Writing Habits and Practices

The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so this series helps identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's mistake is to write all the time without taking a break for other activities.

A book series coming to an end is bittersweet—but there are ways to keep the spirit of the story alive well beyond you write "the end." Here, New York Times bestselling author Karen White shares how to close out a book series and tease a new one.

Writing what you know is not necessarily the same thing as writing your personal experiences. Young adult author Nikki Barthelmess discusses how to write what you feel as a way to write what you know, and to ask "what if?"

The age-old advice of "write every day" to get your novel finished is perhaps too broad for some writers. Here, author J. Lawrence Matthews shares his system that worked for him to finish his first novel.

Books, much like children, sometimes take a village. Let managing editor and fellow WriMo participant Moriah Richard give you tips for engaging with your online and in-person NaNoWriMo community.

Lessons in writing can come from various forms of art or entertainment. Author Alverne Ball shares 5 things he learned about writing from watching soap operas.

The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so this series helps identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's mistake is to collect writing advice at the expense of actually writing.

The writing process is both individual and communal, as receiving constructive feedback and outside encouragement helps our drafts become finished manuscripts. Author Peri Chickering discusses how opening ourselves up to others can make us better writers.

Across the globe and spanning lifetimes, animals have always operated as more than simply animals within the stories they reside. Author Richard Girling discusses how animals have interacted with writers throughout the centuries.

What do you do in a world perpetually in fast forward? You create spaces for contemplation. Author Terry Helwig offers advice on creating spaces to ponder your bliss and how to find your inner compass.

When it comes to a 30 day writing challenge like NaNoWriMo, do you need to prep beforehand to achieve success? Well, that might depend on what kind of writer you are.

Experienced writers know to expect the unexpected. Here are surprises in the writing process from 20 authors, including Amanda Jayatissa, Paul Neilan, Kristin Hannah, and Robert Jones, Jr.

You might have heard about National Novel Writing Month AKA NaNoWriMo. But what is it, really? And how can writers get involved?

The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's writing mistake is writing for one person.

The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's writing mistake is not accepting feedback on your writing.

Debut author Christina Wyman discusses how getting out of her own way led to her authorial success.

You have an idea for a nonfiction book. Now what? Author Rick Lauber shares how outlining before writing can help you decide what to put on the page—and what to save for later.

The Writer's Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so we started this series to help identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week's writing mistake writers make is trying to shock without value.