No matter what stage you're at with your writing, it's always beneficial to work on craft and technique. These exercises target common problems and weaknesses.
Switch Point of View
Both first person and third person have their strengths and weaknesses; what works for one story may not work for another. This exercise will help you observe the effect of writing in the point of view that's less familiar to you.A Day Without Modifiers
While modifiers -- adjectives and adverbs -- can add to a story, too many, or the wrong ones, can bog down your prose and lead to weaker nouns and verbs. This writing exercise, by forcing you to hold off on modifiers altogether, will challenge you to choose your nouns and verbs with care.Avoid Back Story (Screenwriting Exercise)
Do your short stories tend to get bogged down in back story? Do certain scenes seem to drag, even to you? This writing exercise will help you think like a screenwriter to create forward-moving fiction, thinking of a scene visually and strictly adhering to the present moment.Create Your Own Metaphors
Spend time thinking about figurative language with this exercise, which helps add metaphors and similes to your writing toolbox.The Drama in Everyday Life: A Writing Exercise
Author Alix Ohlin uses this creative writing exercise, set in a mattress store, to help her students find the drama in everyday lifeListening for Dialogue
Not everyone starts out with an ear for dialogue, but fortunately it can be developed, like any other skill. This exercise gets you out to listen to how people really talk.Find creative writing exercises for new story ideas or creative writing prompts here.
