this information. 
  • ChatGPT : Ask the AI tool, “Provide me a list of 5 random writing prompts.” See what it generates, and write in response to the most interesting one.
  • Squibler’s Random Prompt Generator : Generate a writing prompt, select how many minutes (3-60) or words (75-1,667) you want to spend writing, and write directly within Squibler. There’s even a “hardcore mode” that hides your text until you reach your time or word goal.

4. Adopt a new perspective

How it works: Expands your narrative range and lets you see your writing from other perspectives.

Write in a perspective you don’t usually use. 

For example, if you usually write in the first person (using I/me/my pronouns), challenge yourself to write a scene or explain a topic in the second person instead (from the reader’s point of view, using you/your/yours pronouns).

Or, if you normally write in the first or second person, try writing in the third person, using he/her/they/it pronouns as a narrator separate from the text.

5. Write a letter

How it works: Encourages clear, concise expression and gets you comfortable with more personable writing.

Select a person you’re familiar with — a friend, relative, or even your past self — and write them a letter. Tell them a story, explain your viewpoint on a topic, or share a recent experience. Limit yourself to a single page.

6. The “I remember…” exercise 

How it works: Lets you access deeper emotions and personal experiences, which can make your writing more authentic. 

We discovered this exercise through memoirist and novelist Dani Shapiro . She shared it after reading Joe Brainard’s memoir I Remember , in which every paragraph (usually a single sentence) begins with “I remember.”

In this exercise, you’ll mirror Brainard’s method: Begin with “I remember,” write a sentence, and then build off it with another sentence beginning with “I remember.”

“We discover what we know through what we write on the page,” Shapiro explains. “Every single time you do this exercise, it’ll come out differently.”

7. Write your dialogue like a script

How it works: Hones your ability to create distinct voices and teaches you good conversational flow.

Craft a conversation between two characters without using dialogue tags — e.g., “I said,” “James whispered,” “you answered,” etc. — as if you were writing a script.

Novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin recommends this as a solid approach to writing dialogue. He even uses this exercise with his writing students .

“Invent whatever you want. Write a speech for each [character]. … Make each speech sound different from the other so you can instantly know just from the words [who’s speaking],” Martin instructs. “If they all sound the same, you have a problem.”

8. Constrain your word count

How it works: Promotes concision and clarity by encouraging you to choose your words wisely.

Embrace the art of microfiction by writing a complete story in under 500 words.

9. The “ELI5” exercise

How it works: Strengthens clarity, improves your skills in expressing complex ideas simply, and encourages you to think of your audience.

“ELI5” stands for “Explain Like I’m 5” and comes from the subreddit of the same name . There, users explain facts and ideas as if they were speaking to a five-year-old — or, more practically, the average person.

For this exercise, take the ELI5 practice and apply it to your writing: Describe a concept, scene, or event in a way a layperson could understand. Follow the official ELI5 rules: “Avoid unexplained technical terms,” “don’t condescend,” and “keep it clear and simple.”

10. Avoid adjectives and adverbs

How it works: Trains you to avoid writing “crutches” and use stronger nouns and verbs instead.

Create a scene, explain a topic, or describe an event without using any adjectives (words that describe nouns, like “ beautiful dress”) or adverbs (words that modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and sentences, like “sang loudly ”). Use strong verbs and nouns in their place.

For example: 

“The moon was snow-white [adjective] and bright [adjective] against the inky [adjective] sky.” → “The moon glowed against the sky.”

“The cat ran [verb] quickly [adverb] into the house.” → “The cat darted into the house.” 

Sci-fi author Ursula K. Le Guin recommends this exercise in her book Steering the Craft . “The point is to give a vivid description of a scene or an action using only verbs, nouns, pronouns, and articles,” she writes.

11. Rewrite a Wikipedia article

How it works: Lets you practice adjusting tone and adapting writing for different audiences.

Wikipedia articles are pretty to the point — but they can also feel somewhat stiff or formal in tone. That makes them the perfect starting point for an exercise in adjusting tone.

Head to Wikipedia, click the menu on the left-hand side of the screen, and tap Random article . This will generate a completely random article. (You can keep clicking Random article until you land on one that interests you.)

Select a few paragraphs from the article and rewrite them in a friendly, casual tone. Think, “How would I describe this information to a friend?”

12. Complete the Proust Questionnaire

How it works: Fosters a deeper understanding of your narrator and your audience, which can help you write more authentically and better connect with readers.

French essayist and novelist Marcel Proust popularized the Proust Questionnaire after answering a series of questions in a parlor game called a “confession album.” The questionnaire is like a personality quiz, meant to reveal the answerer’s true nature. These days, it’s commonly used as an interview tool and writing exercise.

For a writing exercise, complete the Proust Questionnaire as your work's narrator (even if it’s you!) or target audience. This will leave you with a “character sketch” for your narrator or a “persona” for your audience.

You can find the Proust Questionnaire here .

13. Write mock advertisements

How it works: Sharpens your persuasive writing skills and lets you practice using different tones.

In this exercise, you’ll write two ads for a fictional product. Your goal is to persuade your reader to buy it. Think of your own imaginary product, or use an online product name generator if you get stuck.

First, write an ad that would appear in print, like in a magazine or newspaper. These charge per word for ads, so you’ll need to make every word count. Try limiting yourself to 100 words or fewer, and use a more direct, professional tone.

Next, create an ad that would be shared online, such as on social media. For this one, aim for 250 words maximum and use a friendlier, more relaxed tone.

14. Focus on a single sense

How it works: Develops your descriptive language skills and encourages you to make your writing more engaging.

Pick one of the five senses — smell, sight, taste, touch, or sound — and describe how you’re experiencing it in the moment. What can you smell, see, taste, feel, or hear? Spend five minutes freewriting, using as much detail as possible. 

15. Start at the end

How it works: Improves your understanding of good writing structure, logical flow, and impactful introductions and conclusions.

In this exercise, you’ll write out of order, starting with the conclusion and working backward until you reach the introduction. 

To begin, find a piece of writing — a blog article, news piece, research paper, short story, novel, etc. — and go to its ending. Copy its final paragraph. Think of how the text might have progressed to reach this conclusion. How did it begin? What unfolded along the way?

Then, reverse engineer the text in 10 paragraphs or fewer. Consider how each paragraph builds on the previous one and supports the argument or narrative.

16. Create a reverse outline

How it works: Refines your skills in structure, organization, and coherence and encourages you to critically evaluate your work.

You’ll need a finished draft to complete this exercise. Carefully read your draft and, on a new page, write a one-sentence summary of each paragraph. Then, turn your list of sentences into a bulleted or numbered list. Voilà — you have a reverse outline.

Next, read your outline and ask yourself, “Are my ideas well-organized? Do all my points relate to my main argument? Is there no repeated information?” Revisit your draft if you answer “no” to any of these questions.

All writers can improve their skills with practice and dedication. By completing writing exercises, you can develop creativity and confidence in your craft — without it feeling like a chore.

We’ve shared our picks for the best writing exercises so you can start flexing your creative muscles today. Remember to write when you’re most productive, in a designated space, at a comfortable pace, and with an open mind.

• To learn more about improving your writing, visit Eleven’s Grammar Hub and explore our writing and editing guides . You can also sign up for Eleven’s Freelance Writing Mastery course .

With over 10 years’ experience in editing and editorial team management, Alana serves as Eleven's Head of Editing, aiding editors in creating top-quality content and overseeing recruitment to ensure only the best of the best join Eleven’s ranks. A seasoned digital journalist and writer, Alana holds an MA in Creative Writing and is accomplished in spearheading content strategy at high-growth media startups.

Sign up for early access to our course. Learn to future-proof against AI, command higher rates, and land your dream jobs.

Receive insider tips straight to your inbox.

The latest from the Eleven blog

From writing and editing to strategy and marketing, our expert team answers the biggest questions in online content.

on writing exercise

6 Takeaways From Semrush’s 2024 Ranking Factors Study

on writing exercise

How to Become a Better Writer: 18 Actionable Tips to Use Today

Person looking stressed at a laptop

Bouncing Back From A Google Algorithm Update: A Step-by-Step Guide

Person typing on a keyboard

How To Maximize ROI From Your Existing Blog Content

Man working at a laptop

How To Use Google’s Guidelines To Improve Your Website’s E-E-A-T

Person sat using a laptop

How To Perform A Quick Technical SEO Audit In Hours (And Not Days!)

Get early access to our course, future-proof against ai, land your dream clients, and command higher rates.

Created by Eleven’s most established editors, SEO strategists, and account managers.

thinkwritten site icon

ThinkWritten

7 Creative Writing Exercises For Writers

' src=

Need a creative lift as a writer? Try these 7 creative writing exercises for writers to boost your writing skills.

Pencils and notebook on a desk.

We may receive a commission when you make a purchase from one of our links for products and services we recommend. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for support!

Sharing is caring!

Has your creative well run dry? Are you struggling to find inspiration for your next written work? Creative writing exercises could be the answer.

on writing exercise

Just like any other skill, the art and craft of writing will benefit from the frequent working and reworking of your practices and habits. Creativity exercises for writers could unlock that writer’s block that you have been struggling to overcome and spur you on to new and exciting creative directions. 

What are Creative Writing Exercises?

Creative writing exercises can take on many forms and can mean different things to different people. However, certain elements are common to most examples of creative writing exercises.

They are often produced in short, intense bursts, for one thing, and they are often entirely improvised. Improvisation is one of the earmarks of the creative writing exercises employed by many writers.

One other factor that most creative writing exercises have in common is that they often encourage the exploration and expounding of familiar subject matters in novel ways.

Many classes and guides that focus solely on developing creative writing techniques involve adopting short and spontaneous approaches. 

How often should writers practice creative writing exercises?

on writing exercise

Regardless of what form a creative writing exercise takes, it is smart for writers to adopt these practices and incorporate them into their daily routines. The goal is to expand their writing skills and develop the ability to tell the same story in as many different ways as possible. 

Start by writing a few lines once or twice a week, spending only a few minutes each session. Gradually increase the length of each session and how many times you sit down to write per week.

Eventually, you could work up to about ten minutes per session, performing these exercises several times throughout the week. 

Here are 7 Creative Writing Exercises for Writers

on writing exercise

If you feel like taking a break from a writing assignment or are between projects, you can try your hand at these creative writing exercises. They can also serve as inspiration for your next opus or strengthen your creative muscles. 

1. Follow your stream of consciousness.

on writing exercise

Many writers have become conditioned to feel a great deal of stress or worry about being confronted by a blank page. This exercise will help you address this fear head-on. 

Get a piece of paper and start writing the first thing that comes to mind. Don’t even think about what you are writing or edit your thoughts. This type of writing is known as “free writing”. Author Julia Cameron referred to this as the “morning pages” in her award-winning book, The Artist’s Way . 

2. Work with different points of view.

on writing exercise

If you find yourself struggling with expressing yourself, try switching up your point of view. Take a chapter from your favorite book, or even just a scene if you want to start slow. Write everything that takes place from the point of view of another character. The goal here is to communicate the story in another way. 

You could also vary this exercise by writing as if you are the main character by changing their point of view. If the story is written in the first person, try writing it from the third person. Be aware of the details that are omitted when you switch viewpoints. This frequently leads to an interesting new twist to the story. 

3. Take advantage of writing prompts.

Writing prompts or story starters can be invaluable writing tools that could encourage you to explore unfamiliar but interesting creative directions. These are sentences or short passages that could serve as springboards for writing spontaneous stories. 

We have many writing prompts lists here at ThinkWritten you can use for inspiration, including 365 Creative Writing Prompts , 42 Fantasy Prompts , and 101 Poetry Prompts .

4. Have a Conversation With Yourself

on writing exercise

See what it’s like to write a letter or converse with yourself. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have a conversation with your younger self, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.

You can choose any subject you want, from a significant social or political event or some words of wisdom to your younger version. Try to be as honest and as forthcoming as possible. The results might surprise you.

5. Try Writing Flash Fiction

on writing exercise

Try to crank out a piece of flash fiction. As with other creative writing exercises, don’t spend too much time at it. Simply sit down in front of the computer or a piece of paper, and begin writing. Flash fiction doesn’t usually go beyond 500 words, so try to keep it short.

Note: It might be helpful to differentiate flash fiction from the freewriting exercise discussed earlier. While freewriting involves generating words and ideas in an unbridled stream of consciousness, flash fiction is more about writing within a set of guidelines. In this particular exercise, try incorporating structural elements such as plots, conflicts, and character development, all in the goal of developing a logical story arc. 

6. Practice writing fake ads

on writing exercise

Writing fake advertisements is another potentially useful exercise. Few tasks can flex your creative muscles than trying to sell a product, person, company, or idea. You don’t need a lot to get started either. All you have to do is to select a word at random from a magazine or newspaper and get started writing an ad for it. 

It might help to write one ad in a more formal tone, similar to the classified ads published in newspapers. This exercise will train you in using a few words effectively to sell your subject. You can then write another ad in a style similar to that published in online marketplaces, which allow for longer text. In both exercises, try to convince your readers to purchase the product in as definitive terms as possible. 

7. Rewrite someone else’s story

on writing exercise

Consider adopting a story from someone else and making it your own. Unlike the exercise that involves writing a story from another point of view, this one involves telling the same story from the same viewpoint but using your own words.

It could be any story you want to write about, from something a family member told you about or an urban legend that has long made the rounds of your town.

Whichever story you choose, try to write it as if it happened to you. If certain details are missing–which is often the case with old stories–don’t hold back from adding your own touches. You could even take a well-known story and write it as if you were there when the events took place. 

There are only a few of the creativity exercises for writers you can try. There are many more variations that you could use to help you get back into the pattern of writing creatively.

If you ever find yourself stuck and unsure of what your next step should be, consider taking some time off and working on some creative writing exercises instead. After some time, you might find yourself becoming more eager to get back into it and more inspired than ever. 

Tell us what you think! Do you enjoy creative writing exercises? Do you have any additional ideas for ways writers can continue to build and work on their writing skills? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

' src=

Eric Pangburn is a freelance writer who shares his best tips with other writers here at ThinkWritten. When not writing, he enjoys coaching basketball and spending time with his family.

Similar Posts

300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

300 Fun Writing Prompts for Kids: Story Starters, Journal Prompts & Ideas

365 Creative Writing Prompts

365 Creative Writing Prompts

42 Fantasy Writing Prompts & Plot Ideas

42 Fantasy Writing Prompts & Plot Ideas

108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

108 Romance Writing Prompts & Love Story Ideas

101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

101 Poetry Prompts & Ideas for Writing Poems

The article was inspirational but I wish that there was a place to show case our writing. I have written a novel and will love to have someone read and edit it.

Yeah, I agree.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Enter a search request and press enter. Press Esc or the X to close.

  • Bookfox Academy (All Courses)
  • Write Your Best Novel
  • How to Write a Splendid Sentence
  • Two Weeks to Your Best Children’s Book
  • Revision Genius
  • The Ultimate Guide to Writing Dialogue
  • Your First Bestseller
  • Master Your Writing Habits
  • Writing Techniques to Transform Your Fiction
  • Triangle Method of Character Development
  • Children’s Book Editing
  • Copy Editing
  • Novel Editing
  • Short Story Editing
  • General Books
  • Children’s Books

50 Fantastic Creative Writing Exercises

on writing exercise

Good question.

Creative writing exercises are designed to teach a technique. They are highly specific, more specific than creative writing prompts, and much more specific than story generators.

Creative writing exercises for adults are not designed to lead the writer into crafting a full story, but are only designed to help them improve as a writer in a narrow, specific category of writing skills.

I’ve broken the exercises below into categories so you can choose what category of skill you’d like to practice. Can you guess which category in this list has the most prompts?

If you guessed characters, then you’re right. I think characters are the heart blood of every story, and that a majority of any writing prompts or writing exercises should focus on them.

But I also think any of these will help you create a narrative, and a plot, and help you generate all kinds of dialogue, whether for short stories or for novels. These writing exercises are pretty much guaranteed to improve your writing and eliminate writer’s block. 

Also, if you’re a fledgling writer who needs help writing their novel, check out my comprehensive guide to novel writing.

Enjoy the five categories of writing exercises below, and happy writing!

five senses

1. Think of the most deafening sound you can imagine. Describe it in great detail, and have your character hear it for the first time at the start of a story.

2. Have a man cooking for a woman on a third date, and have her describe the aromas in such loving and extended detail that she realizes that she’s in love with him.

3. Pick a line from one of your favorite songs, and identify the main emotion. Now write a character who is feeling that emotion and hears the song. Try to describe the type of music in such a beautiful way that you will make the reader yearn to hear the song as well.

4. Have a character dine at a blind restaurant, a restaurant in pitch blackness where all the servers are blind, and describe for a full paragraph how the tablecloth, their clothing, and the hand of their dining partner feels different in the darkness.

5. Select a dish representative of a national cuisine, and have a character describe it in such detail that the reader salivates and the personality of the character is revealed.

Dialogue exercises

7. Describe two characters having a wordless conversation, communicating only through gestures. Try to see how long you can keep the conversation going without any words spoken, but end it with one of them saying a single word, and the other one repeating the same word.

8. In a public place from the last vacation you took, have two characters arguing, but make it clear by the end of the argument that they’re not arguing about what they’re really upset about.

9. Write a scene composed mostly of dialogue with a child talking to a stranger. Your mission is to show the child as heartbreakingly cute. At the same time, avoid sentimentality. 

10. Have two character have a conversation with only a single word, creating emphasis and context so that the word communicates different things each time it is spoken. The prime example of this is in the television show “The Wire,” where Jimmy and Bunk investigate a crime scene repeating only a single expletive.

on writing exercise

11. Pick an object that is ugly, and create a character who finds it very beautiful. Have the character describe the object in a way that convinces the reader of its beauty. Now write a second version where you convince the reader (through describing the object alone) that the character is mentally unstable.

12. Write down five emotions on slips of paper and slip them into a hat. Now go outside and find a tree. Draw one emotion from the hat, and try to describe that tree from the perspective of a character feeling that emotion. (Don’t mention the emotion in your writing — try to describe the tree so the reader could guess the emotion).

13. Describe a character’s bedroom in such a way that it tells us about a person’s greatest fears and hopes.

14. Root through your desk drawer until you find a strange object, an object that would probably not be in other people’s drawers. Have a character who is devastated to find this object, and tell the story of why this object devastates them.

15. Go to an art-based Pinterest page and find your favorite piece of art. Now imagine a living room inspired by that flavor of artwork, and show the room after a husband and wife have had the worst fight of their marriage.

16. Pick a simple object like a vase, a broom, or a light bulb, and write a scene that makes the reader cry when they see the object.

on writing exercise

Ready to invest in your writing?

Sign up for my writing course “ Writing Techniques to Transform Your Fiction .”

  • Learn the secret techniques used by great authors
  • Practice writing exercises that will pump up your writing skills

Learn more by clicking the image or link above.

on writing exercise

17. Make a list of the top five fears in your life. Write a character who is forced to confront one of those fears.

18. Write an entire page describing the exact emotions when you learned of a happy or calamitous event in your life. Now try to condense that page into a single searing sentence.

19. Think about a time in your life when you felt shame. Now write a character in a similar situation, trying to make it even more shameful.

20. Write a paragraph with a character struggle with two conflicting emotions simultaneously. For example, a character who learns of his father’s death and feels both satisfaction and pain.

21. Write a paragraph where a character starts in one emotional register, and through a process of thought, completely evolves into a different emotion.

Characters:

on writing exercise

22. Create a minor character based upon someone you dislike. Now have your main character encounter them and feel sympathy and empathy for them despite their faults.

23. Have a kooky character tell a story inside a pre-established form: an instruction manual, traffic update, email exchange, weather report, text message.

24. Write about a character who does something they swore they would never do.

25. Have a character who has memorized something (the names of positions in the Kama Sutra, the entire book of Revelations) recite it while doing something completely at odds with what they’re reciting. For instance, bench pressing while reciting the emperors in a Chinese dynasty.

26. Write a paragraph where a character does a simple action, like turning on a light switch, and make the reader marvel at how strange and odd it truly is.

27. Have a couple fight while playing a board game. Have the fight be about something related to the board game: fighting about money, have them play monopoly. Fighting about politics, let them play chess.

28. Write about two characters angry at each other, but have both of them pretend the problems don’t exist. Instead, have them fight passive-aggressively, through small, snide comments.

29. Describe a character walking across an expanse field or lot and describe how he walks. The reader should perfectly understand his personality simply by the way you describe his walk.

30. Write a first-person POV of a character under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and try to make the prose as woozy and tipsy as the character.

31. Describe the first time that a character realizes he is not as smart as he thought.

32. Describe an hour in the life of a character who has recently lost their ability to do what they love most (a pianist who has severe arthritis; a runner who became a quadriplegic).

33. Write an argument where a husband or wife complains of a physical ailment, but their spouse refuses to believe it’s real.

34. Write a scene where a stranger stops your main character, saying that they know them, and insisting your main character is someone they are not. Describe exactly how this case of mistaken identity makes your character feel.

35. Describe a small personality trait about a person you love, and make the reader love them, too.

36. Write a personality-revealing scene with a character inside a public restroom. Do they press a thumb against the mirror to leave a subtle mark? Do they write a plea for help on the inside of the stall door? Do they brag about the size of what they’ve just dumped off?

37. Give your character an extremely unusual response to a national tragedy like a terrorist attack or natural disaster. Maybe have them be aware their response is unusual, and try to cloak it from others, or have them be completely unaware and display it without any self-consciousness.

38. Have one of your main characters come up with an idea for a comic book, and tell a close friend about the idea. What about this idea would surprise the friend, upsetting what he thought he knew about your main character? Also, what would the main character learn about himself from the comic book idea?

39. Think of an illness someone you love has suffered from. How does your character respond when someone close to them has this illness?

40. Have your main character invent an extremely offensive idea for a book, and show their personality faults through discussing it with others.

41. Have your character write down a list considering how to respond to their stalker.

42. Write a scene where a man hits on a woman, and although the woman acts repulsed and begs her friends to get him away from her, it becomes apparent that she likes the attention.

43. Write about a 20-something confronting his parents over their disapproval of his lifestyle.

44. Have your character write a funny to-do list about the steps to get a boyfriend or girlfriend.

45. Have a risk-adverse character stuck in a hostage situation with a risk-happy character.

46. For the next week, watch strangers carefully and take notes in your phone about any peculiar gestures or body language. Combine the three most interesting ones to describe a character as she goes grocery shopping.

47. Buy a package of the pills that expand into foam animals, and put a random one in a glass of warm water. Whatever it turns out to be, have that animal surprise your main character in a scene.

48. Have your character faced with a decision witness a rare, awe-inspiring event, and describe how it helps them make their decision.

49. Imagine if your character met for the first time his or her long-lost identical twin. What personality traits would they share and which ones would have changed because of their unique experiences? 

50. If a character got burned by a hot pan, what type of strange reaction would they have that would reveal what they value most?

Once you’ve taken a stab at some of these exercises, I’d recommend you use them in your actual writing.

And for instruction on that, you need a guide to writing your novel . 

That link will change your life and your novel. Click it now.

Creative Writing Exercises

Related posts:

on writing exercise

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

32 comments

John Fox, you have some excellent resources, and I thank you. I read your comments, then scrolled down to glance at the list of 50 exercises. The FIRST one, “loud noise’ is already in my head. My Hero is going to be side swiped in my Cozy. I was side swiped on a state highway here in Virginia a couple of weeks ago and, although the damage was minor, the sound of that big SUV “glancing” off my little car was SCARY!!! I once heard a fast-moving car REAR-END is stand-still car; that sound was something I’ll never forget. So, your exercise is very timely. THANK YOU!!!

This is a great list! Thanks!

You know what would be motivating? If we could turn these in to someone and get like a grade lol

I’ve been thinking a lot about “how to master writing,” and this is the first time that I found an article that makes it clear the difference between prompts and exercises. I fully agree with you. These are bound to make you a better writer if you focus on doing a variation of them daily.

An excellent list – thank you very much. I run a small writing group and we’ll be trying some.

Yes, thank you. I too run a small writing group and you got me out of a slump for tomorrow’s group!

yes,thank you . It’s good for improve your writing skills.

  • Pingback: Writing Exercises for Adults That Can Help You Write Better

What a lovely list! I am working on the final draft of my very first novel, and am constantly working at improving the final product. Your exercises are just what I need to kickstart my writing day. Thank you so very much.

Thank you very much When I turned50 I received my diploma from Children’s Institute in West Redding Ct I got my inspiration from being near water however now that I am in Oregon I have had a writing block thanks to your list my creative juices are flowing

I suppose I better have good punctuation, seeing this is about Writing. Thank you for this great list. I am the Chair of our small Writing group in Otorohanga and we start again last week of Feb. I have sent out a homework email, to write a A4 page of something exciting that has happened over the holiday break and they must read it out to the group with passion and excitement in their voices. That will get them out of their comfort zone!

A formidable yet inspiring list. Thank you very much for this. This is really very helpful. I am from India, and very new to writing and have started my first project, which I want to make it into a Novel. This has been very helpful and is very challenging too. Prompts look sissy when compared to this, frankly speaking. Thank you very much again.

Where can I get the answers for these?

There aren’t “answers.” You create responses to these exercises.

Thank you so much for the detailed suggestions focusing on HOW to put the WHAT into practice; really helpful & inspiring.

Just started rough drafting a story I’ve always wanted to write. Do you have any advice for someone writing their first real story? I’m having trouble starting it; I just want it to be perfect.

I consider this very helpful. Just started my journey as a creative writer, and will be coming back to this page to aid my daily writing goal.

I have always loved writing exercises and these are perfect practice for my competition. I have tried lots of different things that other websites have told me to try, but this by far is the most descriptive and helpful site that i have seen so far.

This is really a creative blog. An expert writer is an amateur who didn’t stop. I trust myself that a decent writer doesn’t actually should be advised anything but to keep at it. Keep it up!

I’ve always enjoyed writing from a little girl. Since I’ve been taking it a bit more seriously as does everybody else it seems; I’ve lost the fun and sponteneity. Until now…..this is a marvelous blog to get back the basic joy and freedom in writing. Or should that be of?:) These exercises are perfect to get the creative juices flowing again…..thank you:)

These are interesting exercises for writing.

These are fantastic! I started reading a really awesome book on creative writing but it just didn’t get any good or easy to follow exercises. So I found your site and having been having a lot of fun with these. Exactly what I was looking for, thank you!

creative and inspiring, thank you

I always wanted to have an exercise where a friend and I each wrote a random sentence and sent it to each other to write a short story from that beginning sentence, then exchange the stories for reading and/or critique. Maybe both writers start with the same sentence and see how different the stories turn out.

Thanks for these exercises. Some are really challenging. To truly tackle them I’m having to spend as long beforehand thinking “how the HECK am I going to do this?” as I do with ink on paper. Would be a great resource if other authors submitted their replies and thoughts about how they went about each exercise.

Start the conversation: submit one of yours.

I think I can use these to inspire my students.

Hi there. Thank you for posting this list- it’s great! Can I ask you to consider removing number 42 or perhaps changing it somewhat? I teach sex ed and every year am shocked by how many young people don’t understand issues around consent. Stories about woman who ‘say no but really mean yes’ are deeply unhelpful. Really appreciate your post but felt I had to ask. Thanks.

What’s wrong with the number 42?

It promulgates the belief that when a woman says no, she doesn’t mean it, potentially resulting in sexual assault.

I just make this list a part of my teaching in Creative Writing Classes. Very good list of ideas!

Thank you so much for posting this! I have used it to create a creative playwriting activity for my high school creative writing class–so much good stuff here for me to pick through and select for my kiddos that will allow them to shine and improve their knowledge of writing as a craft!

on writing exercise

Every writer NEEDS this book.

It’s a guide to writing the pivotal moments of your novel.

Whether writing your book or revising it, this will be the most helpful book you’ll ever buy.

  • Kindle Unlimited Free Books
  • Writing Piggy Monk Square
  • Piggy Monk Square – Book Reviews
  • Practical Creative Writing Exercises Book
  • Authors Notes – Writing Fiction Street
  • The Sunshine Girl
  • Kindle Unlimited eBooks for Children
  • Writing About Ballyyahoo
  • Free Stories For Kids
  • The Witch Of Ballyyahoo
  • A Story For Cats And About Cats.
  • Bonkers In Ballyyahoo
  • The Little Book Of Swinging On A Gate
  • Free as a Ladybird
  • The Tree Hugger
  • Football Mad – A Funny Children’s Story
  • Football Crazy
  • Creative Thinking
  • Creative Writing – Flow
  • Walking and Inspiration
  • Dream a Little Dream
  • How To Increase Your Creativity in Five Easy Steps
  • On Confessing To Depression
  • Giving up the Day Job to Write
  • Don’t tell me nobody wants to read my stories.
  • Political Satire – Funny or Not?
  • Talking To Strangers
  • Go Set A Watchman – Her Choice?
  • Writing For The Market
  • Why Women Writers Use Initials
  • Ten worst things about social networks.
  • How Not To Deal With Criticism
  • Transparency and The Irish Film Board
  • What Do I Know About Bullying?
  • Valentine’s Day And My Green Heart
  • Too Many Experts
  • Be True To Yourself
  • The Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls
  • Small Great Things – Jodi Picoult
  • Just Friends – Elizabeth Grey
  • The Woman Who Walked Into Doors – Roddy Doyle
  • Cookie Policy

Ten Minute Writing Exercises

Are you looking at a blank page right now?

I’ve been there too and I know what it’s like.

But I also know how to get past it – by writing.

Writing exercises are a great way to take you from the blank page and stuck feeling and on into your writing stride.

If you truly want to write more productively and are willing to work towards this, then you are in the right place.

I personally love writing and I hope I can inspire you to feel the same.

Writing takes practice, lots and lots of practice.

Ten-minute exercises are a great way to practice.

Developing a regular writing exercise routine is the most useful thing you can do to improve your writing and increase your creativity.

MAKE A COMMITMENT

Make a firm commitment., do some writing exercises each week., decide for yourself which days and times suit you best., pick a number of exercises you intend to do..

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks

Make it realistic – if you can only do one that’s fine. As you get used to the exercises this number can increase.

Remember the golden hour – some people writer better at dawn and others late at night.

Experiment and see what time suits you.

The following exercises are short although you can make them longer if you like.

TEN MINUTE WRITING EXERCISES – BEFORE YOU BEGIN

There are ten exercises below and each one comprises a simple set of three questions.

Each one should be answered as quickly as you can.

Don’t stop and think just start writing and keep going.

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – only ideas.

It is up to you to decide whether the ideas appeal to you enough to make you want to develop them further.

I suggest trying them all and see what happens.

At this stage, it is best to view your writing as an experiment and you should enjoy it.

TEN MINUTE WRITING EXERCISES FOR WRITERS

1. Who is coming round the corner?

2. What is their secret?

3. What are they carrying?

1. Why did Peter lose his temper with Joanna

2. Where did he go after he stormed out?

3. What happened to him when he got there?

1. Who has found something at the back of the wardrobe?

2. What have they found?

3. What will they do next?

1. Who cheated John?

2. What did they cheat him at?

3. Will John do something?

1. What building can you see Rose leaving?

2. What is she wearing?

3. Where is she going?

1. Why is Ian finding it difficult to steer the car?

2. Where is he going?

3. Who is there?

1. Where did the accident happen?

2. Who was hurt?

3. Who helped?

1. The view is blocked by?

2. Whose view is blocked?

3. If the view wasn’t blocked what would they see?

1. Who closes the window?

3. How old are they?

1. Who is Jenny?

2. How tall is she?

3. Why is she alone?

Don’t forget any time you have a spare ten minutes try these ten-minute writing exercises because every little bit of writing you do will increase your skills, build good habits and help you become the focused writer you want to be.

Different exercises suit different people and there are plenty more free exercises for you to try on this site. So go ahead and try the exercises below – write and Enjoy.

Abstract creative writing exercises.

Who what when and where, visual creative writing exercises., creating characters., creating story..

If you enjoyed these ten-minute exercises you will find plenty more fun, stimulating and challenging exercises in my book,  Practical Creative Writing Exercises.

Practical Creative Exercises is written for writers who want to become more focused, more versatile, boost their creativity and imagination and improve their writing skills.

The exercises in this book will enable you to become really immersed in your writing. You will enjoy experiencing the joys of creative writing flow.

Best of luck

P.S. I love encouraging people to write and all the exercises and information on this site is provided free of charge.

All I ask is that if you found this useful or helpful, that you like, share or comment.  I love hearing from you and I always reply.

PRACTICAL CREATIVE WRITING EXERCISES

You won’t be able to stop writing because these beautiful and inspiring exercises will banish your writing block right now, never be stuck again,  get ebook from amazon.com ,  get ebook from amazon.co.uk,   get paperback from amazon.com, get paperback from amazon.co.uk, get from smashwords, share this:, 56 responses to ten minute writing exercises.

Thank you so much for this. i ultimately would like to write a romance novel. This has helped me greatly pay attention to detail, what was she wearing? iin the back of the wardrobe. etc. Thank you so much. It is greatly appreciated, and when I finally finish my novel, I will send you a copy.

Hi Jenny, I am so glad you liked it. Best of luck with your romance novel – keep writing! Grace

The exercise it was great because… it kind open the way for me to do scenes that in themselves hint to feelings or states of mind, without necessarily have to speak explicitly about them in words. And the flow was great, and the answers so diverse. The questions made me realize that in me there is so much i can write about and so much that i know… Many thanks for that!

Hi Layaly I am so glad the exercise helped you and it is especially good to hear it helped with ‘flow!’ Thanks for commenting and best of luck with your writing. Grace

I’m just getting back into writing and these exercises are a great way to write without any attachment to the outcome. I love the freedom of the exercise. Just to write for ten minutes and see what happens.

I have been going through the exercises with a writing buddy. We decide which one we both want to tackle and then time ourselves. It’s great to read the results to each other and see how the same questions can inspire wildly differing stories.

We are having a blast!

Hi Kathleen, I am so glad you are enjoying the exercises – it’s fun to do them with a friend too. Keep it up. I am looking forward to hearing from you again to let me know how you are getting on. Best wishes, Grace.

Hey, I’m really grateful for these exercises. They help so much, I really find ideas flowing to me when I start one. Thanks, John

Glad to hear it. Best of luck with your work. Grace

An original post. I’ll keep it as a favorite

Thanks for your comment hope you find it useful. Grace

I have the most outlandish answers… I think. But I know that I made myself laugh with at least three of these. But these are brilliant ways to get ideas flowing to ignite my writing lamp so I can see into the depths of my imagination to further my prowess. Thank you.

So glad it helped and so glad you got to laugh as well!

All the best Grace

I wanted to share my lines♥ Just ’cause.. (pardon me if there’s mistakes, I’m not native English xD)

1. Who is coming round the corner? There’s this girl coming around the corner, she feels lonely and misunderstood. It’s been a while since she last fell in love and it’s been really hard getting over that douchebag. She’s just there, coming and going, like there isn’t much to do, like her soul got lost a few moons ago… 2. What is their secret? Her secret is, not knowing how much power she hides within herself, little by little listening to a marvelous advisers our girl started learning, taking action on this feeling crappy situation, and deep down a fire has started…and it can’t be stopped. 3. What are they carrying? She carries hope; she carries music, a dancing soul and a book…a book that involves some magic for those who can see beyond words. Full with illusion she walks, waiting for that moment when she finally gets the strength to break the shell and let her beauty light up the city.

Hi Lucia, So glad you have been inspired to write. Best of luck with it. Grace

This gives me a great opportunity to work on my writing again. Thanks so much.

Great to hear it, Tamila – good luck with it. Grace

Great site you have here. I am a teacher and a writer too. Your advice are sound and grounded and I love your exercises. Take Care! BTW I’m from Malaysia.

Great to hear from you, Jason. I am so glad you like the exercises. All the way from Malaysia too! Isn’t it great the way the Internet allows us to connect with so many people from all over the world. Best wishes Grace

This will be extremely helpful for the writing challenges in our online community. Thank you. I can see potential for real stimulation with these by various means. Possibly an on-going write around, where one adds to the storyline of the first, then the next participant adds to that etc… Many to choose from.

Hi Linda, An on-going write around sounds fun – let me know how it goes. Best wishes, Grace

Hi Grace I’m using some of your exercises for my Writers’ Circle tonight so hopefully they will generate some good writing. It’s sometimes difficult to come up with prompts the will inspire the group. Thanks for making these available. Louise 🙂

Hi Louise, Thanks for letting me know. Good luck to you and your writing group. Grace

Thank you. I sponsor a writing group in a prison. The guys who have been attending up to now are very good writers and are interested only in reading what they have written and receiving criticism. But some of them are leaving the facility and many of the new members are not confident writers. Suddenly I am in need of material for people who are not already half-way through a novel. These exercises look to be really useful.

I Sean, I am so glad you got in touch. Your work sound fascinating and I am glad to hear so many of your students are busy writing. You must be an inspiring teacher. If you let me know your email I will send you a free copy of my book ‘Practical Creative Writing Exercises’ and I would be more than happy for you to use it with your students. Keep in touch. Grace

Although it’s so simple I found this really helpful, I just needed a little push to get me writing some short scenarios. I particularly found the first several thought provoking. Thanks so much 🙂

So glad to have helped Jenny – the best of luck with your work and thanks for commenting. Grace

I loved this. Thank you so much for suggesting these. I definitely think that half the battle with writing is getting into a constructive, routine – like you said. So I really appreciate the assistance!

Hi Meagan, thanks for your comments – it is really encouraging to me when I hear from readers. Routine is so important. Best of luck with your writing. Grace

Asnwered few sets of questions and at the end of it all I realised I could string all the various answers into one story brought together with more plot points. Thanks for this! Very helpful!

Hi Hazell, thanks for commenting. I am very happy this helped you and I am interested to hear about the way you could string the various answers into one story – sounds very creative. Keep going and let me know how the story turns out. Grace

Thank you for providing this! i like the three-part format, and was just enough time to sneak a little writing into my lunch break.

You are welcome and glad you could grab some extra writing time too. All the best Grace

Tonight I am taking these to the prison writing group I facilitate. the group is different every time, and these are often popular with new people who are not comfortable writing.

That’s great, Sean. I hope it went well with your group. Take Care Grace

Your exercises are very helpful! We plan to use them along with other writing exercises during the National Novel Writing Month events we are hosting at our library (we’re giving credit to you of course).

Thanks! Sam

Hi Sam, great to hear from you. It’s always lovely for me to hear from people so far away. I hope your National Novel Writing Event goes well. If any of your participants have any queries, or questions I will happy to help. Best wishes Grace

I completed first three of the exercises and I would like to share them. Well, here they are.

1. A man in a dark coat is coming around the corner with a young woman. The woman seems to be terrified as she is dragged along by the tall man. She struggles even harder until finally he smacks her cheek and she falls unconsciousness. He is going to sell her to vampires and she will become a slave. In his left pocket he carries a wad of hundred dollar bills just to be safe. Most vampires could be bought.

2. Peter couldn’t stand Joanna anymore. She was always clinging on to him and begging for jewelry and money. Finally, he snapped. On a Tuesday afternoon , Peter snarled in frustration and anger at Joanna. He told her off and said he was done. After the confrontation, Peter went to his favorite local coffee shop, muttering angry words along the way. After he had sat down, he ordered a cappuccino and took deep breaths. Calming himself down was no easy task, Joanna had really ticked him off. Suddenly the door swung open, and there stood his old high school lover, Amelia James. Soon, all his anger was forgotten as he started devising a plan to rekindle an old love.

3. Sandra Baker quickly snatched up the little jewelry box that sat in the back of her aunt’s closet. She walked out of the close nonchalantly, and headed back towards her room. Soon after, she plopped down on her bed and excitedly examined the ancient looking box. Slowly she lifted the lid up. She winced as a loud crack came from the rusty lock that held the lid in place. Inside lay a emerald so beautiful that Sandra stared at it in awe for several minutes. Entranced, she lifted the gold chain holding the emerald and set it gently upon her neck. No one will take it. No one, Sandra thought in anger and desperation.

This is a great exercise! Thank you! 🙂

Thanks Natalia – I am so glad you liked it.

Hey, I just waned to say that as a young high school student, I’m trying to develop my writing skills and perfect them, and your exercises have proved so fascinating and helpful. Allowing me to write with no outcome has opened realms of stories and potential plots. Thank you so much!

Hi Mavis Thanks for letting me know that my exercises have helped. I hope you keep going. Grace

Hey Grace! Awesome tips that I will employ from now on. I hate blank page syndrome 🙂 Thank you.

Great – nice to hear from you Jeremy and hope you never get stuck in front of a blank page again!

This was a lot of fun!! Here’s mine!

A tall man with a dark fedora pulled over his eyes and a dingy beige coat. He knows who murdered the wife of a prominent business man. In his long arms he carries a package wrapped with old newspaper.

Peter was enraged with Joanna because she still wasn’t able to properly set the dinner table. After he stormed out he headed down to the pub. When he opened the door Jimmy Toller, the bartender shook his head and poured him his usual.

Dorthy Fontain pulled the stack of hundred dollar bills that were burried in the back of her lover’s wardrobe. Quietly she looked around to be sure no one could see and stuffed them down the front of her gown.

That wily bastard Fred had been known for conning people out of their money. John clenched his fist angrily as he pushed his cash across the poker table. John knew he wasn’t able to prove that Fred was a lying, cheating scoundrel. He crossed his arms and seethed in his chair.

Rose was exiting the old dilapidated mansion on Sugar St. Her ruby red gown was caked with mud at the hem. She straightened her elbow length gloves and headed for the bar. Ian’s left hand was red with blood and throbbing. His right arm sat useless on his lap as he tried to steer with his broken hand. He was headed for the railroad tracks to meet up with his connection, Johnny.

Sugar St. was dark and brooding, Sandy lay on the cobblestone, she could still see stars and her knee was throbbing with pain. The car had come out of now where. Suddenly a woman in red was standing over her. “Hey there honey. Looks like you could use a hand.” Rose said. A passenger train blocked Ian’s view as he exited the car. He was hoping to see the empty train station with old johnny standing out in front. But from this vantage all he saw was a wall of cold steel.

A pair of old hands belonging to Ben Warren slammed shut the window. The rumble of a car engine had woken him in his light sleep. A man of 84 years couldn’t be bothered with the noise the young people of this town made.

Jenny is the wife of an up and coming business man. Standing at 5’9″ she was a sight on the old gin mill stage. But tonight she sat in the empty bar room remembering when she was more than a house wife.

Hi Ashley Thanks so much for posting. Wow! You certainly let your imagination loose and what a lot of characters and action. Hope you keep going – it looks like you have made a great start. Best of luck Grace

Thank for the motivation and brain gymnastics. I’m surely trying them all. I have my blog at : truptisatardekar.com/blog, surely visit, I write with love 🙂 I intend to post often which ain’t happening as yet but after following your exercise I hope I do that. thanks again.

You are welcome – it is amazing how many ideas some simple exercises can do. Grace

Grace, thank you SO much, this helped me so much, i’m trying to write a fantasy novel and this really opened my mind out!

Hi Leila I’m so glad to hear that. Keep going and don’t forget there’s lots more information and help in my book, Practical Creative Writing Exercises – get it here.

Thank you for these! I’ve never considered myself a writer, but recently a lot of people have been commenting on my writing and I have felt really encouraged to write. Usually I just write whatever spills out of my brain, but these exercises help me consciously write about a specific subject. The first exercise I did, aboht the window, I ended up editing it and it’s being published this September/October! I feel inspired to share both the raw version as well as the edited version here.

RAW VERSION:

Each day after my students’ test I notice a window that stands out among the rest White curtains, sheer and lace Blow gently onto the young boy’s face Each day when I approach he shuts it tight As if he’s trying to keep out sudden fright I’ve never seen him outside The boy on the inside White paint peels off the siding plywood covers the door But not the creeky floor Knock knock knock But no one is there to undo the lock I find an unlocked window and enter the home of my widow Up the flight of stairs I go Enter the room with the boy, I see his face He is me- trapped in space Younger and wiser He grips my hand Coming to take me, I am already gone The boy in the window is me I notice a window that stands out among the rest The window where my widow lay me to rest

In a city full of windows I notice one that stands out among the rest White curtains, sheer and lace Blow gently across the young boy’s face Each day when I approach he shuts it tight As if he’s trying to keep out sudden fright I’ve never seen him outside The boy on the inside Entangled in his abode that has been blanketed with grief Peeling white paint reveals the dilapidated house beneath Plywood hides the secrets of the door But not the creeky floor Knock knock knock But no one is there to undo the lock Through an unlatched window I enter The home Of My widow Invading the room with the boy I finally see his juvenile face He is me- trapped in space In a city full of windows I notice one that stands out among the rest The window where my widow lay me to rest

Hi Grace Thank you for coming back to tell me about this. I was absolutely delighted to learn that my exercises inspired you. Perhaps you could take a moment to leave a review on the book on Amazon? https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Creative-Writing-Exercises-Jolliffe-ebook/dp/B00QJ2U30K

I read your poem and really enjoyed it – a lovely sense of mystery and heart.

Great news about publication too.

I wish you all the best with your continued writing and look forward to hearing more from you. Grace

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

[…] https://www.practicalcreativewriting.com/creative-writing-exercises/ten-minute-writing-exercises/ […]

[…] is a link day. 🙂 Please find a GREAT series of writing exercises here. Trust me. They’re great […]

[…] to Grace, of “Practical Creative Writing” we used this exercise […]

[…] of the same exercises over and over. So I Googled creative writing exercises and stumbled across this page! It’s awesome. All the exercises are designed to be short, about ten minutes. The site has […]

Leave a Reply Click here to cancel reply.

Name (required)

Email (will not be published) (required)

Notify me of new posts by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

The ScriptLab

Competitions

10 super effective writing exercises that’ll help you finish your script.

By David Young · March 23, 2022

on writing exercise

Stuck on your script? Try these writing exercises.

You can be sure that if you choose to write a script, you’ll meet a bump or two in the process. Everyone experiences writer’s block. Tackling that kind of obstacle is important, but it’s not always easy doing conventional writing.

That’s why there are writing exercises you can use to get you past those hurdles. Read on to get an idea of what helps people get to the finish line!

Write a Scene Using Dialogue Only

Sometimes people get bogged down in the details of their actions and let dialogue become an afterthought. Therefore, it starts to feel stilted and uninteresting. In other cases, writers don’t think enough about what actions are happening during a scene. By doing a dialogue-only exercise, you can start to address either of these issues.

Write with the intent of keeping dialogue natural, but keep in mind what the characters are doing the whole time. Maybe the dialogue shifts to mention the action in a natural way, but you won’t write action directly. Focus on the conversation doing all the work, and see if it makes sense afterward. When reading it, can you see that all necessary details were conveyed?

Convey the Same Scene Using Action Only

In the same way that some people can write dialogue-only scenes to stop letting their dialogue or action suffer, you can do that with action-only scenes as well.

Pick a scene that you planned to write with dialogue. Then, instead, omit all dialogue and try conveying the right ideas with only action from all characters involved. What’s missing? In most cases, nonverbal communication between your characters can reveal a lot. So, if something feels like it’s missing from your writing, maybe you just need to focus on how the action sends your message. By the time you use this as a real scene with dialogue, your action will be well-suited to the scene’s needs.

Board Your Scenes

A time-tested approach that industry writers swear by is the beat board. By writing each scene on an index card and placing them in sequential columns for the beginning, middle, and end of your story, you can see at a glance what your story has in each act. Better than that, this helps you to make sure that each scene has an emotional dynamic.

Boarding a story includes writing down what happens in each scene, who’s in the scene, and which direction the scene moves emotionally. Namely, do things get better or worse in this scene? By keeping track of this emotional dynamic (represented by a plus or minus sign), you can make sure your story really grips the audience when you want it to.

Make Your Character Profiles

Write about your characters ! Everyone has done this in grade school once or twice, but now you need to do it for your own characters.

Write a paragraph about each character’s needs, wants, and the things they love and hate. If you have backstory elements to include, share them in a few sentences. Make your profiles easy to read and detailed — but don’t spend too much time on one character if you have many. If your story has a wide cast of major characters, you’ll want to make sure each one has motivations, backstories, and important relationships recorded on paper.

This exercise helps writers who are struggling to bridge the gap between story action and the reasons for it.

Create an Expansion Outline

Start with a sentence describing each act of the story. One sentence with a key action per act will ideally get you 3 or 5 sentences to start with. Then, break that major sentence down — if the last sentence of your outline is, “The crew pulls off a bank heist,” you can break it down into individual scenes. First off, the crew would arrive at the bank. Another scene would be about when they almost get caught. However many scenes there may be, each one gets a full sentence. As you expand each act, the story’s direction will become clearer to you — as will your next steps.

Map Out the Dramatic Throughlines

Every story has the opportunity to build more than one throughline. In fact, it’s better if you have subplots. Without that element, your story becomes a bare-bones narrative, and those typically don’t keep an audience’s interest. When including subplots, you have to know how each one develops. That’s where you can use a process flow chart to map them out.

Start with the main narrative, then begin to show each event that happens within the main plot from beginning to end. Then, consider what happens to create each subplot. Write those as process flow charts on timelines parallel to the main one. By following this, you can start to map out each cause-and-effect relationship in the story. 

Start with the Ending

Where do you see your story ending ? If you don’t know, maybe you should start there first. Writing out the ending helps to ensure that you understand where your story will go.

By starting with the ending then going back to start the script on Page 1, you already have a framework that leads you through the most important elements of your plot. Now, you can start to connect the dots with events between the beginning and end. 

Pitch Your Logline

Write a one-sentence version of your story, otherwise known as a logline . When you’ve done that, you should start pitching it to people. As you tell your friends, family, colleagues, or even strangers what your story will be about, they might have questions.

Take note of those questions, and figure out if you need to still think of the answers. If you weren’t able to think of those answers when you were pitching, focus on how you can write these things into your story. People’s questions will reveal how much of your story you actually know — and where you might need to place some extra time thinking.

Draw an Important Scene

This isn’t a writing exercise  per se , but it helps immensely. When thinking about an important scene in your screenplay, you might consider drawing it out. You don’t need to be a great artist.

If you have the visuals drawn in a way where you can tell what’s happening (and how it’s supposed to happen on screen), you might get a better idea of how to write out this scene. If you’re frustrated with action writing and description, especially of a really involved scene, this is a great way to loosen up and shake off the cobwebs of your mind.

Free-write a Scene Multiple Times

Free-writing can provide a lot of interesting results. When you free-write, you just write without thinking — putting words down rather than strategizing as you write. Try this with one scene you have in mind. Start free-writing, leaving no room for thinking or feedback.

Once you’ve written the scene, go ahead and do so again, from scratch. Whether you do it twice or five times, you’ll eventually have some very different versions of the scene written out. Now, feel free to edit and combine your favorite features of each version to create something you’re happy to use. Your brain will do what it wants to with your scene subconsciously, but because you’re simply writing without really looking at or thinking about the results, free-writing helps when you are unsure which direction to take a scene.

It’s not always easy to overcome obstacles in writing, but you can do it with the help of tools like the above. Whether it’s an outline, a flow chart, or even a drawing, you’re using techniques to get the creative juices flowing. And honestly, that’s the best way to get more out of your creative process!

Download Free Trending Scripts

Poor Things

Poor Things

Barbie

Oppenheimer

The Holdovers

The Holdovers

American Fiction

American Fiction

Anatomy of a Fall (Anatomie d'une chute)

Anatomy of a Fall (Anatomie d'une chute)

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad

True Detective

True Detective

The Zone of Interest

The Zone of Interest

Maestro

Next Related Article

A World of Worth: Celebrating Today’s Greatest Women Screenwriters

A World of Worth: Celebrating Today’s Greatest Women Screenwriters

Kevin Nelson · March 21, 2022

Recent Articles

What is blaxploitation understanding the american film movement.

Alyssa Miller · February 14, 2024

What Is Blaxploitation? Understanding the American Film Movement

Unconventional Love: The Strangest Movie Couples

Ken Miyamoto from ScreenCraft · February 12, 2024

Unconventional Love: The Strangest Movie Couples

10 of the Most Influential Animated Movies of All Time

Ken Miyamoto from ScreenCraft · February 7, 2024

10 of the Most Influential Animated Movies of All Time

TSL Free Screenplay Contest

Deadline: February 29th, 2024

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Competition

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Competition

Deadline: February 15th, 2024

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab

More related articles.

Boundless: The Scientist, Explorer, & Filmmaker James Cameron

Boundless: The Scientist, Explorer, & Filmmaker James Cameron

Kevin Nelson · April 4, 2022

And the Oscar Winners Were…

And the Oscar Winners Were…

Kevin Nelson · March 28, 2022

94 Films Stanley Kubrick Absolutely Loved

94 Films Stanley Kubrick Absolutely Loved

Alex Edge · March 16, 2022

© 2024 The Script Lab - An Industry Arts Company

Sign up for the TSL Newsletter

and get $50 off Final Draft 12

Stay up to date on the latest scripts & screenwriting articles.

on writing exercise

Search form

on writing exercise

Here you can find activities to practise your writing skills. You can improve your writing by understanding model texts and how they're organised.

The learning materials in this section are written and organised by level. There are different types of model texts, with writing tips and interactive exercises that practise the writing skills you need to do well at school, get good marks in your tests and exams, and get more out of your free-time activities.

Take our free online English test to find out which level to choose. Select your level, from beginner (CEFR level A1) to advanced (CEFR level C1), and improve your writing skills at any time and at your own speed.

Choose a level

on writing exercise

Are you an elementary (CEFR level A1) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises.

on writing exercise

Are you a pre-intermediate (CEFR level A2) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises.

on writing exercise

Are you an intermediate (CEFR level B1) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises.

on writing exercise

Are you an upper intermediate (CEFR level B2) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises.

on writing exercise

Are you an advanced (CEFR level C1) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises.

on writing exercise

Sign up to our newsletter for LearnEnglish Teens

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

EnglishForEveryone.org

Writing practice worksheets terms of use, finish the story writing worksheets.

  • Beginning Finish the Story - The Snow Day
  • Beginning Finish the Story - The Fair
  • Beginning Finish the Story - Summer Camp
  • Beginning Finish the Story - The Birthday Party
  • Beginning Finish the Story - The Halloween Costume
  • Beginning Finish the Story - The 4th of July
  • Intermediate Finish the Story - The Beach Trip
  • Intermediate Finish the Story - The Great Find
  • Intermediate Finish the Story - Which Way?
  • Intermediate Finish the Story - Finding Muffin
  • Intermediate Finish the Story - The Zoo
  • Advanced Finish the Story - The Troublemaker

Question Response Writing Worksheets

  • Beginning Question Response - Your Favorite Color
  • Beginning Question Response - Your Favorite Day
  • Beginning Question Response - Your Favorite Number
  • Beginning Question Response - In Your Family
  • Beginning Question Response - Your Favorite Sport
  • Beginning Question Response - Your Favorite Clothes
  • Beginning Question Response - Your Favorite Music
  • Beginning Question Response - How You Relax
  • Beginning Question Response - Lunch Time
  • Beginning Question Response - With Your Friends
  • Beginning Question Response - Collecting Stamps
  • Beginning Question Response - Your Birthplace
  • Beginning Question Response - Starting Your Day
  • Intermediate Question Response - Your Favorite Food
  • Intermediate Question Response - Your Favorite Movie
  • Intermediate Question Response - Your Favorite Song
  • Intermediate Question Response - TV Programs
  • Intermediate Question Response - Your Favorite Time
  • Intermediate Question Response - Which Country?
  • Intermediate Question Response - The Wisest Person
  • Intermediate Question Response - Someone You Admire
  • Advanced Question Response - A Great Accomplishment
  • Advanced Question Response - The Most Exciting Thing
  • Advanced Question Response - Oldest Memory
  • Advanced Question Response - The Most Productive Day of the Week
  • Advanced Question Response - An Interesting Person
  • Advanced Question Response - What Have You Built?
  • Advanced Question Response - What You Like to Read

Practical Writing Worksheets

  • Beginning Practical - Grocery List
  • Beginning Practical - TO Do List
  • Beginning Practical - At the Beach
  • Beginning Practical - The Newspaper
  • Intermediate Practical - Absent From Work
  • Intermediate Practical - Your Invitation
  • Intermediate Practical - Paycheck
  • Intermediate Practical - The New House
  • Advanced Practical - Soccer Game Meeting
  • Advanced Practical - Note About Dinner
  • Advanced Practical - A Problem
  • Advanced Practical - A Letter to Your Landlord
  • Advanced Practical - A Product

Argumentative Writing Worksheets

  • Intermediate Argumentative - Cat, Star, or Book?
  • Intermediate Argumentative - Soccer or Basketball?
  • Intermediate Argumentative - Giving and Receiving
  • Intermediate Argumentative - Does Practice Make Perfect?
  • Advanced Argumentative - Five Dollars or a Lottery Ticket?
  • Advanced Argumentative - The Most Important Word
  • Advanced Argumentative - An Apple
  • Advanced Argumentative - Too Many Cooks

Writing Worksheets

  • Beginning Writing Worksheet
  • Intermediate Writing Worksheet
  • Advanced Writing Worksheet

Using Precise Language

  • Using Precise Language - An Introduction
  • Using Precise Language Practice Quiz

Home | About | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us

Horror Tree

The Write Stuff: Using Writing Exercises to Generate Fresh Ideas

I f you’re a writer, you’re probably all too familiar with the feeling of writer’s block. That feeling of being stuck and unable to come up with new and exciting ideas can be incredibly frustrating and discouraging. But don’t worry; there’s a solution! In this article, we’ll be exploring the use of writing exercises and prompts as a way to overcome writer’s block and generate fresh, new ideas.

Whether you’re a seasoned author or just starting out, writing exercises and prompts can be a powerful tool in the creative process. They can help you get unstuck, find new perspectives, and jumpstart your imagination. In this article, we’ll be discussing different types of prompts and exercises that you can use to overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas. From free-writing to mind-mapping, we’ve got you covered!

So, if you’re feeling stuck or just need a fresh perspective, grab a notebook and pen, and let’s get started! Remember, writer’s block is not the end of your writing journey. With the right tools and techniques, you can overcome it and create amazing work.

The Benefits of Using Prompts and Writing Exercises

As a writer, it’s not uncommon to experience moments of writer’s block or feel like your creativity has hit a dead end. Fortunately, prompts and writing exercises can help you overcome these obstacles and reignite your passion for writing. Not only do they help you generate fresh ideas, but they also offer several other benefits to your writing process.

Improved Creativity and Imagination

Writing exercises provide a structured framework for you to explore new ideas and experiment with different writing styles. They challenge you to think outside of the box and expand your imagination, allowing you to tap into new sources of creativity. Whether you’re working with a writing prompt or trying a new writing technique, these exercises can help you develop new writing skills and find new perspectives.

Breaking Through Creative Blocks and Generating New Ideas

Writing prompts and exercises are an effective tools for overcoming writer’s block and generating new ideas. Whether you’re struggling to find inspiration for your latest writing project or just need a change of pace, these exercises can help you jumpstart your creative process and keep your ideas flowing. Whether you prefer free-writing exercises, word prompts, or writing games, there’s something for everyone when it comes to breaking through creative blocks.

Building Confidence and Expanding Writing Skills

In addition to helping you generate new ideas, writing exercises can also boost your confidence and help you develop new writing skills. By trying new things and challenging yourself to write in new ways, you’ll become a more well-rounded and versatile writer. Whether you’re looking to improve your storytelling skills, build your descriptive abilities, or experiment with different styles, writing exercises can help you take your writing to the next level.

Types of Writing Prompts

Writing prompts can come in all shapes and sizes, offering writers an endless supply of inspiration and ideas. Whether you’re a seasoned author looking for a new challenge or a struggling writer trying to overcome writer’s block, prompts can help you generate new ideas and approach your writing in new ways. In this section, we’ll explore some of the most popular types of writing prompts and how they can help you generate new ideas and improve your writing skills.

Character Prompts

Character prompts are an essential tool for writers looking to develop unique and dynamic characters. They can take on many forms, ranging from simple questions about a character’s appearance or personality, to more complex prompts that delve into their backstory and motivations. The goal of character prompts is to help writers think more deeply about their characters, and to create well-rounded individuals that are fully realized and engaging. By focusing on character development, writers can ensure that their characters are at the forefront of their stories, driving the narrative and capturing the interest of their readers. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, character prompts can help you to take your writing to the next level, and bring your stories to life in new and exciting ways.

Whether you prefer to work with prompts that ask you to describe your characters’ appearances, personalities, or motivations, or you prefer to use prompts that encourage you to delve deeper into their backstory, the key is to use character prompts as a means of exploring your characters and helping them to evolve and grow. Whether you’re looking to create complex and interesting characters, or you’re simply seeking to build your confidence and writing skills, character prompts are a versatile and effective tool that can help you to achieve your goals.

Plot Prompts

Plot prompts are an incredibly useful tool for writers looking to generate new story ideas and craft engaging plots. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, plot prompts can help you overcome writer’s block, spark your imagination, and create stories that are both captivating and original. They come in many forms, from simple one-sentence prompts to detailed scenarios, and can be used to brainstorm new ideas or build on existing ones.

The beauty of plot prompts is that they can be tailored to suit the specific needs of each writer. Whether you’re looking for a new twist on an old idea or an entirely fresh concept, plot prompts have the potential to help you find it. By focusing on different elements of storytelling, such as character motivations, themes, and conflicts, plot prompts can help writers create stories that are rich, complex, and satisfying. Whether you’re writing a novel, short story, or screenplay, plot prompts can help you find new and exciting ways to tell your stories and captivate your readers.

Setting Prompts

Setting prompts are designed for writers looking to bring their stories to life. They encourage writers to delve deep into the world they are creating and consider the various elements that make up the setting. This includes not only the physical location, but also the time period, weather, cultural influences, and social dynamics. Setting prompts can be as simple as asking writers to describe a specific place, or as complex as asking them to create an entirely new world with its own unique rules and customs.

In addition to helping writers build rich and immersive settings, setting prompts can also play an important role in the development of the plot and character. By considering the various elements that make up a setting, writers can create new ideas for their stories and build a foundation for the characters and events that will take place within the world they have created. Whether you are imagining a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a magical kingdom, or a futuristic city, setting prompts can help you create a world that is believable and captivating for your readers.

Object Prompts

Object prompts are an excellent way for writers to develop unique and captivating objects for their stories. They can range from a single, simple item to a complex and intricate device. When working with object prompts, writers are tasked with not only imagining the object but also describing it in detail, including its appearance, function, and significance within the story. This type of writing exercise can help writers overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas, bringing their stories to life with imaginative and engaging objects.

When developing objects through writing exercises, it’s important to consider the following elements. First, think about the appearance of the object, what it looks like, and how it is designed. This can range from a description of its shape, color, texture, and other physical characteristics, to the materials it is made of and how it is put together. Secondly, think about the function of the object and how it will be used in the story. This can be as simple as a tool or weapon, or as complex as a machine with multiple functions. Finally, consider the object’s significance within the story, and how it contributes to the plot, character development, or setting. By focusing on these elements, writers can create unique and interesting objects that will add depth and dimension to their stories.

Action Prompts

Action prompts are a fantastic tool for writers who want to add energy, excitement, and tension to their stories. These prompts are designed to help writers create dynamic and captivating action scenes that will engage their readers and drive the story forward. When used correctly, action prompts can help writers overcome writer’s block, generate new ideas, and create scenes that are both thrilling and memorable.

Incorporating action into a story is essential for keeping readers engaged, building tension, and revealing the character’s motivations and personalities. Action scenes should not only move the story along but also draw the reader in, providing them with a visual representation of the characters and their surroundings. Whether it’s a chase scene, a fight, or an escape, an effective action scene will leave the reader on the edge of their seat, wondering what will happen next.

When working with action prompts, writers should focus on creating believable and well-choreographed scenes that are both exciting and meaningful. They should pay attention to details, such as pacing, dialogue, and character development, to ensure that the scene is not only thrilling but also contributes to the story as a whole. With a little bit of creativity and imagination, writers can use action prompts to create some of the most memorable and engaging scenes in their stories.

Types of Writing Exercises

Writing exercises can be a fantastic tool for writers of all levels to overcome writer’s block and stimulate new ideas. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, there’s a writing exercise that’s perfect for you. This section will dive into five different types of writing exercises that are sure to get your creative juices flowing. These exercises are designed to help you explore new avenues of creativity, challenge yourself, and ultimately produce fresh and exciting content. Whether you’re in need of a new story idea or just looking to improve your writing skills, these exercises can help you achieve your goals. So sit back, grab your writing materials, and let’s get started!

Free Writing

Free writing is a simple yet effective exercise for writers looking to overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas. The basic premise of this exercise is to simply set a timer for a specified amount of time and start writing without worrying about structure or grammar. The idea is to keep your pen or keyboard moving, regardless of whether you know what you’re going to write next. This process can help you tap into your subconscious mind and uncover new and exciting ideas that you may not have considered before.

One of the key benefits of free writing is that it allows you to let go of your inner critic and write without self-judgment. By focusing on the act of writing, rather than the end result, you can free up your mind and allow your creative ideas to flow more freely. Additionally, free writing can help you overcome writer’s block by giving you a way to get your thoughts and ideas down on paper, no matter how disorganized they may seem at first.

The beauty of free writing is that there are no rules or restrictions. You can write about anything that comes to mind, no matter how silly or absurd it may seem. This can be a great way to challenge yourself and explore new topics or genres. To get the most out of this exercise, try to write for at least ten minutes each day, focusing on keeping your pen or keyboard moving and letting your thoughts take you wherever they may. You may be surprised at the new and exciting ideas that come to life as a result of this simple, yet effective exercise.

Timed Writing

Timed writing is similar to free writing, but with a specific goal in mind – improving your speed and creativity. This exercise requires writers to choose a prompt or writing exercise and set a timer for a specific amount of time. The goal of timed writing is to write as much as possible during the allotted time, forcing writers to think creatively and quickly. This exercise can be a great way to overcome writer’s block and build confidence in your writing abilities.

Different time frames can be used for different types of writing and prompts. For example, a shorter time frame of 10-15 minutes can be used for more focused writing exercises, such as writing a scene or a description of a character. A longer time frame of 30 minutes to an hour can be used for free writing or for exploring a larger idea or theme. By changing up the time frame, writers can challenge themselves and approach writing from new perspectives, helping to generate fresh ideas and overcome creative blocks.

Writing Challenges

Writing challenges are a fun way to add some excitement and variety to your writing routine. By setting specific parameters, you force yourself to think creatively and work within limitations, which can lead to new and innovative ideas. Whether you participate in a writing challenge with a group of friends or take on a challenge on your own, the benefits are numerous.

One of the great things about writing challenges is that they can be tailored to your specific interests and goals. If you love writing in a particular genre, you can find a challenge that focuses on that genre. If you’re trying to improve your writing skills, you can find a challenge that focuses on specific techniques or styles. You can also set your own parameters and create your own writing challenge, which can be a great way to make writing more fun and engaging.

By participating in writing challenges, you can also connect with other writers and engage in a supportive community. This can be a great way to get feedback on your work and learn from other writers, as well as a way to find motivation and inspiration when you need it. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, writing challenges are a great way to improve your writing and overcome writer’s block.

Word Association Exercises

Word association exercises are a powerful tool for writers looking to overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas. The exercise works by taking a single word or phrase and using it as the starting point for a stream of consciousness. As you write down the first word that comes to mind, you continue to build upon that word, exploring new connections and ideas. This process helps to tap into your subconscious mind, unlocking new perspectives and creative insights that you might not have considered otherwise.

The beauty of word association exercises is that they can be tailored to your specific needs and interests. Whether you’re looking to explore a new genre, develop characters, or generate plot ideas, word association exercises can help you get there. They allow you to free your mind from the constraints of structure and logic, giving you the space to explore and experiment.

As you work through a word association exercise, you may find that you quickly generate a series of new ideas and insights. You may also discover that you are able to overcome blocks and writer’s block that have been holding you back. By taking the time to play and experiment with words, you can expand your creative horizons, build confidence in your writing, and ultimately become a more successful and productive writer.

Collaborative Writing Exercises

Collaborative writing exercises can be incredibly beneficial for writers looking to grow and develop their skills. By working with other writers, you are exposed to new perspectives, writing styles, and ideas, which can help to inspire your own writing and push you out of your comfort zone. Additionally, collaborating with others can help to overcome writer’s block by providing a fresh perspective and new ideas to work with. By bouncing ideas off of one another and working together to develop a story or scene, you can create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Furthermore, writing with friends or acquaintances can also be a fun and enjoyable experience, helping to foster a sense of community and support among writers. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out, collaborative writing exercises are a great way to challenge yourself and grow as a writer.

How to Use Prompts and Writing Exercises

Incorporating prompts and writing exercises into your writing routine can be a great way to overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas. But how do you actually make them a part of your writing practice? In this section, we’ll explore three key tips for using prompts and writing exercises effectively.

Setting aside dedicated time for writing exercises

Setting aside dedicated time for writing exercises is crucial to making them a regular part of your writing routine. One of the best ways to ensure that you stick to your schedule is to choose a time when you’re feeling most creative and energized. Here are a few ideas for finding the perfect time to do quick prompts:

  • First thing in the morning: Starting your day with a quick writing exercise can help get your creative juices flowing and set a positive tone for the rest of the day.
  • During lunch break: Taking a break from work to do a quick writing exercise can help recharge your batteries and give you a fresh perspective on your writing.
  • Before bed: Doing a writing exercise before bed can help you wind down and clear your mind, making it easier to get a good night’s sleep.
  • On the weekends: If you have more free time on the weekends, you can dedicate a longer block of time to writing exercises, allowing you to dive deeper into your writing and generate new ideas.

No matter what time you choose, the key is to make writing exercises a regular part of your routine. With dedicated time, you’ll be able to make the most of the prompts and exercises, and generate fresh and exciting ideas for your writing.

Incorporating prompts and exercises into your writing routine

Incorporating prompts and writing exercises into your writing routine can be a powerful tool in overcoming writer’s block and generating new ideas. Not only do they help you warm up before you start writing, but they also provide a fresh perspective and new inspiration for your current projects.

One way to incorporate prompts and writing exercises into your routine is to use them as a warm-up before you begin your writing session. This can be especially helpful if you’re feeling stuck or uninspired. By starting your writing day with a quick prompt or exercise, you can get your creative juices flowing and get into the right mindset for writing.

Another way to use prompts and writing exercises is to incorporate them as a break during your writing day. If you find yourself feeling stuck or in need of a change of pace, taking a few minutes to complete a prompt or exercise can help you refocus and recharge. This can be especially helpful if you’re working on a long-term project and need to keep your mind fresh and creative. Additionally, incorporating prompts and writing exercises into your routine can help you generate new ideas for your current project. Whether you’re working on a novel, short story, or even just jotting down ideas, prompts, and exercises can provide new inspiration and help you expand your thinking.

Finally, keeping a journal of prompts and exercises can be a valuable resource for future use. You can refer back to your journal when you’re in need of inspiration or even use the prompts and exercises you’ve already completed as a starting point for new projects. This will not only help you overcome writer’s block, but it will also help you build a library of creative ideas that you can draw from for years to come.

Keeping a journal of prompts and exercises for future use

Keeping a journal of prompts and exercises can be a fantastic way to stay inspired and motivated as a writer. By recording your favorite prompts and exercises, as well as any new ideas that you come up with, you’ll always have a wealth of inspiration to draw from when you need it. This journal can also be a valuable tool for organizing your prompts and exercises in a way that makes sense for you and your writing needs. For example, you might choose to categorize your prompts by type, such as character prompts, plot prompts, setting prompts, etc. Or you might categorize them by the type of writing you hope to achieve, such as writing for emotional impact, writing for suspense, or writing for humor.

Organizing your journal in this way will allow you to easily find the prompts and exercises that will best serve your writing goals in any given session. And by revisiting your favorite exercises whenever you need a creative boost, you can stay inspired and motivated, no matter what your writing routine looks like. Whether you’re working on a new project or simply looking for ways to overcome writer’s block, keeping a journal of prompts and exercises is a great way to ensure that you always have the inspiration you need to write your best work.

The Write Move: Final Thoughts on Using Writing Exercises to Generate Fresh Ideas

In conclusion, we’ve explored the benefits of using prompts and writing exercises to overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas. We’ve seen how incorporating these exercises into your writing routine can improve creativity and imagination, break through creative blocks, build confidence, and expand your writing skills. From character prompts to action prompts, and from free writing to collaborative writing exercises, there is a variety of options available to help writers overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas.

We encourage writers to experiment with different types of prompts and exercises to find what works best for them. It’s important to remember that what works for one writer may not work for another. The key is to be open to trying new things and to be persistent in your writing practice.

In the end, maintaining a regular writing practice is crucial to improving creativity and overcoming writer’s block. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out, incorporating prompts and writing exercises into your routine can help you generate new ideas, overcome writer’s block, and take your writing to the next level. So why not give it a try and see what new and exciting ideas come to life on the page?

The post The Write Stuff: Using Writing Exercises to Generate Fresh Ideas appeared first on The Horror Tree .

B2 writing

Are you a learner at B2 English level (upper intermediate) ? This section offers writing practice to help you write clear, detailed text on a wide range of topics related to your interests. Texts include essays, reports, reviews, messages and emails.

Each lesson has a preparation task, a model text with writing tips and three tasks to check your understanding and to practise a variety of writing skills. Make a start today.

Choose a writing lesson

A covering email

A covering email

Learn how to write a covering email to accompany a job application.

  • Read more about A covering email
  • Log in or register to post comments

A CV

Learn how to write a curriculum vitae, often called a CV in the UK or résumé in American English. 

  • Read more about A CV

A letter of complaint

A letter of complaint

Learn how to write a letter of complaint.

  • Read more about A letter of complaint

A report on working abroad

A report on working abroad

Learn how to write a report on working abroad.

  • Read more about A report on working abroad

A summary of a line graph

A summary of a line graph

Learn how to describe a line graph.

  • Read more about A summary of a line graph

An advert

Learn how to write an advert.

  • Read more about An advert

An email to request time off

An email to request time off

Learn how to write an email to request time off work.

  • Read more about An email to request time off

An email to your professor

An email to your professor

Learn how to write an email to your university professor.

  • Read more about An email to your professor

An informal email to a friend

An informal email to a friend

Learn how to write an informal email to a friend.

  • Read more about An informal email to a friend

An opinion essay

An opinion essay

Learn how to write an opinion essay.

  • Read more about An opinion essay

Comparing two charts

Comparing two charts

Learn how to write about and compare two pie charts.

  • Read more about Comparing two charts

Giving instructions by email

Giving instructions by email

Learn how to write an email to give instructions.

  • Read more about Giving instructions by email

Learn to write in English with confidence

Our online English classes feature lots of useful writing materials and activities to help you develop your writing skills with confidence in a safe and inclusive learning environment.

Practise writing with your classmates in live group classes, get writing support from a personal tutor in one-to-one lessons or practise writing by yourself at your own pace with a self-study course.

Explore courses

Online courses

Footer:Live classes

Group and one-to-one classes with expert teachers.

Footer:Self-study

Learn English in your own time, at your own pace.

Footer:Personalised Tutor

One-to-one sessions focused on a personal plan.

Footer:IELTS preparation

Get the score you need with private and group classes.  

Steven C. Hayes Ph.D.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

The power of writing about your values, a simple exercise to rediscover your purpose and find meaning..

Posted February 15, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

  • What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
  • Find a counsellor who practices CBT
  • Values work asks us to take responsibility for our own life journey.
  • Writing about your values has a significant impact on your actions and mental well-being.
  • Living by what you truly care about won’t always be easy, but it can bring you more fulfillment and meaning.

Pixabay/Pexels

What do you genuinely care about? It’s a deceptively simple question, but one we often neglect answering for ourselves. As a result, we tend to focus our efforts and energies on tasks that don’t truly align with what we want out of life. We act according to our short-term needs (while maybe even sabotaging our long-term goals), or we follow other people’s expectations, not really questioning whether they are in our own best interest. We might focus on what we “should” be doing, going from chore to chore, making us feel like we’re trapped in an endlessly looping hamster wheel.

Living by our values provides an alternative. Rather than mindlessly trying to live up to other people’s standards, values work asks us to take responsibility for our own life journey. When we choose what’s important in life, we create a deeply personal metric for success.

Do we care about putting love into the world? About appreciating and protecting nature? About creating beauty? The best of our cultural, familial, and wisdom traditions can guide us, but ultimately the truly heartfelt choices are ours to make “naked and in the wind.”

By making such choices, we are more likely not only to engage life with motivation and follow through but also to bring more attention , care, and energy to the journeys that uplift us. Values help us build socially positive emotions, like gratitude and appreciation, and the feeling that we are making a meaningful difference in other people’s lives. And a simple exercise has shown to be particularly effective in distilling what those values might be.

Research has shown that writing about your values has a significant impact on your actions as well as on your mental well-being—more than just simply picking values from a list or stating them in a few words. By writing about them, you are less likely to react defensively or to let values become formulaic. You are more likely to become more receptive to information that suggests how you can make effective changes in your life.

If that sounds preachy, please remove any sense of “should” from it. You don’t need a wagging finger from me any more than you need one from anyone else, including yourself. I’m advocating values work because science, the best of our cultural traditions, and our own life experiences show that when values choices are made from the whole of us, and from a psychologically open and aware posture, our lives improve. It’s just the way we are wired.

A Simple Exercise to Discover Your Purpose and Meaning

In a moment, I will ask you to write about your values. Before I do, however, please take a sheet of paper and write down the following life areas:

  • Intimate Relationships
  • Environment
  • Spirituality
  • Physical Well-Being

Next, I want you to rate each of those life areas on a scale of 1 (= not important) to 10 (= highly important). Keep in mind, this is not about how important they might be to others, but how important they are to you personally right now. There are no right or wrong answers here; only you decide.

Did you do it? Great! Then rate each of these areas on a scale of 1 to 10 once again, but this time in terms of how consistent your actions with your values have been in each of the areas. For instance, a “3” in Physical Well-Being might indicate that you eat a lot of junk food and rarely exercise, whereas an “8” in Family might show that you put in a lot of effort for your children.

After you rated each of the areas a second time, take a look at your answers. Particularly interesting are the areas with a high importance (a score between 8 and 10) and relatively low consistency scores (6 or less). These are clear problem areas, and I suggest doing your initial values work with any one of them.

So here comes your actual task: Take another sheet of paper, choose a life domain, and then write for 10 minutes about your deepest values in this area. Really do it—10 minutes is not very long! As you do so, please consider the following questions:

  • What do you care about in this area?
  • What do you want to do in this area that intrinsically reflects your caring?
  • When in your life has this value been important?
  • Who are the heroes in your life to manifest such values, and what do they mean to you?
  • What have you seen in your life when others pursue this value, or not?
  • When have you violated this value, and has that been costly?
  • What might you do to manifest this value more in your life?

on writing exercise

Try to focus your writing on the qualities of your life as you want to live it—qualities you hold as being of intrinsic importance to what you do.

If it starts to feel like you are writing a wish list about what you want from life or others, redirect your writing by describing the qualities of actions you want to manifest. If you cannot think of anything else, just continue writing whatever shows up in your head (even if you write the same thing over and over again), until something new shows up.

Don’t continue reading until you’ve written for at least 10 minutes. Trust me on this. Just do it.

OK, now read what you wrote and see if you can distill a few examples of what you want to do in your chosen area. I’m talking about actual behavior. Can you name at least three actions that would bring you in closer alignment with what you care about in this life area?

Next, look for mentions of the qualities you want to manifest in your actions and see if you can note those qualities. You might want to do things lovingly, carefully, creatively, curiously, compassionately, respectfully, openly, joyously, industriously, healthfully, adventurously, thoughtfully, justly, supportively, learnedly, peacefully, humorously, simply, honestly, spiritually, fairly, charitably, traditionally, dependably, and so on and so forth.

As you read what you’ve written, write down the qualities that most stand out for you. It might just be one, or it might be several. If multiple qualities show up, see if you can capture their core in three or four words. These are verbal signposts for values choices, and you want to make a note of them.

Values only really matter when you embody them and allow them to guide your actions. How do you want to show up during an upcoming family event? At a work presentation? During your children’s school play? Or while you’re walking your dog? Humbly allow values to be your guide. Living by what you truly care about won’t always be easy, but in combination with learning how to be more open and aware, a values-based life will bring you more fulfillment, meaning, and a deeper sense that you are living a life well lived.

Lejeune, Jenna & Luoma, Jason. (2021). Values in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy . 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197550076.013.12.

Steven C. Hayes Ph.D.

Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. , is Nevada Foundation Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada Reno.

  • Find a Therapist
  • Find a Treatment Center
  • Find a Support Group
  • International
  • New Zealand
  • South Africa
  • Switzerland
  • Asperger's
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Chronic Pain
  • Eating Disorders
  • Passive Aggression
  • Personality
  • Goal Setting
  • Positive Psychology
  • Stopping Smoking
  • Low Sexual Desire
  • Relationships
  • Child Development
  • Therapy Center NEW
  • Diagnosis Dictionary
  • Types of Therapy

January 2024 magazine cover

Overcome burnout, your burdens, and that endless to-do list.

  • Coronavirus Disease 2019
  • Affective Forecasting
  • Neuroscience
  • Search forums

My "On Writing" exercise.

  • Thread starter Emerson Smith
  • Start date May 7, 2018
  • Tags challenge newbie on writing

This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

  • Newbies Start Here

Emerson Smith

Emerson Smith

  • May 7, 2018

Moderator

  • May 8, 2018

Welcome to the Board! Sorry, but as noted in the FAQ, Steve is no longer accepting submissions for the writing exercise so I have deleted that part of your message. I hope you stick around, though, and join in the discussions.  

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return

Welcome!  

Spideyman

Uber Member

on writing exercise

Oh well, that's very disheartening. That is the only reason I came here. Thanks for the support...  

*Deleted with an eye roll*  

"When he came up with that idea, Stephen wasn't thinking about the fact that someone would months or years later read his offer and want to participate." Wasn't this the whole point? Doesn't it make it even more interesting that it's 20 years later? I'm just dumbfounded by this.  

Emerson Smith said: "When he came up with that idea, Stephen wasn't thinking about the fact that someone would months or years later read his offer and want to participate." Wasn't this the whole point? Doesn't it make it even more interesting that it's 20 years later? I'm just dumbfounded by this. Click to expand...

I did find it helpful, but I'm very disappointed that it was removed. I mean, I didn't expect Steve to read it. I expected the people of the forums to read it and give me feedback. Since you guys are all very well read I'm sure.  

Why don't you just have one small spot on the forum for them? I mean you have a spot for everything else under the sun.  

Emerson Smith said: Why don't you just have one small spot on the forum for them? I mean you have a spot for everything else under the sun. Click to expand...

Sure that makes sense, you don't post anything. The Author does. I can understand sharing unauthorized original fiction, but if the Author posts it what kind of issue is there? There are dozens of websites, most namely Reddit, that do this daily. Is this something that has been discussed, or was it more of a "this is how it is don't question it' situation? I studied law, and this isn't on the level.  

Emerson Smith said: Sure that makes sense, you don't post anything. The Author does. I can understand sharing unauthorized original fiction, but if the Author posts it what kind of issue is there? There are dozens of websites, most namely Reddit, that do this daily. Is this something that has been discussed, or was it more of a "this is how it is don't question it' situation? I studied law, and this isn't on the level. Click to expand...

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse

DiO'Bolic said: If I’m not mistaken you can link to a blog here under Self-Promotion if you want people interested in reading your work to have access. WordPress is a free and easy source for blogs. I’m sure Ms Mod will correct me if I’m wrong... she seems to enjoy doing that. Click to expand...

;;D

While smoking a cig and contemplating this situation the plagiarism issue dawned on me as well. A apologize for my brash nature, but I am simmering a bit. I was totally prepared for my first shot at prose to get "rejection letters" but I was not prepared for total annihilation.  

Moderator said: I take it as my purpose and duty in life. In this case, you are....ri......rrrr......riiiiiiii.....not mistaken. Click to expand...
Emerson Smith said: While smoking a cig and contemplating this situation the plagiarism issue dawned on me as well. A apologize for my brash nature, but I am simmering a bit. I was totally prepared for my first shot at prose to get "rejection letters" but I was not prepared for total annihilation. Click to expand...

Well, that wasn't really my intention. My intention was to follow the instructions in the book. I don't even have anything to get feedback on but a 5-page short story written on the direction of "On Writing" and maybe a few dozen one-line ideas. I suppose in some sort of romantic way I felt that if I did this step, it would naturally lead to the next. So back to the studying it is. Maybe I will write more to get feedback on once I read the style guides. If there was anything I learned while writing this exercise it is that I do NOT know how to structure paragraphs and dialog in a piece of fiction. I also reaffirmed something I already knew, I seem to write effortlessly. I don't know if this is the norm but I literally have a burning desire to write. I have been in sales for the past 10 years and I can't shake the feeling that I need to write. To create. Is this how you guys feel?  

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side

Emerson Smith said: Well, that wasn't really my intention. My intention was to follow the instructions in the book. I don't even have anything to get feedback on but a 5-page short story written on the direction of "On Writing" and maybe a few dozen one-line ideas. I suppose in some sort of romantic way I felt that if I did this step, it would naturally lead to the next. So back to the studying it is. Maybe I will write more to get feedback on once I read the style guides. If there was anything I learned while writing this exercise it is that I do NOT know how to structure paragraphs and dialog in a piece of fiction. I also reaffirmed something I already knew, I seem to write effortlessly. I don't know if this is the norm but I literally have a burning desire to write. I have been in sales for the past 10 years and I can't shake the feeling that I need to write. To create. Is this how you guys feel? Click to expand...

on writing exercise

  • This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more…

on writing exercise

TOEFL iBT ®  Test

The premier test of academic English communication

Learn more by selecting any step in your TOEFL iBT ®  journey.

TOEFL ® TestReady™

No other English language test provider has a prep offering like this — designed for you, with you. TOEFL ® TestReady ™ combines the best TOEFL iBT prep offerings with exclusive features and deeper insights to enhance your English communication skills. All feedback, recommendations, personalized insights and tips are developed by the same teams that write and produce the TOEFL iBT test.

Whether you’re just embarking on your TOEFL iBT journey or aiming to boost your scores, TOEFL TestReady can help you get further, faster, with tailored study solutions for your skill level and goals.

Your Free TOEFL TestReady Account

Create or log in to your free account now to get instant access to your personalized, one-stop prep portal and explore all of the benefits TOEFL TestReady has to offer.

What’s included?

Research shows that performance in TOEFL TestReady can help you accurately predict your score on test day. The better your performance in the portal, the more likely it is for you to achieve a higher TOEFL iBT score 1 .

Free Practice Test

Practice for your TOEFL iBT test anytime, anywhere, for free, with a full-length practice test.

  • AI-powered automated scoring
  • Performance feedback for all 4 sections
  • Personalized feedback and tips for Speaking and Writing responses

Free Activity of the Day

Log in every day to challenge yourself with a free activity from one of the 4 test sections, such as a Reading passage and related questions. This activity rotates daily.

Free Tailored Study Plan

Not sure when to start preparing for the TOEFL iBT test? Answer 5 short survey questions to generate a free interactive study plan to fit your schedule and help you stay organized, track your progress and focus on the skills you need to boost.

TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) tests simulate the real TOEFL iBT testing experience.

  • Review and answer authentic test questions.
  • Receive scores and performance feedback within 24 hours.
  • Choose from volumes that include complete tests, half tests or speaking tests.

Section Tests

Practice a section in test mode and receive a score, performance feedback and additional insights.

  • Receive estimated section score and CEFR level
  • Get personalized feedback on Speaking and Writing responses
  • Review correct and incorrect answers in the Reading and Listening sections

Section Practice

Practice a complete section at your own pace and receive immediate scores, feedback and insights to help you improve.

  • Reading and Listening: learn why your response was correct/ incorrect as well as why other response options were correct/incorrect.
  • Speaking: receive feedback on speech rate, rhythm, pronunciation, grammar, and more, plus transcripts of your responses and exemplars for comparison.
  • Writing: get specific feedback on grammar, usage, mechanics and more. Includes exemplars for comparison.

Focused Practice

Boost your skills and confidence by focusing on sets of specific question types with immediate scores, feedback and insights.

Guides & Books

Best-selling guides and books to help you prepare for the TOEFL iBT test.

The Official Guide to the TOEFL iBT ® Test

This guide is a comprehensive, all-in-one reference to help you prepare for the test and get your best score. It is available in eBook and paperback formats and includes:

  • Four full-length practice tests
  • Interactive versions of all four tests, in addition to the book versions
  • valuable tips
  • scoring criteria
  • hundreds of sample questions for all four test sections

Official TOEFL iBT ® Tests, Volumes 1 & 2

Get 10 authentic, full-length TOEFL iBT tests with previous test questions. Available in paperback or eBook formats, each volume offers five practice tests and includes:

  • Interactive online versions of all five tests
  • Sample Speaking and Writing responses
  • Audio files and written transcripts for all listening passages

Learn about TOEFL iBT courses to help you prepare for your test.

Official TOEFL iBT ® Prep Course

Build the skills you need to communicate in English in an academic environment with this self-paced course. With the 6-month subscription, you’ll be able to:

  • Do in-depth lessons and activities across the 4 skills — Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing
  • Take pre- and post-tests to help you evaluate your performance
  • Receive score ranges for the Speaking and Writing post-tests, using the same automated scoring as in the actual TOEFL iBT test

You can choose one of two options:

  • The Prep Course — standard course
  • The Prep Course PLUS — everything in the standard course, plus additional scoring and feedback, including score ranges for Speaking and Writing activities and tests, and written feedback on your Speaking responses

TOEFL ® Test Preparation: The Insider's Guide

With this free self-paced course, you can learn and practice whenever it’s most convenient for you. It includes:

  • An introduction to the test and each section
  • Short quizzes
  • Collaborative discussion boards
  • Tips from expert instructors
  • Scaled-score range for Speaking and Writing practice questions
  • Information and sample questions for the new Writing for an Academic Discussion task

Value Packs

Save money when you purchase multiple prep offerings bundled together into an expertly curated package. Find discounts on test registrations, practice tests, guides, books, additional score reports and more.

Performance Insights, Feedback and Guidance

As you engage with TOEFL TestReady prep offerings, robust AI algorithms serve up valuable information to help you maximize your score potential.

Feel confident on test day! The overwhelming majority of learners we surveyed reported that the new test prep offerings and features within TOEFL TestReady boosted their confidence, improved their skills and increased their readiness for the TOEFL iBT test 2 .

Curated Prep Recommendations

Close skill gaps and focus your time more effectively and efficiently with curated prep recommendations. Receive evolving guidance on where to focus your efforts and which prep offerings to try next based on insights drawn from your past performance.

Continuous Progress Tracking

Monitor your progress in real time with tracking of overall performance, section performance and question type performance. Your personal Insights page showcases your skill trends, as well as an estimated TOEFL iBT score and CEFR level to help you gauge your readiness.

1 Source: Statistics gathered from 765 users who also took the TOEFL iBT test (China, India, and the U.S.)

2 Source: Survey of 765 users across China, India and the U.S.

Upper Michigan Today celebrates Valentine’s Day with a love poetry writing workshop, self-love conversation

Upper michigan today wednesday, february 14..

JoAnne Garrow and Beverly Matherne join Tia Trudgeon and MK DiVirgilio on Upper Michigan Today.

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - Love is in the air today!

Upper Michigan Today celebrated Valentine’s Day on Wednesday’s episode with the help of Poets Marty Achatz and Beverly Matherne and Therapist JoAnne Garrow of Caught Dreamin’ Therapy.

Achatz and Matherne guide you through a simple love poetry writing workshop before Garrow highlights the importance of practicing self-love.

But first, MK DiVirgilio joins Tia Trudgeon as co-host to share stories of the day.

Now, back to Valentine’s Day!

Forbes estimates that Americans will spend a collective $25.8 billion on gifts this Valentine’s Day, with chocolates, flowers, and jewelry being the most purchased gift items.

If you’re looking to give a more personal or free gift this Valentine’s Day, consider writing your loved one a poem!

A poem doesn’t have to be long or complex to be successful.

Matherne shares a love poem from her book, “Love Potions, Teas, Incantations” before diving into the writing exercise.

Achatz says you don’t have to have a particular way with words to write a successful love poem.

Just follow a list format like in this exercise here!

Garrow joins the conversation and explains that self-love and self-care practices are the foundation for all healthy relationships and adds that self-love looks different for everybody, but starts with internal reflection.

Garrow says once you have a better understanding of what’s important to you, what gives you energy, and what depletes it, you can start including small self-love practices into your daily routine.

If you’re struggling with self-love and self-acceptance, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional.

Garrow says her practice has grown steadily and she sees clients for a variety of reasons, from those looking to heal from major trauma to those looking to improve interpersonal relationships.

You can learn more about Garrow, her team at Caught Dreamin’, and their services at caughtdreamintherapy.com .

You can watch Upper Michigan Today on weekdays at 9:00 a.m on FOX UP or stream the show on your smart device with the TV6+ app.

Copyright 2024 WLUC. All rights reserved.

Police lights

UPDATE: Section of M-26 in Houghton County reopens after crash

on writing exercise

UPDATE: Power outage scheduled in Baraga County, sheriff’s office encourages safety preperation

 Photo courtesy: Ironwood Public Safety Department/Facebook

UPDATE: Victims identified in deadly Greenbush Street structure fire in Ironwood

Those involved in the crash were transported to U.P. Health Systems - Portage

Multiple people entrapped, transported to hospital after Adams Township crash

Greg Dierkes was a Vietnam Veteran and owned a cabin on Cable Lake years ago and wanted to...

Victim identified in Iron River house explosion

Latest news.

The University held its first Engineering Technology & Manufacturing Career Fair at the...

NMU host inaugural Engineering job fair

After a 5-0 approval, the board will build the solar panel array close to US-41 instead of...

Ely Township Board provides next steps for solar panel project

The letter also urges USPS to promptly schedule a new meeting time and be receptive to...

Sen. Gary Peters asks USPS to clarify proposed Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center changes

Burt Township Offices

Burt Township Board discusses no-trespass order for alleged voyeur

IMAGES

  1. Writing exercise

    on writing exercise

  2. Creative Writing Exercises For Beginners

    on writing exercise

  3. Esl Writing Exercise

    on writing exercise

  4. 😀 Creative writing exercises middle school. Creative Writing Exercises

    on writing exercise

  5. Previous Next

    on writing exercise

  6. Writing exercise

    on writing exercise

VIDEO

  1. Writing is easy!🤣

  2. Writing Exercise #1

  3. Writing Exercise #1

  4. Daily Exercise To Practice Writing INSIGHTS

  5. writing exercise #1

  6. Workbook grade 7 Creative writing Exercise page No 8

COMMENTS

  1. 24 of the Best Writing Exercises to Become a Better Writer

    Among both exercises to improve writing skills and fun writing exercises for adults, writing metaphor lists is one of the best writing exercises out there. A metaphor list is simple. On a notebook, create two columns. In one column, write down concrete nouns. Things like a pillow, a tree, a cat, a cloud, and anything that can be perceived with ...

  2. 100 Writing Practice Lessons & Exercises

    Our 100+ Best Creative Writing Practice Exercises and Lessons Now that you know how we practice writing at The Write Practice, here are our best writing practice lessons to jumpstart your writing skills with some daily writing exercises, for beginner writers to even the most expert writers: All-Time, Top 10 Writing Lessons and Exercises

  3. 8 Creative Writing Exercises to Strengthen Your Writing

    8 Creative Writing Exercises to Strengthen Your Writing Written by MasterClass Last updated: Aug 23, 2021 • 4 min read Learning to write fiction is like training for a marathon. Before you get ready for the main event, it's good to warm up and stretch your creative muscles.

  4. 105 Creative Writing Exercises: 10 Min Writing Exercises

    Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment. Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour. For example, Orange, the colour of my favourite top. Open a book or dictionary on a random page. Pick a random word.

  5. 29 Easy, Fun, and Effective Writing Exercises

    Guides Aug, 30 2021 Updated: Jul, 5 2022 • 12 min read 29 Easy, Fun, and Effective Writing Exercises Working out isn't just for your cardiovascular health. You gotta keep that brain in shape too! Writing exercises will keep your imagination limber.

  6. 10-minute workouts to improve your writing

    💡 Skill: style The desire to become a great writer often comes as the result of reading a great piece of writing. It could be a book, letter, speech, or an article. Two questions generally come to mind for the aspiring writer: How did they do that? and How can I learn to do that too?

  7. 11 Creative Writing Exercises That Will Improve Your Skills

    5. Write a stream of consciousness page. This is an easy and fun exercise. You want to write it in longhand rather than typing on your computer, as handwriting slows down the process and allows more time for your creative brain to do its work. Grab a pen and blank pad and simply start writing.

  8. 27 Creative Writing Exercises That'll Punch Up Your Writing

    by Mel Wicks on Dec 8, 2023 Creative writing exercises are a great way to train your writing muscles. Ready to flex? Read on. Wouldn't you love to smash your content out of the ring every time? To always land that knockout blow, just like your writing idols?

  9. 13 Creative Writing Exercises: Become a Better Writer

    4 - Take one of your favorite short stories, either one you've written or one you've read, and write it in a different genre. For example, take a romance and write it as horror. This is a super fun exercise, and it lets you practice using tone and perspective! The tone of a story can change the meaning.

  10. 57 Genius-Sparking Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers

    May 6, 2022 The best writing exercises for fiction writers are the ones that help you tap into the story you already wanted to tell. Sometimes we writers get ourselves overwhelmed by the thought that there's something we "should" be writing.

  11. ️ 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

    The Ultimate List of 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers ️ 100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors This curated directory of creative writing exercises was conceived thanks to a collaboration between the top writing blogs of 2024.

  12. 35 Writing Exercises for Adults

    18. Recall your text-to-speech exercise and pretend you're taking down your thoughts (or your character's thoughts) from mental dictation. Use a prompt, if it helps, and record their stream-of-consciousness thinking process without editing or filtering any of the content. Write exactly as you (or they) talk.

  13. 16 Best Writing Exercises To Improve Your Writing

    Best exercises to improve your writing Now, let's enter the "Writer's Gym" and explore 16 exercises to improve your writing. 1. Freewrite, then condense by half How it works: Ignites creativity and strengthens concision and self-editing skills. Pick any topic you like, set a five-minute timer, and write whatever comes to mind.

  14. 7 Creative Writing Exercises For Writers

    1. Follow your stream of consciousness. Many writers have become conditioned to feel a great deal of stress or worry about being confronted by a blank page. This exercise will help you address this fear head-on. Get a piece of paper and start writing the first thing that comes to mind.

  15. 50 Fantastic Creative Writing Exercises

    50 Fantastic Creative Writing Exercises - Bookfox He got up and sat on the edge of the bedstead with his back to the window. "It's better not to sleep at all," he decided. There was a cold damp draught from the window, however; without getting up he drew the blanket over him and wrapped himself in it.

  16. Ten Minute Writing Exercises

    Writing takes practice, lots and lots of practice. Remember the golden hour - some people writer better at dawn and others late at night. The following exercises are short although you can make them longer if you like. TEN MINUTE WRITING EXERCISES - BEFORE YOU BEGIN. I suggest trying them all and see what happens.

  17. 10 Super Effective Writing Exercises That'll Help You Finish Your

    Writing out the ending helps to ensure that you understand where your story will go. By starting with the ending then going back to start the script on Page 1, you already have a framework that leads you through the most important elements of your plot. Now, you can start to connect the dots with events between the beginning and end.

  18. Writing

    Choose a level A1 writing Are you an elementary (CEFR level A1) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises. A2 writing Are you a pre-intermediate (CEFR level A2) learner of English? Practise and improve your writing skills with these texts and exercises. B1 writing

  19. 6 Writing Exercises to Practice and Improve Your Writing Skills

    6 Writing Exercises to Practice and Improve Your Writing Skills Written by MasterClass Last updated: Aug 30, 2021 • 3 min read A good writer doesn't become a great writer overnight. Improving your writing skills requires hard work and constant practice on a regular basis.

  20. Creative Writing Exercises To Enhance Your Writing

    Essentially, creative writing exercises are short bursts of creative writing, generally improvisational, that get the creative juices flowing. They can range from consciousness writing, to penning short stories or prose in poetry forms to practice writing. The medium, length, and content are not important, all that matters is unlocking your ...

  21. Writing Practice Worksheets

    In these writing practice worksheets, students practice both reading and writing in these exercises. First, they read the uncompleted story. Then, they try to finish it using their own words. Beginning Finish the Story - The Snow Day. Beginning Finish the Story - The Fair. Beginning Finish the Story - Summer Camp.

  22. The Write Stuff: Using Writing Exercises to Generate Fresh Ideas

    Writing exercises can be a fantastic tool for writers of all levels to overcome writer's block and stimulate new ideas. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, there's a ...

  23. B2 writing

    This section offers writing practice to help you write clear, detailed text on a wide range of topics related to your interests. Texts include essays, reports, reviews, messages and emails. Each lesson has a preparation task, a model text with writing tips and three tasks to check your understanding and to practise a variety of writing skills.

  24. The Power of Writing About Your Values

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy The Power of Writing About Your Values A simple exercise to rediscover your purpose and find meaning. Posted February 15, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

  25. My "On Writing" exercise.

    My "On Writing" exercise. This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members. Hi everybody, My name is Zach, I'm new here. I'm new to writing. I want to be a writer so bad, and I have no idea where to start. My favorite author has always been Stevie King so I picked up his book "On Writing ...

  26. TOEFL TestReady

    No other English language test provider has a prep offering like this — designed for you, with you. TOEFL ® TestReady ™ combines the best TOEFL iBT prep offerings with exclusive features and deeper insights to enhance your English communication skills. All feedback, recommendations, personalized insights and tips are developed by the same teams that write and produce the TOEFL iBT test.

  27. Mobile-Assisted Grammar Exercises: Effects on Self-Editing in L2 Writing

    Zhi Li and Volker Hegelheimer Mobile-Assisted Grammar Exercises: Effects on Self-Editing in L2 Writing Language Learning & Technology 145 It is noteworthy that learners' performance on Grammar Clinic assignments positively correlated with grammar post-test, even though the magnitudes are small and not statistically significant. The highest

  28. Upper Michigan Today celebrates Valentine's Day with a love poetry

    Upper Michigan Today celebrates the day of love with a love poetry writing exercise with Poets Marty Achatz and Beverly Matherne and a conversation about self-love and acceptance with Therapist ...