How To Choose Writing Exercises
Writing every day is one way to hone your writing chops. If you want to see huge gains in your skills, though, deliberate practice by way of writing exercises is the best avenue to take.
There are many types of writing exercises out there. Choosing which ones to take on will depend on the specific area and skill you’re looking to develop. There are two steps:
- Identify what area you want to improve on. Do you want to write stronger titles? How about more impactful introductions? Maybe you want to master crafting compelling metaphors or integrating humor into your prose? Whatever skill you’re looking to add to your toolbox, being clear on it is the first step.
- Search online. There’s no shortage of writing exercises available online. Make sure you find one that serves the specific skill you’re working on, though. If you find an exercise you like that isn’t an exact fit, you can tweak it to suit your exact needs. It’s your practice session, after all.
As much as possible, pick out exercises that have you focusing on small details as those tend to be more interesting. The more constraints each exercise gives you, the better your practice session is likely to be. When you can go wild within the confines of tight rules, that’s when you know your skills are really advancing.